HORSE BREEDS

Objectives:  Identify breeds of horses.  Describe characteristics of each breed.

Types of Horses  Ponies  Under 14.2 hands tall  Light Horse  Over 14.2 hands tall  Weighs lbs  Draft Horse  Heavy-carriage, draft, and farming horse  Approximately hands tall and weights 1600 to 2200 pounds

LIGHT HORSES

Arabian  First bred for deserts of Arabian peninsula  1906 – 27 horses imported from of Arabia  Reputation for endurance  Known as the start of all horse breeds  Oldest breed

Arabian  Distinct head: small, dished, and wide set eyes  Neck: long, highly arched, set high from shoulder  One less vertebrae  Tail: high set, arched from croup when at walk or trot.

Thoroughbred  History began in England  Best at racing distances: 6 furlongs (3/4 mile) to 1 ½ miles.  Also popular for polo ponies, hunters, jumpers, and pleasure riding

Thoroughbred  Long forearms and gaskin  Considerable length from hip to hock  Noted for long smooth muscling  15.1 – 17 hands

Quarter Horse  Most versatile horse  Rodeo and working horse  Run the fastest ¼ mile  Thick, round muscle in from and rear  Most popular light horse  Color varies but is personal preference

Standard bred (Am. Trotting Horse)  Named for trotting or pacing the mile in less than “standard time” (3 minutes)  Current “standard” is 2:20 for 2 year olds and 2:15 for older horses.  Trotters favored  Most races are pacers  Trot- 2 beat diagonal gait  Pace- 2 beat lateral gait

Appaloosa  Palouse River country of NW U.S. gave rise to the Appaloosa  Acquired by Nez Perce tribe in Palouse area from Spanish  Bred for endurance and surefootedness

Appaloosa  3 requirements  Eye circled with white  Skin mottled irregularly (dark/light) especially around muzzle and genetalia  Hooves vertically striped  8 color patterns

Morgan  Named after a horse that was named after it’s owner, Justin Morgan  Initially named “Figure”  Before 1850: all purpose ability  Most popular now for riding and showing

Saddlebred  Residents of bluegrass region, wanted to easy riding  Now for show purposes  3 and 5 gaited classes  Fine harness

HORSE BREEDS

Tennessee Walking Horse  Developed for general purpose  Smooth, fast walk  Naturally over strides  Running walk: places back hoof ahead of print of fore hoof  m/gaitsVideo.htm

Paint Horse  Second largest breed registry in the world.  Markings can be any shape or size  3 specific coat patterns  Overo  Tobiano  Tovero  Quarter Horse frame  Athletic ability and agreeable disposition

DRAFT HORSE

Percheron  Imported in 1839 to US  Farm, carriage, harness work  Solid black or dappled grey  Active and light on it’s feet  Reduced feathering on fetlock

Belgian  Gained popularity from  Sorrels and blonde sorrel  Known for ease of management  Very quiet and docile  Suited needs of the American farmer

Clydesdale  White face and legs with feathers  Lighter than the average draft horse, although just as tall  More nervous that other drafts and were difficult for farmers to handle  Popular in beer commercials

Shire  Ancestral cousin of the Clydesdale  Known as one of the tallest draft horses  Imported to Canada in 1836  Black is most common color  Feathered legs

PONIES

Shetland  The “pony”  Maximum height is 46 inches or 11.2 hands  Shetland derived from Norse word meaning “highland”  Came from the Shetland Islands (100 miles north of Scotland)  Used to work in mines in Scotland and England

Pony of the Americas  Black Hand No.1born in 1954, foundation sire of POA  Cross between Appaloosa and Shetland  Children’s working pony  Size between 46 and 56 inches  Same color requirements as Appaloosa

Welsh  Ancestors of the Welsh Pony developed in severe terrain of Wales  Late 1800’s some ponies were imported to the US, most in 1947  Range between 13 and 14 hands tall  2 nd pony for children