Horse Breeds:
| Appaloosa Horses: | |
 | 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. Today, Appaloosas can be found at gaming events, horse shows and on the trail. |
| Arabian Horses: | |
 | Arabians are famed for their stamina, and although they can be found in many disciplines, they rule the long-distance sport of endurance. 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. There is a trace of Arabians blood in almost all horse breads. |
| Paint Horses: | |
 | The evolution of the American Paint Horse can be traced back to the Spanish Conquistador Hernando Cortes. Cortes brought 16 war horses to the new world, one of which was a sorrel and white pinto. It was that horse historians believe founded the American Paint Horse breed. Descendants of this unusual stallion soon spread across the western plains, and attracted the attention of the American Indian. The flashy looks and hardy conformation of these horses made them the preferred mount for many of the Plains tribes. It is largely due to this favoritism that the Paint Horse prospered, since pinto coloring was considered undesirable by European Americans until well into the 20th Century. In the late 1950s, an association called the Pinto Horse Association was established to help preserve the spotted horse. A decade later, the American Paint Stock Horse Association was founded, this time with the aim of preserving both color and stock horse type. In 1965 this latter group merged with the American Paint Quarter Horse Association to form the American Paint Horse Association. |
| Quarter Horses: | |
| The Quarter Horse was once known primarily as a short-distance racehorse—hence the name "Quarter Horse," derived from the quarter mile races it was famous for. But the Quarter Horse's origins go back to a time before racing was a popular pastime. It is a truly American breed that can trace its ancestry to the 17th and 18th Centuries, when English settlers crossed their own stock with the descendants of horses brought to the New World by Spanish Conquistadors. This new breed had something the settlers needed, the inate "cow sense" that would help them manage cattle on the open plains. Today, the Quarter Horse is known for that quality above all others. Quarter Horses are popular in rodeo, gymkhana, and any other equine sport that requires a short burst of speed and the ability to turn sharply and quickly. Its good disposition and intelligence have also made it a popular family breed. |
| Spotted Saddle Horses: | |
 | The Spotted Saddle Horse can trace its roots back to the history of horses that escaped from ships as they crashed on our shorelines. These horses were often spotted, naturally gaited and possessed the strength and stamina necessary for war use. By the end of the Civil War, many imported "gaited" types of horses were present in the United States. Selective mating of these gaited horses with the spotted horses resulted in the production of the smooth-gaited, colorful horse that came to be known as the Spotted Saddle Horse. The easy, docile temperament of the gentle breed combined with a people pleasing personality make this equine sports model a highly sought after trail mount. With comfort second to none, climb aboard a Spotted Saddle Horse and be ready for the recreational ride of your life. An added bonus is that the horse you ride during the week on trails can be your Saturday night show horse. This is a very common occurrence in the Spotted Saddle Horse industry. |
| Missouri Fox Trotter: | |
 | The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse was developed primarily from saddle horses and light harness horses in the rugged Ozark hills during the 19th century. Early settlers coming into the Missouri Ozarks from neighboring states of Virginia, Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee, and Arkansas. needed easy riding, durable mounts that could travel long distances at a sure-footed, ground consuming gait. The pioneers brought along with them their finest possessions, including their best saddle stock, saddle horses popular in those areas. |
| Tennessee Walking Horse: | |
 | A light horse breed founded in middle Tennessee, the Tennessee Walking Horse is a composition of Narragansett and Canadian Pacer, Standard-bred, Thoroughbred, Morgan, and American Saddle-bred stock. Originally bred as a utility horse, this breed is an ideal mount for riders of all ages and levels of experience. The breed easily adapts to English or Western gear, and its calm, docile temperament combined with naturally smooth and easy gaits insure the popularity of the Tennessee Walking Horse as the “world’s greatest show, trail, and pleasure horse”. |
