Breeds Flashcards
define breeds as related to horses
a group of horses with a common acnestry that breed true to produce common characteristics such as function, conformation, and color
what does breeding true mean?
offspring possess same characteristics as parents
do color breeds breed ture?
nope
approximately how many breeds of horses exist?
350-400
what 3 things are associated with recognized breeds?
- associated with stud book and breeding records
- many have founding sires
- all registered foals trace ancestry back to founding stallions
what are the 3 founding stallions of the thoroughbred breed?
- byerly turk
- godolphin arabian
- darley arabian
what is a color breed registry and what was the first of this kind?
registries with color requirements; Palomino Horse Associate of California was the first
what are 3 other color breeds than palomino?
- appaloosa
- paints
- buckskins
what are the 3 groups of horses? according to what 4 factors?
- draft
- light
- pony
according to size, weight, build, and use
within the three groups of horses, what are the 4 uses by which horses can be divided?
- riding
- racing
- jumping
- driving
what are the three classifications of horses? what does this depend on?
- warmbloods
- coldbloods
- ponies
depends on height and weight
how many inches is a hand?
4
how is height measured in horses?
in hands from top of withers to the ground
give the height and weight of light, draft, and pony
light: 14.2-17.2 hands and 900-1400lbs
draft: 14.2-17.2 hands and 1400lbs or more
pony: under 14.2 hands and 500-900lbs
what are draft horses used for?
pulling farm machinery, wagons, etc.
what are the 3 types of ponies
draft, heavy harness, and saddle type
what are warmbloods?
a cross between light and draft breeds; have a feistier temperament
what are warmbloods generally used for and describe bones
relatively fine-boned; used for riding
what are coldbloods (3)?
- heavy, solid, strong horses
- calm temperament
- draft horses
what is a cob? (3)
- sturdy, placid horse
- 14.2-15.2 hands
- not heavy, but course enough to be considered a draft horse
what is a hack?
an enjoyable, good riding or driving horse
what are the two options for the oldest pure breed?
arabian or Akhal-Teke
what breed played a huge role in the development of other breeds?
Arabians
are the origins of arabians known? describe when and where their existence was recognizable
origins unknown; existence in recognizable form in the Arabian peninsula around 5000 BC
who first began intentionally breeding Arabians?
the bedouin Arabian tribesmen, who were fanatacially devoted to the breed and ensured no foreign blood sullied the breed’s purity
when were the first recorded origins of the Arabian breed?
1650 BC
describe the possibly fictional origin story of the Arabian breed
the five Al-Khamsa mares were said to have been owned by the prophet Muhammad and supposedly 5 great families of Arabian horses descended from these Al-Khamsa mares
when were Arabians first imported to America?
around 1730
what is the main use for arabians and why?
endurance horses; from the desert
describe the face, topline, and bones and muscle of arabians
dished face, straight topline, refined bone and muscle
give the average height and weight of arabians
14.2-15.2 hands
800-1000lbs
what are the 3 most common coat colors of arabians?
grey, bay, chestnut
what is meant by a dished face?
bulge around eyes and forehead but then slants inward
what is the topline of a horse?
the back; from withers to tail
what is meant by bay color?
red/brown body with black tail and legs
what are the 3 foundation sires of the thoroughbred breed?
- godolphin arabian
- darley arabian
- byerly turk
when were the thoroughbred foundation stallions brought to england and from where?
brought to england from mediterranean middle east at the turn of the 17th century into the 18th century
describe thoroughbreds strength and what this led to in england
can carry weight with sustaained speed over exttended distances; allowed horse racing to flourish in England
who was Eclipse? when was he born?
the great great grandson to the Darley Arabian; born in 1764
who is considered the most famous race horse of allt ime?
Eclipse
describe Eclipse’s racing career
unbeaten in all 18 races he ran
who was the beginning of the selective breeding process in horses, why, and how long has this practice been going on?
Eclipse; produced outstanding racehorses; this practice has been going on for 250 years
describe how thoroughbreds were names in the early years of selective breeding and the result of this method
the horse was not named until it proved itself; this made record keeping difficult
who published the first General Stud Book for thoroughbreds and when and where?
James Weatherby; in 1791 in England
who published the first American Stud Book and when?
Colonel Sanders D. Bruce; in 1873
who assumed responsibility of the America Stud Book for thoroughbreds and when?
tThe Jockey Club in 1896
who was the first thoroughbred stallion brought to the US and when?
Bulle Rock in 1730
when the Jockey Club published the first volume of their stud book, how big was the foal crop? what was it in 1987, and what as it in 2020? what trend does this reflect?
1896: approx 3000
1986: exceeded 51,000 (good economy)
2020: about 20,500 (economy struggling a little bit)
describe the average height and weight of thoroughbreds
avg: 16 hands high (between 14.2-17.2)
1000-1200lbs
how fast do thoroughbreds run?
35-40mph
describe the body appearance and muscle of thoroughbreds (4)
- refined head, long straight profile
- “long” appearance to body
- short back with well-sprung ribs
- long, lean muscle
are thoroughbreds a particular color?
nope; can be any color
describe the attitude of thoroughbreds
spirited
what are well-sprung ribs, and why is this an advantage?
widely spaced ribs so that horse can take in more O2/expand lungs and help the heart function most efficiently
what is the oldest America breed?
the morgan horse
who was the founding sire of the Morgan breed, what was his original name, and when/where was he born?
Justin Morgan, born in 1789 in Springfield Massachuestts, and oriinally named Figure
what 3 breeds are thought to contribute to the Morgan breed?
- thoroughbred
- arabian
- dutch
describe the horse Justin Morgan (5) and then say why his owner originally was unsuccessful in trying to sell him
- small
- clean. straight legs
- good muscling
- refined head
- good quality of movement
but couldn’t sell at first because was too small
Morgan horses are known as all-around superior horses, name 5 things they are good for
- draft work
- race horses
- riding horses
- well-mannered
- look flashy
once Justin Morgan grew up and proved himself, what happened?
he was breed to many mares and found to be prepotent, meaning he passed on his characteristics to his offspring
how long did Justin Morgan live?
30 years
name Justin Morgan’s 3 most famous sons that all registered morgans can trace back to at least one of
- Bulrush
- Sherman
- Woodbury
who was Ethan Allen 50? (2)
- great grandson of Justin Morgan
- the world’s fastest trotting horses during the mid 1800s
give 3 attributes of Morgan horses
- all around pleasure horses
- good under saddle or in harness
- have great stamina and endurance
how tall are Morgan horses?
14.2-15.2 hands high
what 4 colors are morgan horses?
- chestnut
- bay
- brown
- black
what three breeds contributed to saddlebreds?
- thoroughbred
- Morgan
- naragansett pacer
in what 3 states were saddlebreds developed?
- virginia
- carolinas
- kentucky
when was the saddlebred breed developed?
in the mid 1800s, around the civil war era
who was the founding sire of the saddlebred breed? and what breed was he?
Denmark, a thoroughbred
what were saddlebreds originally known as? (2)
- kentucky saddlers
- kentucky saddle horse
what were saddlebreds developed as and who for?
as easy riding, general purpose horses for kentucky plantation owners
where did saddlebreds become popular/develop?
Missouri
what role did saddlebreds play in the civil war? name 3
mounts for civil war generals
Lee was on Traveler
Grant was on Cincinatti
Jackson on Little Sorrel
were most confederate saddlebred horses privately or publicly owned? what happened to them upon Lee’s surrender on General Grant’s order?
most confederate horses were privately owned; so Grant allowed the men to kep their horses, which likely led to the salvation of the breed
what did saddlebreds develop into after the civil war?
“the peacock of the horse world,” or flashy, showy horses
where are saddlebreds seen mostly? what are they also used for though?
mostly in the show ring, but also used some for pleasure riding
what 4 categories are saddlebred horses shown in?
- three-gaited
- five-gaited
- pleasure horse
- fine harness categories
describe the mane and tail of a saddlebred shown as a three-gaited horse
roached mane and set tail
describe the mane and tail of a saddlebred shown as a five-gaited horse
full mane and set tail
describe the mane and tail of a saddlebred shown as a pleasure horse
full mane and natural tail
describe the mane and tail of a saddlebred shown as a haness horse
full mane and set tail
what is a roached mane?
shaved off
describe a set tail
sticks up using tail sets before flowing down
what is the emphasis in three-gaited saddlebred horses? (2)
- animation
- precision
what is the emphasis in five-gaited saddlebred horses?
speed in a controlled, animated form
what do saddlebreds shown as pleasure horses need to display? (2)
- exhibit comfortable gaits
- give the impression that they are agreeable mounts to ride
what are the 3 gaits of saddlebreds shown as three-gaited horses?
walk, trot, canter
what are the 5 gaits of saddlebreds shown as five-gaited horses?
walk, trot, canter, slow gait, and rack
describe slow gait and rack, the last two of the five gaits of saddlebreds shown as five-gaited horses
articifial gaits that are bith 4 beats
describe the height and weight of saddlebreds
15-16 hands, about 1000lbs
what are the 4 main colors of saddlebreds?
chestnut, bay, brown, black
what actions and work are saddelbreds known for?
- elevated (high knee) action
- riding and harness work
desribe the head and neck of saddlebreds
relatively small elegant head set on a long and muscular neck
what breed is considered to be the fastest harness horse in the world? but which horse WAS the fastest?
standardbreds, but Ethan Allen 50 (a Morgan) WAS the fastest harness horse in the world
when horse racing was developed in the US in the 1800s, what breed was considered to be the “harness horse” of the time?
the Morgan
who was Hambletonian 10? (3)
- foaled in 1849
- became founding sire of the Standardbred breed
- descendent of the thoroughbred Messenger
In order to be considered a standardbred, what standard must horses meet?
must be able to run a mile in at least 1 minute and 55 seconds
what are the 2 groups of standardbreds? based on gait
trotters and pacers
describe standardbreds that are trotters
use diagonal leg movement, a more natural gait
(R with L, L with R)
describe standardbreds that are pacers
use lateral leg movement (R with R, L with L)
describe the height, weight, and body of standardbreds
15-16 hands, 800-1000 lbs, longer topline and body than TB with head longer than TB and a roman nose commonly
what is a Roman nose, as is commonly found in standardbreds? what other type of horses is this often found in?
curves out/forward; also found in draft horses
describe the temperament of standardbreds
docile
what are the 3 main colors of standardbreds? give an exception
bay, black, brown but Greyhouund was a great GREY trotter standardbred
what main region of the US saw principle development of the Quarter Horse breed? list 5 states
southwest US
1. texas
2. kansas
3. oklahoma
4. new mexico
5. colorado
describe what quarter horses are known for
sprinters; have great speed at one quarter of a mile
what do some say was the true beginning of the quarter horse breed?
In the virginias and carolines in colonial times when Chickasaws were secured from Native Americans
what is the likely true beginning of the quarter horse breed?
true beginnings in the 19th century as cowmen found quarter horses to be quick to start, sturdy, good with cattle, and having an easy temperament
when was the American Quarter Horse Association established? prior to this, what were quarter horses known as?
in 1940; before this, quarter horse was just a type of horse rather than a true breed
is there a known exact founding sire of the quarter horse breed? if not, how did the breed begin?
no known founding sire; but there were sprinter type horses in colonial times, that upon infusion of TB, became important in southwest territory
was any effort made in the southwest to keep short-distance horses as a distinct breed? why or why not?
nope; just needed quick sprinters for cattles drives to somewhere else; so quarter horses were like mutts, the most popular breed of horse but still just a blend
how did quarter horses begin to start becoming a breed?
fast horses whose offspring made good cow ponies were crossed to existing stocks of mares carrying Spanish, Arabian, Morgan, or Standardbred breeding
why was keeping track of early quarter horses difficult?
horses carried their owners name so when they were sold the names changed
before the breed existed, what horse was considered the true beginning of the Quarter type horse and attracted a great deal of attention?
Stell Dust
when and where was Steel Dust born and where was he taken after that and when?
foaled in Illinois in 1843; taken to Texas in 1846
describe Steel Dust (color, height, weight)
Blood bay (dark red), 15 hands, 1200lbs (not tall but very muscley)
who is the closest thing Quarter Horses have to a founding sire?
Steel Dust
what was Steel Dust popular as?
a running horses
what kind of horses did Steel Dust sire? (2)
- running horses
- cow horses
what were Steel Dust’s descendents called that was the common name for quarter type horses until the AQHA was established and adopted the name Quarter Horses?
Steel Dust horses
who was the most famous/most important of all sires in the establishment of the quarter horse breed? when and where was he born
Peter McCue; foals in 1895 in Illinois
who can most Quarter horses be traced back to?
Peter McCue; who was probably descended from Steel Dust
what ranch had Peter McCue? describe this ranch
King Ranch in Kingsville Txeas; is one of the best known breeding establishments that has been raising good QH since the start of the 20th century (and we have horses from their sperm at Gunby)
who was Old Sorrell?
- obtained from George Clegg (a human major player in the development of the QH breed)
- outstanding cow horse
- a line breeding program was developed at King Ranch to maintain his relationship to the herd
who was Wimpy P-1?
- awarded the first permament QH registration number
- because he won grand champion stallion at the 1941 Fort Worth Exposition
who are the 4 important sires in the development of the QH breed? describe how they are related
- Steel Dust
- Peter McCue
- Old Sorrell
- Wimpy P-1
Steel Dust likely sired Peter McCue, who is the grandfather of Old Sorrell, who is the grandfather of WImpy P-1
give the height and weight of quarter horses
15-16 hands, 900-1200lbs
what colors are QH? what colors are they NOT
all solid colors; while paint, appaloosa, and palomino are excluded
what are quarter horses used for?
racing and riding; they are versatile
describe the temperament of quarter horses
docile
describe the muscles of quarter horses
heavy muscled; powerful hindquarters
