ASKHQ: WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE?

Q: What is the history of the American Quarter Horse?

Answered by SAQHA and AQHA

A: The American Quarter Horse is one of the oldest recognised breeds of horse in the United States. The Quarter Horse was bred for performance and has considerable quantities of Thoroughbred blood as well as traits of other lines. The Quarter Horse excels at sprinting short distances. His name came from his ability to outrun other horse breeds in races of a quarter mile or less. He is the fastest sprinting horse in the world!

The breed’s inherent quickness and agility made him ideally suited to performing the tasks required on the developing frontier in the USA. His good-natured disposition and natural cow-sense made the American Quarter Horse a favourite mount among cowboys during the open-range era of the West. Today their calm, cooperative temperaments make them the cattleman’s choice.

American Quarter Horses are short and stocky, with heavy muscular development; short, wide heads; and deep, broad chests. Yet since these horses are used to cut cattle from herds, rapid acceleration, tight turning and excellent stopping ability are essential qualities. Thus, the American Quarter Horse is well known both as a racehorse and for his performance in rodeos, horse shows and as a working ranch horse. The compact body of the American Quarter Horse is well suited to the intricate and speedy manoeuvres required in reining, cutting, barrel racing, calf roping and other Western riding events, especially those involving cattle. The American Quarter Horse is also shown in English disciplines, driving and many other equestrian activities.

The colours of the American Quarter Horse are variable, but all are solid. The height of mature animals varies from 14.3-16 hands (145-163cm) and their weight is somewhere between 431 and 544kg.

The American Quarter Horse is the most popular breed in the USA today, and the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) is the largest breed registry in the world, with almost three million living American Quarter Horses registered. The South African Quarter Horse Association (SAQHA) was started in the 1970s with the import of American Quarter Horses by Gary Player. The Society has grown to have 50 members with over 700 registered living Quarter Horses at present. SAQHA hosts an Annual Convention and Show.