LOCATION: In Northern California about 45 miles southeast of Sacramento, Limerock Ranch is named for the limerock mining and firing operations that took place on the land beginning in the 1850’s. Formerly within the eastern boundary of the almost 50,000 acre Rancho Arroyo Seco land grant, cattle ranching on big acreage is still a major industry in the area and the Limerock Spanish Barbs are bred
to be versatile stock horses that have the stamina and fortitude for daily use. A major emphasis of the Limerock Ranch is preservation and promotion of the rare Spanish Barbs and the preservation and promotion of the cultural heritage that surrounds them.STOCK: We Spcialize in two separate strains of critically endangered Spanish Barbs; the Sulphur and the Wilbur-Cruce.The Sulphurs were originally a feral strain from the Mountain Home range of Utah. At Limerock ranch, both zebra dun and grulla are represented with wide dorsal stripes, leg barring, shoulder barring, and dark rims around the ears. Our Sulphurs have lots of brio (spirit/vigor), and they bond strongly with individuals they trust. The Wilbur-Cruce horses are a rancher strain and lived isolated on a ranch in Southern Arizona for over 100 years. When not in service, they ran free on rough, rocky country. This heritage of ranching and covering through rugged territory shows in our Wilbur-Cruce band. They display a keen interest in cattle and will travel through any rough or steep terrain you point them to. Our stallion has been genetically tested heterozygous for frame overo and also appears to carry tobiano genetics, creating a high probability of pinto offspring. TRAINING: While turnout in a herd environment is emphasized, foals receive age-appropriate handling and training to establish respect and build confidence. Saddle horse training begins after the horses are three years old and follows the traditional vaquero/Californio methods starting with the hackamore. Our methods establish a foundation and deep skill set for the horses to be prepared for a variety of skills or jobs.
