The Mares
Meet the Ladies
The mares in our program have carefully been selected over the years based off of their bloodlines and trainability. The maternal influence in the breed is very strong. So much so, that I focus more on the maternal lines than the sire lines when trying to develop the next generations.
Dulzura RB
“Zuri” Branded Kiger mare from 2011 adoption
Zuri is out of the 2011 adoption (sooty dun dam turned back out to wild) and originally adopted by Michelle Clarke of Rancho Bayo in Texas. Zuri had several fantastic Charro offspring before she came to W12.
Zuri is one of the most popular Kigers on the ranch when people come to see the herd in person. She’s got an incredible personality and phenomenal matriarch influence on the rest of our herd. There’s a very good reason we have a bay Kiger as one of our main mares and that’s because everyone that meets her ends up wanting to take her home with them. She is the perfect “gateway” Kiger for anyone wanting to get a feel for how great these Kigers can be. She’s been a great pairing with Brioso and loves to throw fillies by him.
She’s a big girl and has wonderful movement to watch as she floats across the pasture. She’s a big reason our foals come out with balanced personalities because she’s a strong steady force that gives confidence but she’s also gentle and fair to offspring that aren’t hers. She makes my life so much easier when raising foals.
As a riding horse, she was very, very easy to start undersaddle and naturally wants to take care of her rider. Even as a green horse, she appeared further along in training due to her grounded nature and the trust she had with her rider. She’s the sort of Kiger that makes you want to have 10 more in your barn.
Destinada RB
“Dezi” 2012 (wild-conceived Kiger HMA—Sonrisa RB)
Dezi is one of the prettiest moving Kigers we have on the ranch and boy does she have some fire! She loves attention and has been very easy to have in the herd.
She’s had two foals for us thus far that we are keeping and she’s a wonderful mother. She’s out of a mare line we are very excited about since Sonrisa has really been throwing some great saddle horses thanks to the efforts of Michelle Clarke of Rancho Bayo.
Dezi has siblings in Sweden owned by Jessica of Team Kigers of Frejes.
W12 Raya De Luna Creek
“Raya” 2019 Brioso Canyon–Sky Creek
Raya is a “keeper” daughter from this pairing. Sarah almost named her Luna, due to her crescent moon shaped star, but there had been several “Lunas” in the breed at the time.
She carries on older Kiger lines which can be seen in her type. She is a smooth mover, like her parents, and loves being an aunty!
Where her dam, Sky, is more reserved (stranger danger), Raya has her sire’s gregarious personality.
W12 Lapis Lazuli Vaquera
“Zulu” 2022 (Steens Vaquero x Sky Creek)
Zulu is a fantastic pairing of older Kiger lines just like her half sister “Raya.” We did this pairing, not certain the fertility of Steens Vaquero (Cowboy), in his old age, but took the risk anyway. Cowboy had so few offspring in the current genetic pool despite being an influential stallion. Many great Kiger lines from the past have just disappeared unfortunately.
Zulu is very personable and low key social energy. She loves to show off her fancy moves and is a fun loving girl. She actually reminds me the most of Sky between Zulu and Raya physical appearance wise.
Sky Creek: Retired
2000 Domestic Bred (Kiger Don Sombre—Kiger Little Minor)
Sky was the second addition to our mare herd years ago. Prior to coming here, she had several foals for Dianne Chaffee of Canyon Creek Kigers. Sky had her final foal here in 2022. We are excited to have two daughters out of her by two different sires. Sky comes from old bloodlines that are very hard to come by these days.
Of our mares, Sky is more prone to “stranger danger,” if it’s a person she doesn’t know. Once she’s familiar with you, she loves the quiet attention and especially being groomed. She’s moving slower these days, so we mostly just want to keep her comfortable and happy with her herd.
As a riding horse, she was smooth to ride and passes that onto her offspring. Her kids all love to jump and humorously all love to be dewormed. They will literally try to steal the dewormers out of your pockets if you are deworming the herd out on pasture.
Sedona Creek: Reference Mare
2003 Domestic Bred (Kigers Doc Marten—J Belle)
2003 Domestic Bred (Kigers Doc Marten—J Belle)
Originally owned by Dianne Chaffee of Canyon Creek Kigers, Sedona is the dam to Mojito who sired our current stallion Brioso. Sedona has several generations of offspring overseas as well.
She is a very sweet mare who was very easy to have in the herd. She is quiet natured and even though she is a 14.1 mare, she often threw offspring larger than herself. Her bloodline goes back to “Quail” who has been a sought after dam line in the breed.
Sedona currently resides in Nova Scotia with Kaitlin Knox of Winterwind Kigers.
KMR Calista: Reference Mare
Domestic Bred 1998-2017 (WRM Kiger Geronimo “Charro”—Kiger Misty)
Calista is the reason we fell in love with the breed and started a breeding program. Sarah saw online photos when Calista was for sale at Canyon Creek Kigers and was struck by the intelligence in her eyes.
Calista was 11 years old and only halter broke when Sarah started her undersaddle. Calista was the first horse Sarah had ever started by herself. Despite being green and very energetic, Calista naturally wanted to stay in balance under the rider. Sarah never once felt unsafe on her and often rode her bareback.
Calista is the dam of Brioso our breeding stallion. The breed has very strong maternal influence and can be seen in many Brioso daughters.
