By Debra Holbrook
Sir Carlos Z
Wild horses taken off the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Herd Management Areas (HMAs) sometimes get a chance at a domesticated life. There are many wild horses in holding pens across this country whose only chance for a new life outside crowded corrals and meat markets is to partner with humans and reclaim their place of relationship in building a better world. Part of the Carter Reservoir Mustang Inc. (CRMI) mission is to ensure any Carter Mustang it can help, gets as good a future as possible.
The Carlos and Christine Success Story
Christine Schallmo and Carlos have been a pair since he was a weanling. His Carter mother was pregnant when she was removed from the Carter Reservoir Mustang HMA in 2003. Due to a poor adoption situation, they were confiscated, and fortunately, Carlos was given a second chance and rescued by Christine. For 20 years, this duo has been working together and competing in various events and activities. Carlos is one cool performer on the endurance trail or in the ring. His ability to trust his owner is apparent in his mastery of various competitive events, even performing blindfolded!
Carlos competed in the American River Classic, the oldest 50-mile endurance race in the world this past July. At the 31-mile pulse check, he met up with a veterinarian who had given rise to his pulse rate in the past. Not one related to physical exertion. This may be an instinctual horse version of “White Coat Syndrome” that ended his participation that day It revealed that not all of Carlos' distrust of humans has been washed from his memory in his nearly 20-year domesticated experience. Those of us who know Christine’s commitment to the health and welfare of her horses and the ancestry Carlos carries ensure he would have crossed the 50-mile finish line.
At the June 7-9, 2024 Western States Horse Expo in Sacramento, CA., North America's Equine Event of the year, Christine and Carlos performed demonstrations, a well-earned honor, and competed in a few classes. It was a privilege for CRMI to sponsor both of these important events as Christine and Carlos helped get the word out about Carter Reservoir Mustangs. They posted a large CRMI banner wherever they went.
The 2025 season looks busy, challenging, and fun. A 15-mile Pony Express reenactment ride, the Highway 50 Wagon Train reenactment, and multiple gymkhana shows trying for the senior elite award. They return to the 2025 Western States Horse Expo to participate in Working Equitation as a demonstration rider for Master Level. At that event for the Saturday night gala, the pair will demonstrate ease of handling in working equitation with speed. The gala will feature an equine “dancing with the stars”, as the duo performs, working in the Garrocha to music.
If this were not exciting enough, preparations in many working equitation shows will culminate in July as Christine and Carlos will try to make the team to go to the World Cup for 2026 in working equitation held in Spain. Something genetically deep within Carlos will be driving him to make that ancestral home visit. At the Equine Trail Sport series of events that takes place in various cities, the pair will try for a Gold Carrot Award, but Carlos won’t care about that if he has real ones to munch on. Other activities and competitions line the list for these two each year.
Parades are just FUN and they attend many of those. At Mountain Ranch at Angels Camp in Calaveras, CA, on December 7, 2024, they entered a Christmas parade…actually two. The first one was at noon, jingling all the way, and in the evening, Carlos decked in lights went prancing all the way to help win the Best Horse Entry trophy.
The beautiful photos and the video of Carlos were supplied by Christine.
The Carlos reality of a loving human partner is a CRMI hope for every Carter that is pulled off the HMA.
Follow these two under Christine Carlos on Facebook for their exciting life details.
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