Criollo horse
Argentine Criollo mare | |
Colombian Criollo horse | |
| Conservation status | DOM |
|---|---|
| Other names | Criollo (Argentina), Crioulo (Brazil), Costeño/Morochuco (Peru), Corralero (Chile), Llanero (Venezuela) |
| Country of origin | Pampas (Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil) |
| Traits | |
| Distinguishing features | Compact and strong, straight or convex head, broad chest, well-developed joints, small in stature. |
The Criollo (in Spanish), or Crioulo (in Portuguese), is the native horse of the Pampas (a natural region between Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay, in South America) with a reputation for long-distance endurance linked to a low basal metabolism. The breed, known for its hardiness and stamina, is popular in its home countries.
The word criollo or crioulo originally referred to human and animals of pure-bred Spanish ancestry who were born in the Americas, or to animals or slaves born in the Americas. In time, the meaning of the word would simply come to refer to native breeds of the Americas.