The American
Saddlebred was known as Narragansett Pacers after Rhode Island's Narragansett
Bay. They originated from the breeding of Galloway and Hobby horses, who
were selectively bred according to their superior traits, given sound
nutrition, and flourished. Interesting to note, it is thought that Paul
Revere rode a Narragansett Pacer on his famous ride.
The
Narragansett Pacer was bred to the Thoroughbred. The Thoroughbred, itself,
originated in England from crossings between Arab, Barb and Turkish stallions
to Hobby and Galloway mares. Around 1700, the "American Horse"
was a recognizable breed, the result of the cross between the Narragansett
Pacer and the Thoroughbred. This new horse retained the easy gaits and
stamina of the Narragansett, but added the Thoroughbred's size and quality.
From
the American Saddlebred Horse Association, on history and gaiting, "An
effective marketing tool of the post-war era was the increased popularity
of horse shows as public entertainment. The first exhibition was recorded
near Lexington, Kentucky, in 1816, but the sport had grown over the years,
with the first national horse show occurring at the St. Louis Fair in
1856. The gifted Saddle Horses dominated competition. In 1888, the rules
for showing Saddlebreds were amended to require that horses show at the
trot in addition to the "saddle gaits,"(the rack, running walk, fox trot
and/or slow pace). The term "pace" in the context of a saddle gait does
not refer to the speedy, flat pace of today's Standardbred race horses,
but to a lateral movement such as an amble or singlefoot. Gait was the
overriding criteria for development of the breed, and early registrations
were based on the ability of a horse to perform the "saddle gaits."
If
conditioned and trained properly, the Saddlebred are capable of almost
any task they are asked to perform, from cow horses to jumpers, dressage
to carriage horses, and they do it with style.
For more
information on this "horse America made," contact :
American
Saddlebred Horse Association
or
American Saddlebred Horse
Association of Georgia