BREEDS
Appaloosa Horse
The Spanish introduced horses to Mexico in the 1500s, and spotted horses have been depicted in images as far back as prehistoric cave paintings. However, it wasn’t until the 1700s when horses first reached Northwest America that horses with Appaloosa coloring gained recognition in the United States. The Nez Perce tribe of American Indians helped propel this recognition. Originally sedentary fishers, the Nez Perce tribe soon discovered the mobility and power that horses could bring. With their yet-unnamed Appaloosa horses, they soon became notorious for their hunting skills and craftsmanship. In reference to the Palouse River nearby, settlers began referring to the spotted Nez Perce horses as “a Palouse Horse,” later “Palousey,” “Appalousey” and eventually “Appaloosa.” The Nez Perce war of 1877 resulted in the Appaloosa herds being dispersed throughout the West. The Appaloosa horses’ flashy coats soon caught the eye of the public, and they grew in popularity. The Appaloosa Horse Club was chartered in 1938 to preserve and improve the Appaloosa breed. In 1975, the Appaloosa horse was officially named the Idaho state horse. Today, Appaloosas can be found at gaming events, horse shows and on the trail.
Arabian
Theorized to be the oldest breed in the world, Arabians were constant companions of the first documented breeders of the Arabian horse, the Bedouin people--nomadic tribesmen of Arabia who relied on the horse for survival. High religious significance in addition to harsh climates often led the nomads to share food, water and sometimes even their tents with their horses. For many of these reasons, the Arabian horse thrived in near isolation and are known for their sociable personalities. As religious wars erupted, the Arabian horse made its way into Europe and other parts of the world. European crusaders crossed the lighter Arabian Horse with their heavier breeds, influencing nearly every modern breed today. In 1725, Nathan Harrison of Virginia was the first of many to import the Arabian horse to North America. In 1908, a national registry was recognized for the Arabian Horse. Today, more Arabian horses live in the United States than in all the other countries in the world combined. Arabians are famed for their stamina, and although they can be found in many disciplines, they rule the long-distance sport of endurance.
Gypsy
Gypsy horses, registered as Gypsy Vanner Horses, Gypsy Cobs and Gypsy Drum horses, are a relatively new concept to most people, but not to the Romany (gypsy) “Traveller” of Great Britain. Today, colorful Gypsy horses can be seen at times moving with their owners as they travel to their annual gathering places. Although many of the Gypsy's horses are not specifically bred, an increased number of the horses have been selectively bred over the last 50 years to exhibit characteristics that create the perfect caravan horses. The genetic makeup of the breed most likely comes from Shire, Clydesdale and native British ponies, such as the Dales Pony. The horses originate in Great Britain but are now being imported and bred in the United States and Canada. Gypsy horses are best known as driving horses in the United Kingdom, but in North America they have become popular trail and show horses, ridden both English and western, as well as carriage horses.
Mustang
Mustang is a derivative of the Spanish word mesteña, which means wild or stray. Horses roamed America 10,000 years ago but vanished from the landscape until the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the 16th century with their horses of Barb decent. Many Indian tribes “liberated” horses and brought them further into North America. As America evolved, horses from Europe were imported, and offspring accompanied the settlers moving west. Wild horse bands formed from escaped or abandoned horses. In 1971, the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act was passed protecting Mustangs from slaughter. Congress established Herd Management Areas, and the Bureau of Land Management gathers and offers the excess animals for adoption.
Miniature
The Miniature Horse traces its history back to the 17th century in Europe, when oddities and unusual animals were talking points among nobility. Less refined Minis were employed as “pit ponies” working and living inside mines. Minis were imported to America in the 1930s to work in the coal mines. The Mini’s foundation breed is the Shetland pony. Over the years, other breeds were included, such as the Hackney pony for refinement and movement; horses with pinto markings were included for color. This selective breeding created the modern Miniature Horse, a height breed in various types; in other words, scaled-down versions of their full-size counterparts, such as Arabians, draft horses, Quarter Horses and Paints. Although Minis cannot be ridden (even by children) they are used for driving and in-hand classes, such as obstacle courses and halter.
Paso Fino
The Paso Fino’s earliest ancestry includes the Barb, Andalusian and the gaited Spanish Jennet, which came to Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) with Christopher Columbus to be used as conquistadors’ mounts throughout the 1500s. The blood of the Spanish Jennet (now extinct) dominated the future of the Paso Fino; the unusual inherited gaits are the breed’s hallmark. The Paso Fino flourished in Puerto Rico and Columbia. Today, the Paso Fino is shown in its traditional tack and is renowned as a competitive trail horse, possessing both speed and stamina.
Quarter
The American Quarter Horse traces its roots to early America, where settlers crossed English horses to those of Spanish ancestry, producing a compact and muscular horse. These horses could run a short distance over a straightaway faster than any other horse, and also served as multi-use work horses and family mounts. In the 1600s, English colonists began calling these horses “Celebrated American Quarter Running Horses.” Later, Thoroughbred blood was also introduced. The American Quarter Horses moved west with the settlers and grew in popularity among ranchers, showing an inherent sense for working cattle. In 1940, the American Quarter Horse Association was founded, and the breed received its official name.Today, the American Quarter Horse is the most popular American breed and can be seen in virtually every riding discipline. In addition, American Quarter Horses still race a quarter mile at tracks throughout the United States. They are also gaining popularity in Europe and around the world.
Shetland Pony
Off the coast of Scotland lie the Shetland Islands, native habitat of the smallest pony in Britain: the Shetland Pony. It’s thought that the breed evolved on the Scandinavian tundra and was possibly brought over by Viking raiders. Shetlands are used for almost every aspect of equine work: harness, packing, riding, mining, novelty, and even circus acts. The Shetland made its mark in the19th Century, as a pit pony in the coal mines. Its small size and tough nature made it the perfect worker for a coal mine, and many spent their entire lives underground. A Shetland crossed with an Appaloosa made the Pony of America, and crossing with the Hackney created the American Shetland, and the Shetland is the base for the Argentine Falabella mini. Today, Shetlands are popular children’s riding ponies and are driven by all ages.
Thoroughbred
Throughout equine history few breeds have impacted the horse world quite like the Thoroughbred. Three foundation sires, the Byerly Turk, the Godolphin Arabian and the Darley Arabian, were bred to native English horses to create the breed in the early 17th century. The Thoroughbred first made its mark as a racehorse, shaping a sport so favored by the gentry that racing was dubbed the sport of kings. With its famous speed and stamina, the Thoroughbred quickly found its way into other sports, such as hunting, jumping, dressage and eventing. It has contributed its bloodlines to many breeds, including European warmbloods and the American Quarter Horse.
Westphalian
Westphalia is the largest state in Germany and home to the Westphalian warmblood horse. Horse breeding is a tradition in Westphalia dating back centuries. In 1826 the National stud in Warendorf was founded for organized breeding of cavalry horses crossing East Prussian stallions with Oldenburgs, Hannoverians and Anglo-Norman horses. In the early years before the tractor first came on the scene, the Westphalian was considered the quintessential farm horse—the horse that could plow the field, pull a cart to town and even carry a rider. Today, the Westphalian is bred for versatility: pulling a carriage, jumping, dressage, and eventing.