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BUS wrote:Always is a strong word.
Originally the athletic teams at SMU were the " Fighting Parsons"

So Perunia replaced the original.

God is Love.

interesting.
a quickie search shows the historical progression as the "Fighting Parsons" being replaced with "Mustangs" in 1917.
"Peruna" was co-opted from the name of a popular alcoholic medicinal elixir during that Prohibition period. it was first introduced in the fight song, years before the shetland pony was introduced in 1932.
one might wonder if there was an uproar at that time, when the pony was put forth to represent the already-named "Mustangs", or even when the "Parsons" were replaced with the "Mustangs", for that matter. (not to mention naming the pony after an alcoholic beverage).
change happens.

just regurgitating info here, of course.

cutter wrote:
just regurgitating info here, of course.

The operative word here is regurgitating

HB Pony Dad wrote:

cutter wrote:
just regurgitating info here, of course.

The operative word here is regurgitating

lol...I knew someone would say that.

untitled wrote:At the very least, can we please get rid of the cowboys? While the new names are unfortunate, I still think the riders are the most embarrassing part of this whole debacle.

I actually would be much less opposed if they were actual Mustangs. Don't get me wrong: PERUNA IS MY MASCOT, but at least let them have balls and no riders!

Balls whinnied the geldings- if I had two I could be Stallion.

GO PONIES!!!
MUSTANG MANIA LIVES

BUS wrote:Always is a strong word.
Originally the athletic teams at SMU were the " Fighting Parsons"

So Perunia replaced the original.

God is Love.

It was too embarrassing to watch those handlers running across the field with a Parson on a leash. Something had to change.

mrydel wrote: It was too embarrassing to watch those handlers running across the field with a Parson on a leash. Something had to change.

Since the arrival of the two donated full size horses, can anyone name how Peruna's role as changed "one iota"? Please do not list what the full size horses do or don't do, but list any duties that Peruna did before that he does not do now. Thank you in advance.

VarsityShop wrote:Since the arrival of the two donated full size horses, can anyone name how Peruna's role as changed "one iota"? Please do not list what the full size horses do or don't do, but list any duties that Peruna did before that he does not do now. Thank you in advance.

They don't let him near "ALPO" or "PEDIGREE" so that he can perform his natural role to kick, poop on, or mount other Football Mascots!

cutter wrote: one might wonder if there was an uproar at that time, when the pony was put forth to represent the already-named "Mustangs", or even when the "Parsons" were replaced with the "Mustangs", for that matter.

I covered the change from Parsons to Mustangs in a previous post. No uproar at all.

Also, the pony was "found" by Cy Barcus, the band director at the time. He had a "popular" take the pony to an assembly of all of the students (a pep rally, pretty much), and the students loved Peruna so much that he was immediate adopted as a mascot.

Further, two years later, when Peruna I was killed by a car on Mockingbird, there was a memorial service and Peruna was buried near Ownby stadium (the headstone/"Peruna Memorial" is inside Ford Stadium today). Obviously Peruna was well-loved by the University community. The Culwells began their tradition of donating all of the Perunas since then by giving Peruna II in an attempt to heal the wounds of the community which was mourning the loss of their beloved mascot.

Note that all of this had to do with the students. Without the students, there would be no SMU.

History of Peruna. This should be required reading for all who believe that there was an uproar when "Mustangs" replaced the UNOFFICIAL mascot of "Parsons" or when Peruna was introduced.

http://smu.edu/recsports/spiritsquad/peruna.html

I find this to be an especially relevant quote when discussing whether or not the new horses represent SMU better than Peruna:

When Cully Culwell was having difficulty locating a black stallion to replace Peruna VI, he shared that "stallions are hard to obtain now because most young male horses are castrated to make them tamer….a stallion which is more aggressive, better represents the spirit of the SMU Mustangs."

Calallenstang,
appreciate the info.
but, I perused a few sources with similar info. as a rule, I question when institutional sources are the sole reference point for distant historical events. so, I still find it difficult to believe that no uproar of any kind existed at every significant change (just because the current institutional sources say there wasn't), especially given human nature and the normal spectrum of people's personalities and proclivities (see the array of strong opinions on this board, as a simple example).

I am certainly not the expert here, but I do know enough not to rely solely on contemporary accounts of 'history' without primary source references.

VarsityShop wrote:Since the arrival of the two donated full size horses, can anyone name how Peruna's role as changed "one iota"? Please do not list what the full size horses do or don't do, but list any duties that Peruna did before that he does not do now. Thank you in advance.

Can anyone assure me that when the current Peruna retires or expires that he will be replaced with another of his breed? This is the question that has never been answered. Thank you in advance.

mrydel wrote:

VarsityShop wrote:Since the arrival of the two donated full size horses, can anyone name how Peruna's role as changed "one iota"? Please do not list what the full size horses do or don't do, but list any duties that Peruna did before that he does not do now. Thank you in advance.

Can anyone assure me that when the current Peruna retires or expires that he will be replaced with another of his breed? This is the question that has never been answered. Thank you in advance.

I sure hope so . I liked what I've seen on film of Peruna in waiting.

mrydel wrote:Can anyone assure me that when the current Peruna retires or expires that he will be replaced with another of his breed? This is the question that has never been answered. Thank you in advance.

So speculation as to the future is all there is? Nothing as far as factual data or real examples of how any of Peruna's duties have changed since the addition of the full size horses?