In This Chapter
- Entering the mind of a horse
- Going over a horse’s physical characteristics
- Checking out a variety of breeds
Before you get on the back of a 1,000-pound animal, understanding how that creature thinks is a pretty good idea. Contrary to what some people believe, horses are intelligent animals who learn quickly. They’re also creatures of instinct, and they have a unique way of looking at the world.
It’s also a good idea to become
familiar with the physical aspects of a horse. This step means memorizing the
different parts of the horse’s body so you know what your riding instructor
means with phrases such as above the withers and near the fetlocks. Finding
out all about the amazing breeds of riding horses is important, too. When you
understand the breeds and how they differ, you have a more complete picture of
the horse world — something every rider needs.
In this chapter, I describe the
psyche and physical traits of a horse, and I walk you through the differences
among some of the most popular horse breeds.
Understanding How Horses Think
To truly comprehend what goes on
in the equine mind, imagine yourself as a horse. You’re big yet fragile (as
evidenced by the injuries suffered by racehorses). You evolved over the eons as
a prey animal, which means a host of scary critters have thought of you as a
dinner entree for a very long time. You’re also very sociable, thriving on the
company of others.
All these factors add up to
create a powerful, delicate, and wary yet friendly beast. In the following
sections, I describe the behavior and communication of these very special
animals, and I provide guidance on getting along with them.
Getting a grip on equine society
One of the biggest factors in
equine behavior is the fact that horses are herd animals (safety in numbers,
right?). Much of what they do stems from this trait. Horses are capable of
recognizing and participating in a complex social hierarchy that places them at
the top, the bottom, or somewhere in the middle of the pecking order. They also
like to be with other horses — a lot — just like most people enjoy being with
other humans.
In terms of horse behavior, the
biggest question for many people (at least those who like to ponder such
things) is “Why do horses allow us to ride them?” The opinion of most experts
is that the horse’s very social nature allows her to accept a rider on her
back. Horses — at least tame ones — recognize humans as dominant members of
their herd and act accordingly when asked to do something, no matter how little
sense it makes to them.
Another important factor in
equine behavior is the horse’s status as a prey animal. You can’t spend
millions of years being eaten by saber-toothed tigers and hunted by wolf packs
without getting a bit paranoid. This less-than-pleasant experience is the
reason horses spook (react dramatically) when startled, are nervous in
unfamiliar surroundings, and usually run first and ask questions later when
something scares them. If you ride horses, you encounter these behaviors sooner
or later.
Interpreting equine expressions
Because horses are such social
creatures, they’ve developed very distinct methods of communicating with each
other. They use these same techniques to communicate with humans. If you
understand the horse’s language, you’re well on your way to being able to
“talk” — or whisper — to your horse.
Tip
Horses are great at expressing themselves through body language, and it’s up to us humans to know how to interpret their signals. Horses express a variety of attitudes and emotions in their faces. Make sense of these expressions, and you can read the mood of just about any horse you approach (Figure 2-1 shows the various facial expressions of horses):
- Relaxed: Horses who are calm and content have a relaxed expression. They’re comfortable in their environment, with the person handling them, and with what they’re being asked to do. This expression is the one you want to see on a horse you’re about to ride.
- Afraid: Horses are easily frightened. If a horse throws her head up in the air and shows the whites of her eyes, she’s scared. You may have approached too fast, or perhaps something else is frightening her.
Reassure the horse by talking softly to her and stroking her until she calms down before you proceed. (See “Getting along with horses,” later in this chapter, for tips on handling horses effectively.)
- Threatening: Some horses exhibit nasty behavior for various reasons. They may be in pain, or they may hate being ridden and handled. One horse I met was nasty because he was underfed and felt hungry all the time. After he was put on a proper diet, his threatening expression disappeared.
Warning: If a horse you’re handling is pinning her ears back and showing you what looks like an angry expression (teeth bared, nostrils flared), back off and get help from someone more experienced. Horses sometimes follow these expressions with a bite or a kick.
- Alert: Horses are always watching for predators, real or imagined. A horse with an alert expression — head up high, eyes wide, ears pointed forward — is checking out something that’s in the distance or may be approaching. An alert expression can turn into a fearful one or may be replaced by a relaxed expression after the horse determines that all is safe. Some horses, such as those who are leading a group on a trail, maintain an alert expression the entire ride. Such behavior is normal, because horses expect the leader of the group to be the lookout.
Figure 2-1: Horses communicate
with four basic expressions.
Getting along with horses
The key to a harmonious existence
with horses lies in understanding the herd and prey factors that are so much of
a part of the horse’s mindset (see “Getting a grip on equine society,” earlier
in this chapter). If you put yourself in the animal’s horseshoes and think
about life with humans from the equine perspective, you’ll likely find yourself
able to get along with just about any horse. The following sections contain
some key points to keep in mind when you’re dealing with horses.
A horse is a horse: Recognizing your horse for what she is
Remember
Remember that horses and humans are alike in some ways (we both feel pain and experience fear) and vastly different in others (they see the world differently). Whenever you handle a horse, keep her perspective in mind and judge her as a horse, not as a fellow human. Remembering these ideas can help you treat your horse appropriately:
- Fairness: One of the saddest mistakes people make when handling horses is lack of fairness. They often expect a horse to know exactly what they want and when they want it, and they don’t give the horse the chance to learn or adjust to a new idea. Horses can read your emotions but not your thoughts. Remember to be fair to your horse in every situation so she can come to trust you.
- Patience: Horses are like 1,000-pound toddlers. Some horses may test you to see what they can get away with, while others may just irritate you with annoying behaviors and habits. And although most horses are quick to learn, some people aren’t so good at teaching. Whenever dealing with a horse, be as patient as possible.
- Consistency: When dealing with any animal, consistency is key. If you want your horse to stand still when you get on, make sure you require this behavior each and every time you mount. Letting her walk off some of the time teaches her that you don’t really mean what you say, and you may find yourself with a horse who does whatever she feels like. Know what you want from your horse and insist on it each and every time.
Sending the right signals
Remember
Horses are astute readers of body language, so you can best interact with a horse if you’re attuned to your own emotions and behavior. Here are some key tips for keeping a horse at ease:
- Show confidence. Horses can quickly discern if you’re apprehensive and fearful or confident and at ease. Because you want the horse to see you as a leader and trust your judgment in all things, you want to exude confidence. Otherwise, the horse may feel compelled to take over the leadership role and start bossing you around.
- Move slowly. Horses are generally alarmed by quick movements, especially waving arms. When dealing with a horse, move slowly but deliberately. Talk to the horse in a soft voice, too, especially if you’re approaching from behind.
- Keep the volume down. Shouting and screaming are two good ways to scare a horse or at least make her uneasy. Reserve a louder voice for corrections. When a horse does something you don’t want her to do, a loud “Quit!” or “Hey!” can get her attention. Otherwise, be quiet when you work around horses or talk to them in a gentle, soothing voice.
- Don’t handle your horse or ride when you’re angry. The worst thing you can do when you’re having a bad day is be around a horse. True, spending time with horses can make stress melt away; on the other hand, they can really push your buttons and make you want to explode. If you find yourself in an angry mood, skip taking your horse out that day. The last thing you want to do is take your anger out on the horse.
- Stay positive. Some people think horses are psychic because they have an uncanny ability to read our minds (if you’re afraid your horse will spook, she probably will, as though you literally gave her the idea). Whether horses can read minds or are just adept at picking up on very subtle human cues, it’s important to think positively and visualize your horse doing what you want her to do, not what you don’t want her to do.
Examining the Equine Body
Horses are very corporeal
creatures. One of the reasons we love them so much is because of their great
physical beauty. The horse’s grace, elegance, and power can be breathtaking
when you appreciate this amazing animal.
Remember
When riding horses, being familiar with the equine body is important not only on an aesthetic level but also on a technical one. Horse people frequently refer to parts of a horse’s body, how a horse is put together, the way horses move, and a horse’s color and markings. If you want to converse with horse people and know what they’re talking about, understanding this special equine lingo, which I cover in the following sections, is vital.
The parts of a horse
The best way to figure out the parts of a horse is to memorize them. When I was a horse-crazy child, my parents enrolled me in a military-based riding group. As part of my training, I received a diagram much like the one in Figure 2-2 and was told to learn the various parts of the horse. Failure to pass the subsequent test would’ve meant not moving up in rank. The assignment wasn’t really a problem because I was horse-obsessed and couldn’t think about anything else!
Figure 2-2: The parts of a
horse.
Hopefully, you’re more
well-rounded than that and have other things going on in your life besides
knowing where the cannon and gaskin are located. Memorizing the various parts,
however, is still a good idea. This knowledge is mandatory for anyone who plans
to be a serious rider or even spend time around horses. In particular, make
sure you can identify the following parts:
- Muzzle
- Poll
- Shoulder
- Withers
- Hock
- Pastern
The height of a horse
A horse’s size is significant if
you plan to ride, because some horses may be too small or too tall for your
liking. The average horse weighs from 1,000 to 1,200 pounds; however, weight is
the least-favorite way to refer to the size of a horse. Horse people prefer to
describe a horse’s height in terms of hands, which is a uniquely equine
measurement.
Remember
In horse lingo, one hand equals 4 inches, which was historically considered the width of the average man’s palm. Horses are measured from the top of the withers (the area between the base of the neck and the back) to the ground. A horse standing 60 inches from her withers to the ground is 15 hands high. If the horse stands 63 inches from her withers to the ground, she’s 15.3 hands in height. (Note that the dot is not a decimal point; it simply separates the number of full hands from the number of additional inches.) Because a hand is a 4-inch increment, a horse 64 inches from her withers to the ground is 16 hands high rather than 15.4 hands. Height in hands is sometimes written as h.h., which is short for hands high.
Tip
In practical terms, an average-sized woman can comfortably ride a horse that is anywhere from 14.2 hands to 16.1 hands. A man of average height probably prefers a horse on the taller side of that range.
People have different reasons for
liking larger versus smaller horses, although preference is mostly aesthetics.
If you’re a tall person, you’ll look better on a taller horse. Of course, you
may have other reasons for choosing one size over another. For instance, if
you’re above average in weight, a larger horse can carry you more comfortably.
Height may also be a consideration if you plan to show your horse or perform
particular events with her (see Chapter Show
Off: Riding in Competition for info on horse shows). Bigger
horses make for a grand appearance, but smaller ones are less painful to fall
from. Your trainer or instructor can help you figure out your preferences
(Chapter School’s
in Session: Taking Riding Lessons can fill you in on instructors and riding lessons).
The buildup: Horse conformation
Conformation is horse
lingo for the way a horse is put together. Conformation is important not only
because it affects the way a horse looks but also because build affects the
horse’s ability to move and remain sound (free from lameness) throughout
her life.
Some horses are born with good
conformation, others with poor conformation. Generally speaking, if the parents
have good conformation, then their offspring will, too. A horse’s genes have
the greatest impact on body structure, though in rare cases, poor diet in the
growing years and improperly healed injuries can cause problems.
Remember
Learning the difference between good and poor conformation takes time, experience, and practice. The best way to develop this skill is to look at a lot of different horses with a critical eye. Horses with good conformation are visually pleasing. When you see a good-looking horse, take note of her overall appearance and make mental notes of her body structure. If the horse is well-balanced, meaning her parts are all in proper proportion to each other, she likely has good conformation. Talking to expert horse people and asking their opinions of certain horses is also is a great way to build your skills.
Horses with good conformation
also have correct angles:
- Their legs are straight when viewed from the front and back.
- Their shoulders and croups (rump, or the area that lies between the hip and the base of the tail) are nicely sloped.
- Their heads are pleasing to the eye and well-shaped.
If you’re really interested in
conformation, you may want to check out the excellent book Horse
Conformation: Structure, Soundness, and Performance, by Equine Research
(Lyons Press).
Stepping out: The gaits of a horse
Oh, the possibilities!
Four-footed animals have quite a few options when they decide to move — how
many feet should be touching the ground, which legs to lift at the same time,
the length of the stride, and so on. If you plan to ride a horse (and you
probably do, because you’re reading this book), then you’ll get to experience
the horse’s gaits up close and personal. The gait of the horse affects the
speed you’re going as well as the whole feeling of your ride.
Most horses have three natural
gaits that people use often in riding: the walk, the trot or jog, and the
canter or lope. The walk is the slowest gait, the trot or jog is the
medium-speed gait, and the canter or lope is the next-fastest speed. The
gallop, the fastest gait, is only for special occasions and more-advanced riding;
this book focuses on the other three main gaits.
Remember
Speed isn’t the only difference among the gaits; the way the horse positions her legs also determines the method of motion. Take a look at the difference in foot patterns for each gait (see Figure 2-3):
- Walk: At the walk, the horse puts each foot down one at a time, creating a four-beat rhythm. Most horses walk at about 3 to 4 miles per hour.
- Trot (jog): In the trot or jog, one front foot and its opposite hind foot come down at the same time, making a two-beat rhythm. Horses generally trot at 7 to 10 miles per hour.
- Canter (lope): In the canter or lope, one hind leg strikes the ground first, then the other hind leg and the opposite foreleg come down together, and then the other foreleg comes down. This movement creates a three-beat rhythm. Horses usually canter at 10 to 17 miles per hour.
Note: A gallop is similar to the canter, only faster and with an extra footfall. This fastest gait creates a four-beat rhythm that can have the horse traveling at 30 to 40 miles per hour.
Figure 2-3: The three most
common riding gaits of a horse, from slowest to fastest, are the walk, trot or
jog, and canter or lope.
Protocol
Keep in mind the discipline you’re riding in when talking about gaits. English riders say canter, but Western riders say lope. English riders say trot, but Western riders say jog. Fortunately, both disciplines say walk!
Riding lets you feel each of the
rhythms of the walk, trot or jog, and canter or lope, and you can discern which
one you’re experiencing. Check out Chapters Enjoying
the Walk, Bumping
Up Your Skills with the Jog or Trot, and Getting
on the Fast Track with the Lope or Canter for more information
about riding each of these gaits.
Here’s something to throw a small
monkey wrench into things: Some horses have more than the gaits I describe
here. These talented equines are called gaited horses, and they possess
one or more gaits in addition to or instead of one or more of the basic gaits.
Chapter Step
Up: Riding Gaited Horses contains details on the breeds of gaited horses, their unusual
gaits, and how to ride them.
Colors and markings
Horses come in a vast array of
colors and patterns, with a host of different markings. Familiarize yourself
with the names of the following colors, patterns, and markings, because
appearance is an important way to identify horses. In other words, if your
instructor tells you to go “saddle up the bay pinto,” knowing what color bay
is and what pinto means can really help you know what she’s talking
about.
A horse of a different color
Horses don’t quite come in all
the colors of the rainbow, but you may notice quite a bit of variation. Here’s
a list of the most common horse colors:
- Chestnut: Chestnut is a distinct reddish color covering the entire body. The mane and tail are usually the same color, although some chestnuts have what’s called a flaxen (blond) mane and tail. Chestnuts come in different shades, from very light (sorrel) to very dark (liver).
- Bay: Bay is a rich brown color on the body with a black mane, tail, and legs. Bays can be dark tan to reddish brown in hue.
- Brown: In the horse world, brown describes a horse who has a very dark brown coloration to her body with a lighter brown around the muzzle and flank and inside upper legs. The mane and tail of brown horses are black.
- Black: For a horse to be correctly described as black, she must be jet black with no light areas anywhere on the body, including the mane and tail.
- Gray: A horse described as grey can be nearly white to dark gray and everything in between. Gray horses often have dapples (circular, indistinct spots), and these horses are referred to as dapple grays. Most gray horses are born dark and gradually develop their gray color.
- Dun: A dun horse has a gold, reddish, or tan body color and a black or brown mane and tail. All duns have a dark stripe down their backs. Within the family of duns, you can also see roans (see the next section) as well as grullas, which are a mousy grey dun.
- Buckskin: A buckskin looks very much like a dun but without the dorsal stripe. The color can be anything from light to dark tan, always with black leg points and a black mane and tail.
- Palomino: A golden yellow body with a white mane and tail is characteristic of the palomino coloration.
Patterns galore
Horses come in different
patterns, depending on their breed (I cover breeds later in this chapter):
- Roan: The term roan describes a horse who has a dark base color that’s intermixed with white hairs. The head and lower legs of the roan are usually darker than the rest of the body. Roans come in different colorations, most often red (white hairs mixed with chestnut or red hairs) and blue (white hairs mixed with black hairs). You can see this pattern in a number of different breeds, especially the Quarter Horse.
- Pinto: A pinto horse is marked with irregularly shaped patches of dark color against white or white irregularly shaped patches against a darker base color. The dark patches can be just about any color, including palomino, bay, chestnut, black, and buckskin (see the preceding section on color). You can see pinto markings in the Paint breed, in Saddlebreds, and in certain Arabian crossbreeds.
- Spotted: Spotted horses feature one of several different coat patterns that often consist of oval, egg-shaped spots. These spots can be distributed throughout the body or blanketed over the horse’s rump and hips. Spotted patterns are among the characteristics of the Appaloosa and Pony of the America breeds.
All that chrome: White markings
In addition to color and body
patterns, horses are known by their facial and leg markings. Horse people use a
handful of common terms to describe white markings, or chrome. Some horses
have a combination of these markings.
Here are some types of facial
chrome (see Figure 2-4):
- Star: A white spot on the horse’s forehead
- Snip: A white spot on the muzzle, on or just below the area between the nostrils
- Stripe: A narrow white strip that runs down the center of the horse’s face, from the forehead down the bridge of the nose
- Blaze: A wide white area that starts at the horse’s forehead and runs down along the bridge of the horse’s nose
- Bald: A large amount of white on the face that starts above the forehead, runs along the front of the face to the muzzle, and extends beyond the bridge of the nose to the sides of the face
Figure 2-4: White facial markings
can help you identify horses.
Types of chrome on the legs
include the following (see Figure 2-5):
- Coronet band: A small white band just above the hoof
- Half pastern: A white marking that starts at the edge of the hoof and extends halfway up the pastern (which goes from the hoof to the fetlock joint)
- Sock: A white marking that starts at the edge of the hoof and extends a third of the way up the leg
- Stocking: A white marking that extends from the hoof to the knee (front legs) or hock (back legs)
- Half cannon: A white marking that starts at the edge of the hoof and extends halfway up the middle of the leg
Figure 2-5: Horses display
a variety of white leg markings.
Sifting through Breed Differences
Everyone knows that dogs come in
hundreds of different breeds, but did you know horses come in nearly as many?
As with dogs, horses have been bred to do different jobs over the centuries.
These jobs have determined the overall conformation (body structure) and even
temperament of these breeds. Today, most of these breeds retain much of their
original tendencies.
In the following sections, I
explain why the breed of the horse you ride can be important and describe some
of the most popular breeds around.
Realizing that breed may matter
Tip
The breed of horse you ride may or may not make a difference, depending on what you plan to do in the saddle. If you just want to poke along on the trail a couple days a week, what breed of horse you ride really doesn’t matter as long as the horse is a nice, easy trail horse. However, if you plan to jump competitively or work your way into to the upper levels of dressage (a competition where the horse is judged on intricate movements), breed becomes much more of an issue. (See Chapter Show Off: Riding in Competition for details about horse competitions.)
For this reason, breed does matter if you plan to do certain types of riding— especially if you want to go on to compete. If you aren’t planning to go into competition, you may still discover that you have a breed preference. People fall in love with certain breeds for reasons that can be hard to explain. Sometimes it’s just love at first sight.
Remember
Each horse is an individual, so no one breed of horse is best for beginning riders. Do some research, read through the following sections, and talk to other horse people to see what breed may be a good match.
Picking through popular breeds
Some horse breeds are more
popular than others, and they’re the ones you see most of the time when you’re
at a riding stable or out on the trail. The following breeds are the most
popular horses in the U.S. and are the ones you’re most likely to encounter when
you’re taking riding lessons, shopping for a riding horse, or just watching TV
or the movies. You can find out more about these breeds by contacting the breed
associations that I list in the Appendix. You can also read about gaited breeds
in Chapter Step
Up: Riding Gaited Horses.
Go to “The height of a horse,”
earlier in this chapter, if you need more information on hands and horse size.
The earlier section “Colors and markings” can give you additional info on
appearance.
Appaloosa
The Appaloosa horse is synonymous
with the Nez Percé Indians of northern Idaho, who kept the breed in the 1700s
and 1800s. When the Nez Percé were forced onto reservations, the Appaloosa
breed nearly died out. In the 1930s, a concerned group of horsemen gathered to
start the Appaloosa Horse Club in an effort to save the breed. Since that time,
the breed became very well-known.
The Appaloosa horse is known for
its spotted coat, which comes in a number of different patterns, including leopard
(white with dark spots over the body) and blanket with spots (dark
body color with white over the rump, which is covered with dark spots). The
breed’s other distinguishing physical traits include white sclera (the
tissue that surrounds the pupil), striped hooves, and mottled skin. Appaloosas
measure from 14.3 to 16 hands in height.
Appaloosas tend to have quiet
temperaments and are seen often in Western riding events as well as in jumping.
They also make popular trail mounts.
Arabian
The Arabian is one of the oldest
and purest breeds of horse still in existence. This horse was developed in the
Middle East several hundred years ago and has been used to improve the quality
of other breeds throughout the centuries.
Arabian horses are known for
their elegance and stamina. The breed has an easy-to-recognize head, with a
concave, or dished, profile. The Arabian’s ears are small and curve
inward, and its neck is long and arched. Most Arabian horses have only five
spinal vertebrae rather than six, the number typical in most other breeds. This
difference makes the Arabian’s back shorter and stronger.
Most Arabians measure 15 hands or
less. You can find them in gray, chestnut, bay, and black. Arabians are
friendly and often high spirited, and they’re known for their prowess in
endurance competitions. They also make good show horses (see Chapter Show
Off: Riding in Competition for
info on shows).
Morgan
The Morgan is an American breed
developed in Vermont during the 1700s. Started from one horse, a stallion named
Justin Morgan, the breed was created by breeding a variety of mares to this
stallion.
Morgans today are small but
strong horses, rarely reaching more than 15.2 hands in height. They come most
often in bay, black, and chestnut. They’re known for their willing attitudes
and endurance. Morgans make great trail horses and are also shown in saddle
seat, Western, and hunt seat classes.
Paint
In the early 1960s, a group of
horse lovers formed an organization called the American Paint Horse Association
to preserve horses with pinto markings that were born of Quarter Horse matings
(see the next section for info on the Quarter Horse). Previously considered an
anomaly, the Paint horse was not eligible for registration with the American
Quarter Horse Association and was basically unwanted. Today, the Paint is one
of the most popular breeds in the United States.
The Paint horse comes in specific
patterns — including the tobiano, overo, and tovero — that
involve white or dark patches on a contrasting dark or white base (visit www.apha.com/breed/index.html
for links to some images and detailed descriptions). Aside from its coloring,
the Paint horse is identical to the Quarter Horse, and it stands 15 to 16 hands
in height. The Paint is known for being quiet and easygoing. Paints are popular
trail horses and appear most often in Western shows.
Quarter Horse
The Quarter Horse is the result
of American colonists’ crossing horses kept by the Chickasaw nation to horses
they had imported from England in the 1600s. Later developed to work cattle,
the breed became a mainstay in the
The Quarter Horse is a rugged
horse with a small head and muscular neck. The breed’s hindquarters are
powerful, and the legs are straight and solid. Quarter Horses can be sorrel,
chestnut, bay, black, dun, grulla, palomino, roan, or gray, and they stand
anywhere from 14.3 to 16 hands tall.
Quarter Horses are well known for
their quiet temperament, which is steady and easygoing. The Quarter Horse makes
a good mount for beginning riders, who need a quiet and forgiving horse to help
them learn.
In the show ring, Quarter Horses
prevail in Western events; you see this breed most often in cattle-working
competitions, Western pleasure classes, and gymkhana events (timed speed
events). The Quarter Horse is the most popular breed of horse in the world; it
numbers in the millions.
Saddlebred
The Saddlebred was developed in
Kentucky in the 1700s, using Morgans, Canadian horses, Narragansett Pacers (now
extinct), and horses of Spanish breeding. Breeders hoped to develop a horse who
could comfortably carry riders over long distances.
The Saddlebred is a gaited horse,
capable of performing the stepping pace and a four-beat gait called a rack
in addition to an animated walk, trot, and canter. (See Chapter Step
Up: Riding Gaited Horses for
details on gaited horses.)
Saddlebreds have a distinctive
look that features a long, arched neck and a fine head carried high. The
breed’s body is lithe and lean, and it ranges in height from 15 to 17 hands
high. The most common colors for this breed are bay, black, brown, chestnut,
sorrel, and gray.
Saddlebreds make excellent show
horses because of their flashy appearance. They’re also good trail mounts and
are very comfortable to ride because of their smooth gaits.
Standardbred
Standardbred horses were
originally created for use as harness racers, but many are being retrained as
saddle horses. The breed originated during the early part of U.S. history and
was created to race under harness at either the trot or the pace. The breed is
still used for this purpose today.
Standardbreds are able to move at
great speeds without galloping. Some individuals are natural trotters, and they
can trot at nearly 30 miles per hour. Others are born pacers (where the
legs on one side move in unison) and are just as fast as trotters. The early
training of Standardbred race horses fine-tunes these skills while discouraging
the urge to gallop. Standardbreds are physically capable of galloping,
however, and so can be trained for riding.
Standardbreds have large heads
and powerful legs, and these horses measure anywhere from 15 to 16 hands high.
They come mostly in bay and chestnut, but in some cases you may see them in
brown, gray, or black. The Standardbred’s disposition is gentle and trainable.
Tennessee Walking Horse
The Tennessee Walking Horse was
developed in the early part of the 18th century by Southern
plantation owners who needed a horse that could cover ground comfortably. This
breed is a gaited horse (see Chapter Step
Up: Riding Gaited Horses), and it can perform a four-beat
running walk for which it is famous. This gait is so smooth that it gives the
rider the sensation of floating on air. Tennessee Walkers can also trot and
canter.
The breed has a distinct look
featuring a straight head with large ears. The neck is gracefully arched, and
the withers are prominent. The breed appears in chestnut, bay, palomino, black,
grey, and just about every other horse color. These horses range from 15 to 16
hands high and are known for their easygoing personality.
The Tennessee Walking Horse makes
a great trail horse. It’s also popular in breed shows that emphasize the
breed’s gaited aspects.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is the breed you
see most often on the racetrack. Famous horses such as Man O’ War and
Secretariat were Thoroughbreds. The breed was developed in England in the 1700s
for the purpose of racing and was later imported to the colonies in the New
World.
Thoroughbreds typically have
straight profiles, high withers, and long, fine legs. They stand from 15 to 17
hands high and have a lean, lanky appearance. They come in bay, chestnut,
black, and grey.
Thoroughbreds are the fastest
horses in the world, and they can reach speeds of 40 miles per hour when they
gallop. They’re also talented jumpers and dressage horses.
by Audrey Pavia with Shannon Sand
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