American Saddlebred
Origin
United States
History
The Saddlebred, like many of the American breeds, began as an essentially practical animal, albeit one that was created to satisfy both the aesthetic requirements and the day-to-day needs of the southern aristocracy.
It evolved during the 19th century in rhe southern states, particularly Kentucky, and was initially known as as the Kentucky Saddler. People arrived riding Morgans, Narragansett Pacers, Canadians, Spanish horses and trotters, all of which were the foundations stock used in Kentucky to develop the American Saddlebred. The result was an elegant utility horse, which in the early days would have been used in plowing, and for carrying a man in comfort throughout a long day over rough again. It could also serve as a carriage horse to go to church on Sundays.
From the Morgans and Canadians, American Saddlebred inherited substance, compact bodies and much ruggedness and stamina. The trotters endowed them with gameness and a speedy gait for driving. The Narragansett Pacer provided the free and easy natural gaits which made the new breed stand apart from the other horses.
Although the original list of foundation sires contained seventeen stallions, this list was gradually reduced, and at a meeting of the association on April 10,1908, it was decided to list Denmark, by Imported Hedgeford, as the sole Foundation Sire. Denmark was a brown horse foaled in 1839 and is reported to have been a horse of great beauty. His son, Gaines Denmark 61, was the real founder of the Denmark family of Saddlebred horses.
Description
- Head:
neet and fine with no fleshiness through the jowl - Conformation:
-long, elegant neck. Its juncture with the withers ensures a distinctively high carriage in movement
-well-sloped shoulders
-smoothly muscled quarters with a near-level croup and a high-set tail
-long, very slender legs
-long and sloping pasterns with a good deal of spring
-neat, open and well-shaped hooves - Average height:
15 to 16 h.h. - Colours:
bay and chestnut - Temperament:
despite having a “natural fire”, it is claimed to be very docile and cooperative - Today:
the modern Saddlebred is best known as a show-ring animal exhibited under saddle. However, it is also a fine harness horse. It is also used for pleasure and trail riding; it can cattle, jump well, follow hounds, or compete in dressage.
In the show ring, it will been shown both under saddle and in harness. In the saddle division, it is shown in three- or five-gaited classes:
- Three-gaited horses are shown at walk, trot, and canter, each gait being performed in a slow, collected manner with high action. Horses are shown with a roached mane and trimmed tail.
- The five-gaited horse is shown with a full mane and tail. In addition to the standard gaits, it performs the slow gait which should be a high, methodical, showy stepping pace, done very slowly, with restrained speed and the rack which should be rapid and free from any lateral motion or pacing. It should be a single-foot with the exaggerated, showy action. The knee and hock action should be snappy and sufficient for this gait.
