I’ve now written two articles about two great Foundation Quarter Horses, Wimpy P-1 and King P-234. I think, this month I’ll go back and dwell a little on some factual generalities of the Quarter Horse.
The Quarter Horse is the oldest American family of horses. His tribe strongly flourished in Colonial times and it has been said that Paul Revere rode a Quarter Horse. He possessed in those days the same characteristics as he exhibits now-which may in some measure explain the remarkable prepotency still displayed in his often marked ability to stamp his get with peculiarities seldom discovered in any other branch of the equine family. Perhaps the most notable characteristic of the true Quarter Horse is and always has been his astonishing versatility. From earliest times he’s been a using horse-good at whatever he is put to, be it pulling a wagon or plowing a field. He did those things in Colonial times, and gave the planters relaxation by running for them on weekends. He was marvelously adapted to pioneer pursuits.
In a book titled The Quarter Horse, published by the AQHA at Amarillo in 1950, Bob Denhardt says: “The Spanish horse was a horse whose heritage had from the first been dominant”. All his masters for a thousand years had used him to drive livestock from pasture to pasture. Spain and America proved no exception. Even when he was with Cortez and De Soto he always had at least a drove of pigs along to keep in line and on which to practice his trade.
Cow savvy was built into this breed of horses and has always been evident. Speed is the prime essential for any multipurpose horse. It is the nonreplicable cornerstone from which he was geared to his many endeavors. Ott Adams and his mentor Dow Shely understood this better than most. Naturally, Quarter Horses fit into the scheme of things to do on a ranch.
Once again let me hark to Bob Denhardt: Since the modern Quarter Horse has largely been bred on the range alongside cattle,since he has generally received his breaking and usually earned his oats between races and at cow work, it is only natural that he should be a master of two trades-cattle and short races. Centuries of specialization for quick speed make him today a thing of beauty mighty pleasing to the cowman. Every contour of his conformation reflects the purpose for which he was bred, and they make him the superior of all other breeds in pure feet-per-second movement…..The unusual conformation of the Quarter Horse is his greatest asset in working cattle, as most cattlemen agree. They make him the stoutest at the end of a rope, the handiest to cut on in a herd and the fastest and safest when heading off a wild one. As long as our great country possesses fabulous wealth in natural forage, just so long will this horse be an economic necessity.
The Quarter Horse is the world’s best cow horse: he is also the finest sporting horse to be found in the world. In addition to early foot, most sporting horses require handiness, an ingredient for which he stands second to none. He has proved by test to be the best in arena competition today and will be found to give tremendous satisfaction-with proper training in any arena sport to which he is trained. This my friends is why I can’t wait for the sun to rise in the mornings, so I can look out across my pasture and sight a Quarter Horse.
The Quarter Horse is the oldest American family of horses. His tribe strongly flourished in Colonial times and it has been said that Paul Revere rode a Quarter Horse. He possessed in those days the same characteristics as he exhibits now-which may in some measure explain the remarkable prepotency still displayed in his often marked ability to stamp his get with peculiarities seldom discovered in any other branch of the equine family. Perhaps the most notable characteristic of the true Quarter Horse is and always has been his astonishing versatility. From earliest times he’s been a using horse-good at whatever he is put to, be it pulling a wagon or plowing a field. He did those things in Colonial times, and gave the planters relaxation by running for them on weekends. He was marvelously adapted to pioneer pursuits.
In a book titled The Quarter Horse, published by the AQHA at Amarillo in 1950, Bob Denhardt says: “The Spanish horse was a horse whose heritage had from the first been dominant”. All his masters for a thousand years had used him to drive livestock from pasture to pasture. Spain and America proved no exception. Even when he was with Cortez and De Soto he always had at least a drove of pigs along to keep in line and on which to practice his trade.
Cow savvy was built into this breed of horses and has always been evident. Speed is the prime essential for any multipurpose horse. It is the nonreplicable cornerstone from which he was geared to his many endeavors. Ott Adams and his mentor Dow Shely understood this better than most. Naturally, Quarter Horses fit into the scheme of things to do on a ranch.
Once again let me hark to Bob Denhardt: Since the modern Quarter Horse has largely been bred on the range alongside cattle,since he has generally received his breaking and usually earned his oats between races and at cow work, it is only natural that he should be a master of two trades-cattle and short races. Centuries of specialization for quick speed make him today a thing of beauty mighty pleasing to the cowman. Every contour of his conformation reflects the purpose for which he was bred, and they make him the superior of all other breeds in pure feet-per-second movement…..The unusual conformation of the Quarter Horse is his greatest asset in working cattle, as most cattlemen agree. They make him the stoutest at the end of a rope, the handiest to cut on in a herd and the fastest and safest when heading off a wild one. As long as our great country possesses fabulous wealth in natural forage, just so long will this horse be an economic necessity.
The Quarter Horse is the world’s best cow horse: he is also the finest sporting horse to be found in the world. In addition to early foot, most sporting horses require handiness, an ingredient for which he stands second to none. He has proved by test to be the best in arena competition today and will be found to give tremendous satisfaction-with proper training in any arena sport to which he is trained. This my friends is why I can’t wait for the sun to rise in the mornings, so I can look out across my pasture and sight a Quarter Horse.
