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Spotlight On The Breed: Brumbies Down Under |
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by M. Y. Mim |
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The story of Australia's feral horse, the Brumby, presents a sad chapter in equine history, but one with a hopeful ending thanks to some Australian horse lovers who created the Brumby Rescue Group.
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Brumbies are recognized as "feral" horses rather than "wild" because horses were introduced to Australia only several hundred years ago. No evidence of an indigenous equine exists on the continent.
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The most commonly accepted derivation of the origin of the name Brumby comes from the horses left behind by Sergeant James Brumby from his property at Mulgrave Place in New South Wales, who left for Tasmania in 1804.
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Brumbies, called "wild bush horses," are mentioned in Banjo Paterson's iconic poem "The Man from Snowy River." This poem was expanded into the films The Man from Snowy River and The Man from Snowy River II (US title: "Return to Snowy River"; UK title: "The Untamed") starring Russell Crowe and Caroline Goodall. |
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Photo courtesy Bumby Rescue Group, Queensland, Australia. |
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Photo courtesy Bumby Rescue Group, Queensland, Australia. |
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However the Brumbies acquired their name and film fame, their history seems fairly clear. Brumbies are the descendants of escaped or lost horses belonging to the area's European settlers. The first horses brought to the Australian continent were "Capers" imported from South Africa. After that, a shipment of Chilean horses arrived. Later, various introductions of other breeds included Timor ponies from Indonesia, British pony breeds, and various British draft horse breeds. When horse racing became popular, Thoroughbreds and Arabs arrived and significantly impacted the feral Brumbies. |
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The first horses were used for farm work, and contributed to opening Australia's pastoral land. Explorers used horses and bullocks for transport. The low number and quality of fences, and infrequent musters, meant that many horses escaped. Some horses were also abandoned as machinery took over many of their tasks.
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Although Brumbies roam in many areas around the country, the most well known Brumbies are found in the Australian Alps region in south-eastern Australia. The majority of them live in the Northern Territory, with the second largest population in Queensland. There are more horses in the wild in Australia than in any other country. A group of Brumbies is known as a mob or a band.
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Photo courtesy Bumby Rescue Group, Queensland, Australia. |
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Photo courtesy www.mypet.net,au. |
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Enormous controversy exists over the removal of Brumbies from National Parks. Because of the large size of the mobs, Brumbies damage fragile ecosystems and destroy native flora which may be endangered. |
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Brumbies are viewed as both a pest and a resource. They can cause damage to fences, overgraze cattle pastures, drink and foul water supplies, and make cattle mustering more difficult. They may also mate with domestic mares, and carry and pass on diseases. |
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Their usefulness in Australia has been as meat, hair (for musical instruments, brushes, upholstery), and tourism/recreation. They can be captured and used as replacement stock horses, but demand is low. When the weather is dry, Brumbies may make water available by pawing at sandy creek beds, providing water for wildlife and cattle as well as themselves. Even today, Brumbies are sometimes sold into the European horse meat market after their capture. |
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Because of the limited commercial need for these horses, the Australian government believes regular culling is necessary, and studies have been carried out as to the most humane
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and efficient method. This culling is necessary not only to reduce the horses' impact on cattle farming, but for the protection of the horse band. A band in drought conditions would suffer starvation, thirst, and may consume toxic plants. |
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Horse lovers and animal rights advocates seek to avoid inhumane culling techniques and attempt to organize relocation instead. Between October 22 and October 24, 2000, more than 600 feral horses were killed in the Guy Fawkes River National Park by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, many shot from helicopters.
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In July 2003 it was revealed to the public that terrible injuries were occurring to Brumbies on Palm Island off the coast of Townsville. According to the rescue mission launched, most of the estimated 300 horses on the island were hidden before their arrival and only three Brumbies were removed, of which one had to be euthanased.
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Long term preventative measures now include stricter controls imposed by the Palm Island Council. The owners were also given a number of bridles and bits to replace the wire and rope they were using. |
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Photo courtesy www.freenaturepictures.com. |
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According to the Brumby Rescue Group, Brumbies are possibly the lowest maintenance horses, renowned especially for their tough hooves, the ability to pick their feet up learned from avoiding obstacles in the wild. Brumbies, having survived on virtually nothing in their natural habitat, possess seemingly endless stamina, keen senses, and, if educated correctly, the loyalty and personality that emerges is unsurpassed. |
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Due to their mixed breeding. Brumbies come in all shapes, sizes and color. Depending on each Brumbie's conformation, they can be adapted to almost any horse discipline. They have been known to be used for campdrafting, show jumping, pony club, gymkhanas and mustering and are being sought by some endurance riders for their stamina. Once a registration system has been established, the Brumby Rescue Group hopes to promote the Brumby through breed classes at agricultural shows. |
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"In short," Brumby Rescue Group members declare, "we would like people to recognize Brumbies as being of use instead of being a 'feral pest'."
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For more information about Sources: Brumby Rescue Group, Queensland, Australia; ANSI, Copyright© Oklahoma State University Board of Regents 1994 - 2005. Judith Draper, The Ultimate Encyclopedia of horse Breeds and Horse Care, Hermes House Publishing, 2006; mypets.net.au.
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About the Author: M. Y. Mim is a free-lance journalist based in Santa Barbara, Ca. She may be reached at mymim3@cox.net, or through her agent R. Almqvist, 805-705-5349. The Author wishes to thank Mr. R. Almqvist for his invaluable assistance in making this article possible. |
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Read comments or post your own comments to this article at the bottom of this page. |
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Copyright © 2008 All rights reserved. The above article is the property of the Author and may not be duplicated or redistributed in any way without permission. |
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