Sulphur Breed Standard

The Sulphur horse’s breed standard is to help conserve the true Sulphur horse from the non-Spanish Sulphur horses that are adopted or registered as ‘Sulphurs’. The Sulphur horse resembles that of the old style Iberian horse.

HEIGHT - 14.1 to 15.1 is the average but the size of the wild horses greatly depends on the amount of feed there is out on the range that year. Some exceptional horses have been 16+ hands. Captive breed horses are usually taller but the size will vary depending on their genetics.

CONFORMATION - Medium to refined, not heavy boned.

COLOR - Dun, Red Dun, Claybank, Grullo, Bay, Black, Palomino, Sorrel, Roan, Buckskin, Brown and Chestnut. The ASHA is not a color registry, all colors allowed with the exception of pinto. White markings are allowed.

HEAD - Of medium length, narrow and clean cut, with the lower jaw not too pronounced and the cheek inclined to be long. The profile side can be straight to convex. No dishy profile is accepted (Arabian influence). The eyes, to an elliptical form are large and almond , expressive and confident. Fine, narrow and expressive ears of medium to long length.

NECK - Medium length, deep in the base, well inserted between the shoulders, clean cut throat latch. Slim crested to crested in some individuals.

WITHERS - Long with a smooth transition from the back to the neck, always higher than the croup. On some adult horses is sometimes covered with fat but always prominent from the shoulders.

CHEST - Medium size, narrow from front view, ‘A’ shaped, and deep. Muscular in most adult stallions and mares.

BACK - Straight; of short to medium length, smooth connection between the withers and the loins.

SHOULDERS - Long and slanting, smooth muscled.

CROUP - Strong, well balanced, slightly slanting. Medium length, with the hip being of rafter-shaped to round. Tail of low to medium set.

LEGS - Cannons tend to be long with well-pronounced tendons. Pasterns relatively long and sloping. Hooves well formed of medium sized, most not required to have shoes. The fetlocks are dry with very little hair. Hocks long and strong.

BUTTOCKS - Short and convex.

TEMPERAMENT - Generous, noble and many tend to favor one person in the family.

MOVEMENTS - Smooth, elevated and forward. The Spanish Sulphur has noticeably high knee action and they are very agile. Some also exhibit the termino gait.

MARKINGS - Sulphurs have markings that are known as DUN FACTOR. The base color of the mane of the horse must be darker for the horse to be considered a true dun. These markings are darker than the body color and most often the same color as the mane and tail. The most common dun factor marking is the dorsal stripe. The dorsal stripe usually runs from the base of the mane to the base of the tail along the spine. Dark leg stripes up to the knee, ears are pointed with a dark rim, neck and shoulder stripes (barring), facial cob webbing, chest bars, fishbone marks along the dorsal, dark "eye liner" encircles the eyes, hooves are thick-walled, and extremely tough.