Horses: Santa Rosa Island
HORSES: SANTA ROSA ISLAND
In 1843, brothers Jose Antonio and Carlos Carrillo, received Santa Rosa Island as a land grant from the Mexican governor of Alta California, Micheltorena. They assigned their rights to Carlos Carrillo's daughters, Manuela and Francisca, who were married to Americans, John C. Jones and Alpheus Thompson.
Horses have been a continuous part of the Santa Rosa Island landscape since at least 1844. By 2019—175 years later—only two horses remained on the island, the last "pensioners" from the century-long Vail & VIckers cattle era. When Vail & Vickers closed their cattle operation, they left approximately 40 head of horses on the island, consisting of 8-10 broodmares and 30 or so retirees—animals who had earned their island retirement. The brood mares were left at the "Old Ranch" pasture, where they had been kept in benign conditions for foaling. Eventually as the ranch fences deteriorated under Park Service acquisition, they made their way to join the other retired horses in the Lobo and House pastures near the ranch headquarters. By Fall of 2019, only two horses remained, Sam and Bullet. They died within a short time of each other over Christmas 2020. For the first time in more than 175 years, Santa Rosa Island has no resident horses.
STALLIONS:
- 1920s-early 1940s. Morgan stallion, Mosca
- early 1940s-mid 1950s. Thoroughbred stallion, Sunshine
- mid 1950s-1970. Quarter Horse stallion, Clabber
- 1971-1983. Quarter Horse stallion, Three-Bars
- 1983-1992. Quarter Horse stallion, Seven bars aka Quarter
- 1983-1984. Quarter Horse stallion, Texas (bred 7 mares)
- 1994-1998. Quarter Horse stallion, Yuba Leo (buckskin)
- Santa Rosa Island Stallions
Morgan stallion Mosca. Mosca (means "fly" in Spanish) was a black, stout, and full-body Morgan stallion used for breeding from the 1920s to about the early 1940s. Ed Vail on Mosca in the Saddle Barn corral in 1928. 
Quarter Horse stallion, Clabber. He was the first "true" quarter horse to brought to the island, used for breeding from the mid-1950s to 1970. Diego Cuevas and Clabber in the stud pen that is between the Saddle and Blacksmith barns c. mid 1950s. 
Quarter Horse stallion, Three-Bars, aka "Billy-Bar." He was the island's stud from 1971 to 1983, before he was gelded and put into the remuda. Billy Bar being ridden by a Marlboro Cigarette cowboy through Lobo Canyon in 1981 for an advertisement with his first "son" Metiche being led behind him. 
Quarter Horse, Seven Bars, far left with the mares, 1985. Nicknamed Quarter, he was a stout and round-body stud that was calm and docile. He was used as a stud from 1983 to 1992, and then gelded after and put into the remuda. Being born and raised somewhere on the mainland that was flat, he was not used to the hilly terrain of the island, and he was called "clumsy." 
Quarter Horse, Texas, was actually a mistake. He arrived as a "gelding" in 1983, and placed in the remuda. It turned out he was not, and he bred seven of the working ranch mares. They foaled in 1984. Texas was found out and truly gelded that same year in 1983, but he produced hard-working and gentle foals. Texas, third from the left in the Saddle Barn corral, 1994. 
Buckskin Quarterhorse, Yuba Leo. Leo in the Hospital Pens by the gum trees in 1993. He was used for breeding from 1993 to 1998, and then taken back to mainland by Tim Vail in 1998 after the island ranch was forced to close down. His offspring were the most colorful, from buckskins to palominos, reds, grullos, bays, browns, and smoky blacks.
In the News~
1844: “According to testimony later given in the United States District Court, [Alpheus B.] Thompson, in September, 1844, took 270 head of cattle to Santa Rosa. Most, if not all, of these cattle belonged to Don Carlos [Carrillo] and had the Rocking Horse brand on them. Later in the year fifty-one ewes, two rams, and nine horses were transported over.” [Holland, Francis R., Jr. Santa Rosa Island: An Archaeological and Historical Study in Journal of the West, 1(1) July 1962.]
June 1858 [Santa Rosa Island inventory]: About 8000 bullock, large and small, of which 1600 to 1800 were termed “ganado rodeaus” or semi-wild cattle suitable for rodeo; about 1600 to 1800 castrated cattle; 6000 to 7000 sheep “all in a very wild state”; 250-300 horses, 25 of which were saddle horses, 25 broken mares, 50 to 60 colts, the remainder mares and small colts. None of the stock had been castrated since 1855.
June 14, 1858 [SFH]: “Notice to rancheros and stock dealers. John C. Jones vs. Alpheus B. Thompson, in the District Court of the 3rd Judicial District, State of California, Monterey County. The undersigned, receiver in the above case, hereby gives notice that, on and after the 13th day of July, 1858, he will receive proposals for and sell at private sale, so many of the horses, sheep, and cattle, upon the Island of Santa Rosa, in Santa Barbara County, or some of one of those classes, as may be deemed most advantageous, as will be sufficient to bring the sum of $7370.80 and interest at the rate of ten percent per annum, from August 26, 1857. The undersigned will consider proposals for purchases, to the above amount, of either horses, cattle or sheep, or of two or all of said classes, according to convenience of purchasers and benefit of the parties interested owning said stock. The proposals to be either personal, or addressed to the undersigned at Los Angeles. Abel Stearns, Receiver. Los Angeles, June 10, 1858.”
July 23, 1858: “This indenture this day made by and between John C. Jones of the County of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, by his lawful attorney Alfred Robinson, of the city and county of Santa Barbara, State of California party of the first part and T. Wallace More, of the city and county of Santa Barbara, State of California, party of the second part, witnesseth: That the said party of the first part for and in consideration of the covenant and agreement hereinafter contained to be kept all and singular, by the said party of the second part, and in consideration of the sum of money hereinafter mentioned to be paid by the said party of the second part, has sold, transferred and assigned unto the said party of the second part all of the right, title and interest of the said party of the first part, of, in and to all of the horned cattle, sheep, horses and mares, or livestock of whatsoever there may be, more or less, now on the Island of Santa Rosa, in the channel of Santa Barbara, County of Santa Barbara; and the said party of the second part in consideration of the promised covenant and agreed to and with the said party of the first part to pay him therefore, the full sum of $35,000 lawful currency of the United States of America, in payments as follows… The said party of the first part hereby gives and grants into the said party of the second part, the right to enter upon said Island of Santa Rosa for all necessary and lawful purposes connected with the rights hereby sold and transferred for the term of two years thereafter, in consideration of the sum of $250 per annum to be paid by the party of the first part in two equal payments in the months of July in each of the last two years… J. C. Jones per A. Robinson, Attorney in fact. T. Wallace More.” [Huntington Library, Stearns Collection, Box 87, Folder 12]
October 21, 1859 [HL]: “Transported by steamer Goliah, Captain George R. Barclay: 3083 grown cattle @ $3; 1200 two year olds @ $2; 1170 yearlings @ $1; 1062 calves @ 0; 100 tame horses @ $4; 30 tame mares @ $4; 51 colts @ $2; 2118 sheep @.50; 200 lambs @ 0. Expense of driving said animals to pasturage and ground from beach $1000; Hire if the Rancho called San Julian for the pasturage of said animals, $3000; Total $18,988. Sworn by T. W. Wallace. [Huntington Library. Stearns Box 87, Folder 12. 1858-1860].
1860 [The Cattle on a Thousand Hills, p. 120]: “In 1860 the property of T. Wallace More, one of the largest rancheros in Santa Barbara County, was assessed as follows: one-fourth interest in Isla de Santa Rosa value $3,125; 1,000 head of cattle $3000; 2000 sheep $1500; 100 horses $500.”
December 18, 1878 [SBDP]: “I. K. Fisher has just bought one of the finest-looking young horses in the city—large, clean-limbed, and well muscled. He was raised by the More brothers on Santa Rosa Island, and as soon as he is broke to harness will throw dust in the faces of some of our roadsters, or we miss our prediction.”
March 10, 1880 [SBDP]: “The island of Santa Rosa… is a perfect paradise for stock, and has proved to be a bonanza to the owners…The More brothers have made a number of substantial improvements thereon… The place contains at present some 40,000 head of sheep, 250 head of Durham cattle and 150 head of horses and mules, besides a number of deer and elk that roam at will…A force of twenty men are employed in their farming and stock operations…”
August 4, 1900 [SFCall]: “Mrs. Eliza M. Miller, as administrator of the estate of the late A. P. More, applied to Judge Coffey yesterday for instructions regarding bringing horses belonging to the More estate from Santa Rosa Island to San Francisco for inspection by agents of the German Government with a view to their purchase. Judge Coffey investigated the matter and instructed Mrs. Miller not to ship the horses to this city, but to endeavor to sell them where they are on Santa Rosa Island. An order to this effect was made and if the German government wants the horses it must inspect and purchase them as stated in the order.”
August 19, 1891 [SBMP]: “Schooner Santa Rosa arrived yesterday from Santa Rosa Island with a load of horses which were landed at Goleta.”
June 8, 1895 [SFCall]: “Santa Barbara, June 7. C. E. Sherman of this place, appointed by the Superior Court to examine the condition of cattle and sheep on Santa Rosa Island, being one vast holding of the estate of the late A. P. More, today rendered his report. Sherman states that Administrator John F. More, a brother of the deceased, and a lessee of the island, threw every possible obstacle in the way of his examination, and not until May of this year did he succeed in visiting the island and making an investigation. He found 25,000 sheep, one-fifth scabby, poor, and showing great neglect. There were only 1200 of this year’s lambs, whereas with proper care, there should have been fully 10,000. Three hundred and twenty-five sacks of this year’s clip of wool, and the clip of last fall was so commingled with the property of John F. More as to render impossible a separate account. The fences about the wharf were in good condition, but the fence across the island, which should have been built according to contract, has not been constructed. Sherman said that it was impossible to make a proper examination of the great island, as all horses there are under the direct control of John F. More, who refused to let him use them. More, according to the report, forced Sherman to sleep with Chinese and sheepherders on a mattress made of jute sacks with old woolsacks for bedding. The 1523 cattle on the island were the roughest band Sherman ever saw in thirty years’ experience as a cattleman. There were 155 horses, mules and colts, the greater part useless and valueless through careless breeding and handling. The report indicates great degeneracy in the condition of affairs in the short time since A. P. More’s death.”
July 22, 1897 [SBMP]: “E. R. Den returned from Santa Rosa Island yesterday where he has been to look at one hundred head of horses that the estate of A. P. More have for sale. The stock for sale includes mares, geldings and colts, all well-bred, good size and finely broken.”
June 27, 1903 [SBMP]: “Yesterday morning the schooner Santa Rosa, belonging to Santa Rosa Island, arrived at the wharf with a load of horses and mules which have been raised at the island. Forty-two head were brought over and most of these will be shipped this morning to Los Angeles for sale. The work of getting the entire band off the boat onto the pier was not was easy, and a large number of people collected at the pier to see the fun. Most of the stock came up the chute without urging, but one old mule refused to budge and had to be literally dragged up the incline. Half a dozen vaqueros were required to look after the band, and more than once they showed signs of stampeding while on the dock, and the men had great difficulty in making them quiet again. The stock belongs to Vail and Vickers, the lessees of the island, and the work of unloading the band was under the superintendence of Jim Cox of Los Alamos.”
November 23, 1908 [LAH]: “The power schooner Santa Rosa Island, Captain Widing, arrived from Santa Rosa Island with a cargo of horses, mules and cattle.”
April 15, 1910 [LAH]: “Live stock receipts. Two cargoes of live stock arrived today. The power schooner Edith brought 266 head of sheep from San Clemente Island for the San Clemente Wool Company, and the power schooner Santa Rosa Island brought three cars of horses from Santa Rosa Island for Vail & Vickers. The Edith sailed for another cargo today.”
May 24, 1916 [SBMP]: “The American Film cowboys are going right ahead with their rodeo plans for the 4th of July. This will be the afternoon feature. C. P. Morrison will have general charge and seven mustangs are already on hand and four more may be brought over from Santa Rosa Island. As there will be other local horses the best kind of sport is assured. These island mustangs are the real thing, as Art Acord already knows. He tackled one the other day just as a matter of diversion, and the result is that he is laid up with a badly sprained ankle. The mustang got the better of him, but Acord says he is just the one he will ride on the 4th.”
