The Conquistador Equine Rescue & Advocacy Program (CERAP)

Conquistador, the Conqueror, Helps Young People Conquer Their Challenges

Severely abused Peruvian horse who overcame his challenges to become a great champion helps special needs young people become champions in life

Because of Conquistador, more than 400 horses in the US and Canada have been rescued and given new lives; attorneys for the Conquistador Program vigilantly protect wild horses on their ancestral lands in Eastern Arizona, horses whose ancestors carried Coronado and Father Eusebio Kino. Because of Conquistador laws have been passed to protect equines in Arizona and, perhaps, his greatest gift of all, Conquistador has focused light on the plight of abused animals and has visited special needs programs to inspire young people and adults, who like himself, work to conquer their developmental or physical challenges. 

On one of his visits to a therapeutic horsemanship program where Conquistador courageously sailed through the cones, left and right, with not one mistake, one client in a wheelchair said, “I was feeling pretty down but when I saw Conquistador and heard his story I said to myself, if that horse can do it, blind in one eye, I know I can do it too.”

Conquistador never wastes time with self-pity, anger or looking back.  He is joy and love of life personified and his joy is communicated everywhere.  The beautiful chestnut Peruvian with the flaxen mane and tail has a great gift to inspire, to bring happiness, and to bring people together.  It took almost two years for Conquistador to recover from his five-year ordeal of cruelty and starvation but when he came back, he came back in glory.  In Conquistador’s very first horse show he sailed in and took reserve champion like he had been doing it all his life.   Exhibitors, who usually are fierce competitors, were clapping, laughing, crying and hugging each other as the magnificent Peruvian took his first of scores of victory laps.   Conquistador’s victory was their victory too.  It is like that with Conquistador.  His triumphs become everyone’s triumphs.

Today, Conquistador is working with very special young people who are clients of the Gryphen Center in Tempe, Arizona and who love horses.  These young people are in a special program to teach them to live independently and Conquistador and I are teaching them how to take care of horses and how to work with them.  We are teaching them horsemanship from the ground up and they are very hard and willing workers whose eyes light up at everything related to horses. They are true horsemen.

Read the story of Conquistador and his Gryphen friends on the Best Friends Animal Society website by clicking on this link.

Love Conquers All

Conquistador and his very special friend

Midnight and her new best friend.

Photographs courtesy of the Gryphen Center