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

The great remuda of over two hundred horses was driven in on the gallop; then the cowboys rounded them up, and each man dropped to the ground.

From Project Gutenberg

He was certain that Nellie rode the same animal each time, because she would not trust any of the others that were now with the remuda.

From Project Gutenberg

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 Project Gutenberg

He had seen admiration, desire for closer acquaintance, in many a fair face but such invitation affected him as the sight of a circling loop affects a horse in a remuda.

From Project Gutenberg

The man to whom Cuchillo had given his orders, immediately saddled his horse and set off to collect the remuda.

From Project Gutenberg