remuda

[ ruh-moo-duh; Spanish re-moo-thah ]

noun

, Chiefly Southwestern U.S.

, plural re·mu·das [r, uh, -, moo, -d, uh, z, r, e-, moo, -, th, ahs].

1. a group of saddle horses from which ranch hands choose mounts for the day.

Word History and Origins

Origin of remuda¹

An Americanism first recorded in 1835–45: from Latin American Spanish (Mexico): “a change (of horses),” Spanish: “exchange,” derivative of remudar “to change, replace,” equivalent to re- re- + mudar “to change” (from Latin mūtāre )

Example Sentences

"If it's convenient, let's keep an eye on those boys the next few years," said the trail boss, catching sight of his remuda.

From Project Gutenberg

An' they had three wagons, an' a remuda with about a hundred head in it!

From Project Gutenberg

Flatbush turned and hurried to the remuda, caught and saddled his horse, and rode out of camp.

From Project Gutenberg

The finest looking horse in the remuda, by all odds, was old Wa-ha-lote, the Water-dog.

From Project Gutenberg

Consequently the nearby grass is fed down to the roots, and the remuda had to be held up on the high mesa.

From Project Gutenberg