 |
The American Quarter Horse was
developed in the early 1600s when the bloodlines of horses
brought to the New World were mixed, making the American Quarter
Horse the first horse breed native to America.
Foundation American Quarter Horse stock originated from Arab,
Turk and Barb breeds. Stallions and mares were bred with horses
brought to Colonial America from England and Ireland, developing
a compact, heavily muscled horse that filled the colonist's
passion for short-distance racing.
In 1940 a registry was formed and the breed officially came
to be known as the American Quarter Horse. The first American
Quarter Horse races were held in 1674 in Enrico County, Virginia.
Two-horse "match" races were held on village streets,
level pastures and country lanes.
As pioneers in the 1800s moved West, so did the American Quarter
Horse. Known for its ability to outmaneuver cattle and its
calm disposition, the American Quarter Horse was ideally suited
for the vast new cattle ranches popping up across the frontier.
|