remuda

American  

[ruh-moo-duh, re-moo-thah] / rəˈmu də, rɛˈmu ðɑ /

noun

Chiefly Southwestern U.S.

plural

remudas

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

---

Etymology

Origin of remuda

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

Their nephew, Charley Hellen III, demonstrates vaquero horsemanship skills with the ranch remuda.

From Time Magazine Archive

For a wonder the weather had been favorable; the windmills were all working, the bogs had dried up, the beef had lasted over, the remuda had not strayed—in short, there was nothing to do.

From The Boy Scouts Book of Stories by Louderback, Walt

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

From Bat Wing Bowles by Coolidge, Dane

“Benito!” shouted the newly appointed guide, “take the remuda and recua in advance; you will wait for us at the bridge of the Salto de Agua.”

From Wood Rangers The Trappers of Sonora by Reid, Mayne

From out of the heart of it cantered a rider, who swung his pony as on a half dollar, and deflected the remuda toward Chunn’s corral.

From Crooked Trails and Straight by Hutchison, D. C.