Foundation Quarter Horse, Lady Van Belle, gving birth.
Written by admin on March 9, 2010 – 9:19 pm -
FQHA Lady Van Belle gives birth to her stud colt, 5/26/09, 7:15 pm
Tags: Belle, birth., Foundation, gving, horse, lady, Quarter
Posted in Quarter Horse | 12 Comments »
The American Quarter Horse: Faster Than A Speeding Thoroughbred
Written by admin on February 13, 2010 – 8:40 pm -
The Quarter Horse is known as the All-American horse and as the world’s most versatile horse. Not only is it the most popular breed in the United States, but it is possibly the oldest horse breed in the US. Named for its amazing speed during a short one quarter mile sprint, the fastest galloping speed by any horse has been achieved by the American Quarter Horse which has been clocked at speeds near 55 mph (88 km/h) in a quarter mile or less. Their immensely powerful hindquarters can propel the horse into a gallop almost from a standing start, and Quarter Horse racing is becoming more popular. The average Quarter Horse usually lives 20 years, but 35 years is not uncommon when properly cared for.
It has been called by many names over the years: American Quarter Horse, Foundation Quarter, Standard Quarter, Racing Quarter, Running Quarter, Quarter Miler, Short Horse and the cowboy’s Cutting Horse.
While the breed originated in the United States and is now distributed worldwide, its ancestry dates back to the Arabian, Barb and Turk horses that were imported to America by early Spanish explorers, conquistadors and traders. These were combined into the Chickaswas breed by Native Americans to form one side of the bloodline, with English horses and Thoroughbreds on the other. Morgan and Standardbred horses have also been used in the breed’s development. But it is difficult to give the exact origins because the blending of bloodlines to produce a short-distance horse started in colonial regions prior to the Revolutionary War. The true beginnings are believed to have been in the Carolinas and Virginia but the principle development was in the southwestern part of the United States, in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, eastern Colorado, and Kansas when in the early 1600s, settlers began importing English horses and breeding them to the native Spanish-based Chickaswas stock to create a tough all-purpose horse.
Of course, naming horses after people was common practice back then and when the horses were sold their names were often changed. This led to confusion when attempting to verify pedigrees. Nowadays a horse’s name must be acceptable to the American Quarter Horse Association and must not exceed 20 characters. Quarter Horse names may be reused only if certain criteria are met as per AQHA rules.
And no particular attention was made to keep them as a distinct breed, either. Fast horses were raced in any suitable open space with many races being run as “match races” after a private wager between owners or riders. Any of these fast horses that also made good cow horses were crossed to existing mares. Many of these mares had Spanish, Arabian, Morgan, or Standardbred backgrounds.
In 1889, Traveler, a horse of unknown pedigree, was shipped to Texas in a carload of horses but it is believed that he originated in Kentucky. Traveler was apparently not considered valuable and at least once changed hands in a craps game. He and his descendants were mated to some excellent mares, and many Quarter Horses today can trace back to him along the paternal side.
Currently there are two basic varieties of the breed. The Foundation Quarter, Standard Quarter or old-fashioned “Bulldog” type is the smallest, shortest, stockiest, most muscular variety, yet extremely agile and sure-footed. Used for ranch work, trail and pleasure riding, they average 14 to15 hands and weigh 900 to 1,100 lbs. The Racing Quarter, Running Quarter is taller, leaner and looks more like a well-muscled Thoroughbred due to the added Thoroughbred genes. These average between 15 to 16 hands, weigh 1,000 to 1,250 pounds and tend to be in solid colors with limited white markings.
American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), the largest equine breed registry in the world, and founded in 1940, has registered more than 5 million American Quarter Horses with the current population estimated at 3.2 million animals.
The breed is usually recognized by a short muzzle, broad forehead with a straight profile and large jaws. It has small fox-like ears and large, wide-set eyes. The neck has a slight crest. Their backs are short with good withers and a sloping croup. The barrel is deep with well-sprung ribs and the hooves are well-rounded, with deep open heels. The following 13 colors are accepted by the AQHA: brown, chestnut, gray, dun, red dun, bay, buckskin, black, grullo, red roan, blue roan, and palomino, with sorrel being the most common and limited white markings.
The walk, trot, canter, and gallop are the Quarter Horse’s natural gaits. Some individuals have long, leggy movements with a lot of knee action, while others take shorter steps.
As for disposition and personality, this horse is the most willing, laid-back, quiet and even-tempered of all the breeds, and has a gentle nature. They are quick and agile, level-headed and sensible, sure-footed and steady with good stamina. Their unflappable nature has made them suitable for mounted police units in cities. Intelligence, reliability, adaptability and willingness to please their owners make the Quarter Horse very easy to train in all ways. The breed seems to have an innate “cow sense” and can anticipate the moves made by cattle which makes them indispensable for herding and cutting.
There is one downside to the breed however, a genetic oddity known as Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (HYPP). This is listed as a genetic defect in AQHA’s rules, along with Parrot Mouth and Cryptorchidism. HYPP is inherited as a dominant trait and is characterized by intermittent episodes of uncontrolled muscle tremors (shaking, trembling or twitching) or profound muscle weakness, and in severe cases, may lead to collapse and/or death. To date, HYPP has been traced only to descendants of a horse named IMPRESSIVE, #0767246.
They are indeed an all-purpose horse with uses ranging from racing, herding, and rodeo, to show jumping, dressage, carriage and pleasure riding.
Crystal Eikanger writes for www.HorseClicks.com, classifieds of Quarter Horse and other breeds, horse property, saddles and horse tack.
Tags: american, Faster, horse, Quarter, Speeding, Than, Thoroughbred
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The King Ranch Quarter Horses: And Something of the Ranch and the Men That Bred Them
Written by admin on February 11, 2010 – 9:39 pm -
The King Ranch Quarter Horses: And Something of the Ranch and the Men That Bred Them
Tags: BRED", horses, King, Quarter, ranch, Something, Them
Posted in Quarter Horse | 3 Comments »
Horse Breeds – American Quarter Horse
Written by admin on February 9, 2010 – 8:36 pm -
The American Quarter Horse is the first breed of horse native to the United States. The breed evolved when the bloodlines of horses brought to the New World were mixed. Foundation American Quarter Horse stock originated from Arab, Turk and Barb breeds. Selected Stallions and Mares were crossed with horses brought to Colonial America from England and Ireland in the 1600′s. This combination resulted in a compact, heavily muscled horse that evolved to fill the colonists passion for short distance racing.
The amazing power behind a quarter horse enabled this great animal to run short distances over a straightaway faster than any other horse with the fastest being named Celebrated American Running Horse. The names for this breed has changed many times over the years until 1940 when a registry was formed to preserve the breed which officially became the American Quarter Horse Association.
In the year 1674 in Enrico County, Virginia the first American Quarter Horse Race was held. They were one-on-one match races down village streets, county lanes and level pastures. Many disagreements and fights were generated from heavy betting of large purse races by 1690.
The American Quarter Horse, due to their calm disposition and quick response time, the horse became known for its “cow sense”, being able to outmaneuver cattle. During the 1800′s as many pioneer folk moved westward, so did the American Quarter Horse. An abundant amount of cattle ranches stretched across the plains. Making this breed well suited for the cattle ranchers.
In today’s world, the American Quarter Horse still remains a great sprinter known for their heavy muscling, but they have exceeded way past the cattle horse. These amazing horses compete in almost every discipline available, from rodeo events, such as barrel racing and calf roping to English disciplines such as dressage and show jumping. The make a nice little children’s hunter as well, with the ability to jump a wide range of heights. They are one of the most versatile breeds in the world.
Many pleasure riders still look to the American Quarter horse for recreational riding, as they make a nice pleasure horse as well.
Breeders, since the creation of the breed over fifty years ago, have diligently been trying to perfect the bloodlines to produce a high quality versatile animal.. Strict guidelines have been set by the American Quarter Horse Association regarding registration of the American Quarter Horses. Some of these guidelines include:
1. Limited white markings on the face and below the knee
2. Only thirteen accepted colors recognized by the AQHA. These are sorrel (reddish brown), bay, black, brown, buckskin, chestnut, dun, red dun, gray, grullo, palomino, red roan and blue roan. The official gray color is what most people call white, but there are no “white” American Quarter Horses.
3. A quarter horse foal must be the product of a numbered American Quarter Horse dam and a numbered American Quarter Horse sire. There is an appendiz registry for foals with one numbered American Quarter Horse parent and one Throughbred parent registered with The Jockey Club.
Some other notable characteristics of the American Quarter Horse is their speed, versatility, gentle nature, heavy muscling and keen cow sense.
If you own an American Quarter Horse, no matter what discipline you choose to ride, your horse will excel. This breed is one of the most enjoyable horse breeds around today and one of the most popular.
Nanette Hughston is a freelance writer from the southern United States Region. She has a bachelor’s degree in finance. She rides dressage with Grand Prix Level Trainer, Tracy Masterson at Highlife Farms, Orlando, FL. For more information and articles please see her website at http://www.dressageamerica.com and http://www.informbyweb.com and to visit her training site, please visit http://www.highlifefarms.com for dressage and hunter/ jumper information. Permission for reprint is granted with full bio remaining intact.
Tags: american, breeds, horse, Quarter
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Latest Quarter Horse Auctions
Written by admin on February 9, 2010 – 4:56 pm -Hey, check out these auctions:
 | US $0.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Sep-06-2010 18:42:52 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list |
 | US $0.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Sep-06-2010 18:48:50 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list |
Cool, arent they?
Tags: Auctions, horse, Latest, Quarter
Posted in Quarter Horse | No Comments »
Playing Quarter Horse
Written by admin on July 8, 2009 – 5:40 pm -
Quarter Horses Oli & Duke playing with Dino
Duration : 0:3:32
Tags: horse, horses, Quarter
Posted in Quarter Horse | 25 Comments »
Brooke Fox NRHA Quarter Horse Congress 2007
Written by admin on July 8, 2009 – 5:40 pm -
Brooke Fox on “Brownie” SF Double Doll. Scores a 198.5 2007 Quarter Horse Congress Reining 14-18 class. Not bad for her first year as a Reiner and will be back for more next year! Great job.
Duration : 0:3:9
Tags: 2007, Brooke, Congress, Fox, horse, NRHA, Quarter
Posted in Quarter Horse | 5 Comments »
Registered Quarter Horses for sale in 2008
Written by admin on July 8, 2009 – 5:40 pm -
Located in winnsboro,la.
Most of the horses in the video are for sale or at stud. Most are incentive fund eligible, stallions we have gray Zippididoodah, buckskin Deces sportmodel zip, and bay eyes a jetsetter. These horses are top NOTCH~! Prices are $600 and up. Please email for more horses we have for sale. Look for another video to be posted soon with more horses for sale.
When calling or emailing please let us know where you found out about us.
Duration : 0:5:23
Tags: 2008, barrel, bay, buckskin, Dressage, Filly, for, gelding, gray, grey, horse, horses, Kids, mare, paint, pleasure, Quarter, red, Registered, reigning, Roan, Rodeo, roping, sale, Show, Stallions, WESTERN
Posted in Quarter Horse | 11 Comments »
Just bought a registered quarter horse AQHA Need Help with papers?
Written by admin on April 6, 2009 – 1:39 pm -I just bought a registered quarter horse from a rancher who was maybe the third or fourth owner to this horse he knows nothing about this horse. He just ran with the cows for almost four years and was never handled in any way. Well when I saw him I knew he was a gem. He has papers but the papers have the first owner on them and no other owners have not been updated. I have a bill of sales from the guy I bought him from. How can I get my name on the papers?
Do you want the correct, official answer or what most people do? The correct, official answer is to get transfers signed by everyone that has owned him, pay a transfer fee for each transfer and your wings will grow a couple more feet….or…………….get the person whose name is on the papers, you can find the person through AQHA, tell him what has transpired and the conditions under which you bought the horse and he will probably sign a transfer from him straight to you…you send the original papers and the transfer in to AQHA and the cost of one transfer and eventually you will get his papers back with your name as the registered owner. Good luck, you don't necessarily need to share all of your information with the AQHA, just say that you are trying to locate this particular person, period.
Posted in Quarter Horse | 8 Comments »
Best Place to Buy a Quarter Horse in Oklahoma?
Written by admin on April 6, 2009 – 1:39 pm -I am looking to buy a good quality quarter horse in oklahoma. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
it really depends on what you are looking to get the QH FOR. Sure, you could go to the sale barns and get one for a few hundred, but trust me, it is a crap shoot and a really sad situation. There are a number of sites with listings, but also check with the co-ops in your area and check their message boards. I recently moved from Oklahoma and we found a WONDERFUL cutting horse by looking at the co-op board.
Posted in Quarter Horse | 2 Comments »
