American Quarter Horse
History of The American Quarter Horse
If you have ever seen one of rodeo 's timed events, been along for work on a ranch or watched a Western on the big screen or television, chances are you have witnessed one of the most popular breeds of horses used in the US, American Quarter Horse in action.
The American Quarter Horse is the first breed of horse native to the United States, it is also the oldest surviving horse breed in the United States (uk world). Its foundation bloodlines were a mix of Arab Barb and Turk horses bred to English mares which produced a compact heavily muscled horse that could run short distances faster than any other horse (Horse Preview). The principle development of the Quarter Horse was in the southwestern part of the United States in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, eastern Colorado, and Kansas. Selected stallions and mares were crossed with horses brought to Colonial America from England and Ireland in the early 1600s. The combination of theses horses resulted in a compact, heavily muscled horse that evolved to fill the colonist 's passion for short-distance racing.
These powerful animals could run a short distance over a straightaway faster than any other horse. There were many variations of names throughout the years but in 1940, a registry was formed to preserve the breed which officially became the American Quarter Horse or the AQHA which is a non-profit organization that provides horse owners and breeders a variety of services and information to help them enjoy their horses more (Horse Preview). The first American Quarter Horse races were held at Enrico County, Virginia in 1674. One-on-one match races were run down village streets, country lanes and level pastures. By 1690, large purses, heavy betting, disagreements and fights were a common occurrence around match races. It is reported that grand plantations may have changed hands on the outcome of these sprints (Wikipedia).
As pioneers moved westward, so did the American Quarter
If you have ever seen one of rodeo 's timed events, been along for work on a ranch or watched a Western on the big screen or television, chances are you have witnessed one of the most popular breeds of horses used in the US, American Quarter Horse in action.
The American Quarter Horse is the first breed of horse native to the United States, it is also the oldest surviving horse breed in the United States (uk world). Its foundation bloodlines were a mix of Arab Barb and Turk horses bred to English mares which produced a compact heavily muscled horse that could run short distances faster than any other horse (Horse Preview). The principle development of the Quarter Horse was in the southwestern part of the United States in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, eastern Colorado, and Kansas. Selected stallions and mares were crossed with horses brought to Colonial America from England and Ireland in the early 1600s. The combination of theses horses resulted in a compact, heavily muscled horse that evolved to fill the colonist 's passion for short-distance racing.
These powerful animals could run a short distance over a straightaway faster than any other horse. There were many variations of names throughout the years but in 1940, a registry was formed to preserve the breed which officially became the American Quarter Horse or the AQHA which is a non-profit organization that provides horse owners and breeders a variety of services and information to help them enjoy their horses more (Horse Preview). The first American Quarter Horse races were held at Enrico County, Virginia in 1674. One-on-one match races were run down village streets, country lanes and level pastures. By 1690, large purses, heavy betting, disagreements and fights were a common occurrence around match races. It is reported that grand plantations may have changed hands on the outcome of these sprints (Wikipedia).
As pioneers moved westward, so did the American Quarter
Cited: American Quarter Horse. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 30 September 2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_quarter_horse History of the Quarter Horse. UK Equine. 16 May 2006 http://www.equine-world.co.uk/about_horses/quarter_horse.htm "History of the American Quarter Horse and it 's Issues Today." Essortment 2002 http://mo.essortment.com/americanquarter_rkpv.htm "History of the American Quarter Horse." Horse Preview Magazine. 1 March 2005. http://www.horse-previews.com/395articles/aqhahist.html