Quarter Horse - A popular and stunning breed
One of the most popular breed of horses is the Quarter horse. This extremely powerful animal has the ability to run faster than any other breed on flat surfaces over short distances. In the early years the Quarter horse was raced down village streets, level pastures and country lanes. Match races where individuals would race one on one became a popular sport. Eventually, large prizes and betting came into play and it was not unusual to see heated arguments and even fights break out at these events. Some say that there was even land lost in the betting of these races.
The Quarter horse is the first breed native to the United States. Bloodlines of horses brought to America were mixed. The mares and stallion that were specially selected from Arab, Turk and Barb breeds brought over from England and Ireland. These breeds were used to help develop this heavily muscled, compact animal that the colonists came to love for short-distance racing.
As settlers began to move west, they took the Quarter horses with them. In the 1800’s, huge cattle ranches began to fill the plains. Being able to outmaneuver cattle and having a very calm disposition, the Quarter horse was a great fit for the job of herding cattle on these ranches.
In today’s world, the breed has kept its traits of speed and muscling, but has been specialized to excel at certain events. The Quarter horse is at home in traditional rodeo events such as calf roping and barrel racing as it is in English classes of jumping and dressage events. Even with all of the fun options for competition and shows that are available, free riding for recreation, especially on a trail, is still the number one interest owners show in the Quarter horse.
Some Quarter horse breeders today are content to raise their own without public attention. Although all of them have contributed greatly to the breed and association, it would be hard to list every breeder that has come into play. One of the most famous breeding ranches is The King Ranch in Kingsville, TX. The reason for their success was the purchase of a colt named Old Sorrel, sired by Hickory Bill. He was foaled in 1915 and died in 1945. Old Sorrel was an outstanding cattle horse and such a great sire of cow horses that there was a line breeding program started at the ranch.
The Quarter horse remains a versatile breed and has come a long way from the days of the colonists. Most breeders today prefer to specialize in speed rather than for ranch work, but rest assured, everyone who owns one of these beautiful and powerful animals considers theirs to be a wonderful companion! For more information on these spectacular horses, check out the AQHA (American Quarter Horse Association) at www.aqha.com.