Globetrotting Guest Horse: Little Joe
The Patagonia Trail, Argentina
Meet Josecito or Little Joe as many prefer to refer to him. He is lucky enough to be Jakob Von Plessen‘s personal horse (Jakob is our brilliant guide on The Patagonia Trail) and is taken for a spin by only the most experienced globetrotters. Why? Because he doesn’t like to stand still and is very forward moving! Learn more about his idiosyncrasies in our Q&A below.
Name: Josecito, more commonly referred to as Little Joe
Breed: Criollo cross Thoroughbred
Height: 16hh
Gelding or mare: Gelding
How did you find the horse? We bred him in our herd.
How long has the horse been in your herd? Little Joe is owned by Jakob and has been with us for 12 years since we bred him. But he has only been used as a trail horse in the last four years.
What do riding guests most love about this horse? Josecito is Jakob’s personal horse. He is very agile, forward moving and quite lively. Because of this only very experienced clients get to ride him. Before someone takes him for a ride we always make it very clear that if they want to take photos while riding, Little Joe isn’t the horse for them – he won’t stand still!
What do you as guides most love about this horse? There is a myth from that south that says, “A good mountain horse has to be born in the mountains.” Josecito however has debunked this myth – he was born and raised in the Argentine Pampa and has adapted very well to the Patagonia area and has become an excellent mountain horse.
Mention some of the horse’s idiosyncrasies. Little Joe is a multi-tasker. He started as a farm horse working cattle, became a polo pony, then was used for a short period as a jumper. He is now a mountain safari horse. Despite some of these disciplines being quite tough and strenuous, he has never sustained an injury!
Anything else we should know about the horse’s story? While Josecito might not be the prettiest horse, he is very strong, loyal and lively.
Think you have what it takes to ride the free spirited Little Joe? Join our Patagonia Trail globetrotting adventure and you could be lucky enough to be given a ride on this beautiful boy.