ORIGIN OF THE PANTANEIRO HORSE IN BRAZIL ORIGIN OF THE PANTANEIRO HORSE IN BRAZIL ORIGEN DEL CABALLO PANTANERO EN EL BRASIL Santos, S.A., J.R.B. Sereno, M.C.M. Mazza and C.A. Mazza. EMBRAPA/CPAP C. Postal 109. 79320-900 Corumbá. MS - Brazil Additional Keywords Palabras clave adicionales Historic horse. Pantaneiro breed. Brazil Historia equina. Raza pantaneira. Colonización colonization. del Brasil. SUMMARY The first horses that arrived in the Pantanal, horse has played an important role in the a flooded land of the states of Mato Grosso and development of the Pantanal region. Mato Grosso do Sul (Central Western region of Brazil), formed a breed - the Pantaneiro horse - a product of natural selection over the last three RESUMEN centuries, and adapted to the regional environmental conditions. Until recently, little Los primeros caballos que llegaron al pantanal, or no human interference was imposed on this una planicie inundable de los Estados de Mato process. There is some information about dates Grosso y Mato Grosso do Sul (región Centro when the first horses entered the region, but Oeste de Brasil) dieron lugar a una raza - el none of it is precise. The earliest origin apperars caballo pantanero - producto de la selección to be related to such spanish expeditions as natural por más de dos siglos, adaptada a las those of Pedro de Mendoza, in 1534; Alvar condiciones ambientales de la región. Hay algunas Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, in 1540; and Ñuflo de informaciones sobre las fechas de la entrada de Chávez, in 1543. The animals brought by these los primeros caballos a la región, pero ninguna de expeditions were, for the most part, Iberian ellas es precisa. El origen más remoto está horses. Some horses on these expeditions were relacionado con las expediciones españolas, tales lost in the Pantanal, proliferating and, como las de D. Pedro de Mendoza, en 1534; Alvar consequently, populating the area. The Guaicuru Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, en 1540, y Ñuflo de indians helped to spread horses in the Pantanal. Chávez en 1543. Los animales traídos por estas They learned horse management from the spanish expediciones fueron en su mayor parte, ibéricos. and extended their range. Explorers arriving in Algunos caballos de estas expediciones fueron the state of Mato Grosso, particularly in the 17th abandonados en el pantanal, proliferando a and 18th centuries, coming from the state of Sâo continuación y poblando el área. Los indios Paulo, by way of the Tietê-Paraná-Paraguay rivers, Guaicuru ayudaron a diseminar los caballos en el and from Goiás by road, may have also contributed Pantanal. Ellos aprendieron el manejo del caballo to the introduction of horses into the region. a través de los españoles y extendieron su Since the formation of the Pantaneiro breed, this dominio. Exploradores que llegaron al Estado de Archivos de zootecnia,Arch. Zootec.vol. 41, 41núm. (extra): 154 (extra), 371-381. p. 371.1992. SANTOS et al. Mato Grosso, particularmente en el siglo XVII y Seeking the conservation and en- XVIII, desde el Estado de Sâo Paulo, por la via couragement of Pantaneiro horsebree- fluvial Tietê-Paraná-Paraguay y, por caminos, ding, the Brazilian Agricultural Re- desde Goiás, también pueden haber contribuido search Corporation (EMBRAPA) is a la introducción de los caballos en la región. carrying out studies on this breed e.g. Desde la formación de la raza pantanera, este bibliographic investigation on the caballo representa un papel importante en el history of Pantaneiro horse origins. It desarrollo económico y social de la región del is known that its origin is linked to the Pantanal. history of Central and South American occupation. Several dates relating to the arrival of horses in the region INTRODUCCION exist, nevertheless, there is need for deeper studies on the origin of this Horses introduced into the Pantanal ecotype. by the conquerors during the colonization period found in this region good environmental conditions THE INTRODUCTION OF THE for their multiplication. As a conse- HORSE IN THE AMERICAS: quence of the suitable processes and BRAZIL natural selection for more than two centuries with little or no human There were no horses in the New action, a type of animal adapted to the World before the discovery period environment appeared. Through the and the first introduction was due to development of cattle breeding in the Christopher Columbus, in 1493, on Pantanal region, the Pantaneiro horse the occasion of his second trip to the constituted an economically and Santo Domingo island (Hermsdorff, socially important factor, becoming a 1956; Ensminger, 1978 and Dowdall, must for the cattle industry and for 1982). Explorers and settlers brought regional transportation. to America all the first equine breeds At the end of the 19th century, the from the Ancient World mainly of breed started a population reduction spanish origin. The ancient settlers process mainly caused by a disease from the east coast also brought called Peste das cadeiras (Trypano- horses of english, berberian, arabic somiasis). Later other menaces to and turkish origins. The breeds of survival appeared with indiscriminate cold blood were not introduced into crossbreeding and more recently the Americas in significant number Infectious Equine Anemia. However, until the end of the 19th century. The conservation works whith this ecotype horses brought by settlers adjusted were started with the creation of the quickly to the new environment and Brazilian Pantaneiro Horse Breeders in a few years they spread to the Association and afterwards with surrounding lands, where they initiatives from other governmental increased in number (Hermsdorff, institutions. 1956). Archivos de zootecnia, vol. 41, núm. 154 (extra), p. 372. ORIGIN OF THE PANTANEIRO HORSE IN BRAZIL The introduction of horses in Brazil to the Köppen classification, with occurred during the colonization average temperatures varying from period, immediately on the first trips, 20 to 28oC and relative humidity with the purpose of explorating the from 60 to 80%. The annual rainfall continent, because this was the main oscilates between 1.000 and 1.400 means of transportation during this mm. This region is a wide plain of period (Dowdall, 1982). The first alluvial accumulation, with average horses and cattle were brought to altitude 120 m above sea level, and it three places along the Brazilian coast: has marked rainy and dry seasons that Pernambuco, in 1535, Sâo Vicente in vary in intensity and geographic 1543 and Bahia in 1549, by the donees extension, according to the annual Duarte Coelho, Martim Afonso e climatic and hydrologic characteristics Tomé de Souza, respectively (Chieffi, (Brasil, 1974). 1950 and Torres and Jardim, 1977). These were the three original breeding centers from which they spread to COLONIZATION AND ARRIVAL almost all the coastland and a great OF HORSES IN THE BRAZILIAN number of animals to the hinterland CENTER-WEST REGION (Hermsdorff, 1956). Those brought to Bahia and Pernambuco were In the late 1500’s, Spain and dispersed in the direction of the Portugal divided the discovered lands center west, from the northeast to the and those yet to be discovered, through north; and those of Sâo Paulo, in the a divisory line - the Tordesillas treaty direction of the states of Paraná and (figure 2). However, the action of Santa Catarina. The horses from the several pioneers advanced the divisory extreme south and center west line and incorporated into Portuguese originally animals proceeding from dominions territories that should Spain were reproduced in Argentina belong to Spain. Some of the main and Uruguay (Goulart, 1964). areas of attrition were the Plata and Paraguay river basins. The Paraguay THE PANTANAL basin in the CenterWest constituted the route that facilitated the The Matogrossense Pantanal is penetration of men in the region situated in the centerwest region of (Almeida et al., 1959). The first Brazil, between 16 and 22o lat. South immigrants that arrived in this region and 55 and 58o long. West. The were the spanish jesuits who settled Pantanal corresponds to 35% of the in the margins of the Aquidauana, high Paraguay river basin, which is Miranda and Guaporé rivers and situated in the central part of South other places, but they were dislodged America (figure 1). The Paraguay by the colonial exploratory expeditions river is a tributary of the Paraná and from S. Paulo and by force of the both form part of the Plata basin. The international treaties (Lucidio and climate is of the type Aw according Rondon, 1972). Archivos de zootecnia, vol. 41, núm. 154 (extra), p. 373. SANTOS et al. D. Pedro de Mendoza, born in and populate the lands and provinces Guadiz (Cádiz), Andalusia, was of this region. The armada (fleet) left designated the first civil and military San Lucar of Barrameda, in 1535 governor of the Plata river, by Carlos (Araújo, 1990) with 100 horses V in 1534. His mission was to conquer destined for work and reproduction, Figure 1. Map of Pantanal localization in South America. (Godoi Filho, 1986). (Mapa de la localización del Pantanal en la América del Sur. (Godoi Filho, 1986). Archivos de zootecnia, vol. 41, núm. 154 (extra), p. 374. ORIGIN OF THE PANTANEIRO HORSE IN BRAZIL Figure 2. Map indicating the divisory line in Brazil according to the Tordesillas Treaty. Some expeditions mentioned in the text are designated as follows: (5) Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca in the 16th century; (1) Pascoal Moreira Cabral; (2) and (3) Antônio Raposo Tavares; (4) Manoel P. and (6) A.R. Tavares, André Fernandes and Fernâo Dias Paes, the main expeditions (“bandeiras”) of the 17th and 18th centuries. (Based on Albuquerque, 1983). (Mapa indicando la línea divisoria en el Brasil de aucerdo con el tratado de Tordesillas. Algunas expediciones mencionadas en el texto son designadas como sigue: (5) Alvar Núnez Cabeza de Vaca en el siglo XVI; (1) Pascoal Moreira Cabral; (2) y (3) Antônio Raposo Tavares; (4) Manoel P.