The Quarter Horse is one of America’s oldest and most popular breed of horse. It was developed during the 17th century from the horses that the Spanish conquistadores took to America with them. They were crossed with the Thoroughbred type of horses that were imported to America in 1611. Once these breeds were identified as a running horse, they were transported to the East where they were bred for racing. Early races were always short, usually about one quarter of a mile. At this time the Quarter Horse was developed for its speed on the racecourse, the fastest in a quarter mile!
The early Quarter Horse was a solid built small horse, standing around 15 hand high, a hand is four inches, and was notable for its tremendously powerful hindquarters. It was quickly realized that the Quarter Horse was far superior to the Thoroughbred horse over short distances. Even to this day, they are faster over short distances.
Gradually, distance racing gained in popularity and the Quarter Horse was no longer able to compete. It was at this time, the Quarter Horse’s other impressive talents became apparent. It quickly became evident that the Quarter Horse was a natural ranch animal, displaying its natural “cow sense”. The Quarter Horse is unsurpassable in the capacity of cow work, and their great agility, speed and tenacity makes them one of the modern cowboy’s favorite mounts. The Quarter Horse is truly the universal horse and is quite capable of performing well in any discipline.
In the early 1800s as people started to move towards the Western states, the Quarter Horse was frequently used in harness as well as for riding transportation. They were capable of completing all the chores around the early settlers’ homesteads as well as making sporting horses and most importantly suitable for children and novices to ride. 
The Quarter Horse has a superb calm and well balanced temperament and is highly intelligent. Its compact body is well suited for the intricate and quick maneuvers required in reining, cutting, working cow horse, barrel racing, calf roping and other western riding events, especially those involving live cattle. It is also used in English disciplines, driving, show jumping, dressage, hunting and many other equestrian activities as well as on the racetrack. The American Quarter Horse Association, formed in 1940, has the largest register of any breed in the world.
In appearance, the Quarter Horse has excellent powerful conformation. The head tends to be smallish and broad across the forehead, the neck is muscular and well-formed, the chest wide and deep, the shoulders strong, sloping and powerful. They should be compact through the barrel and have immensely strong hindquarters. The legs are well formed, the cannon bone short, and the feet very hard. They can be any whole color and range in height from 14.2 hands to 16 hands high.
Feeding any horse is a complex and highly skilled process requiring understanding of the nutrient requirements of the individual horse, as well the nutrient value of the different feeds available. There can be serious consequences to both over and under feeding. It is very important that horses receive a balanced diet that includes the correct amount of vitamins and minerals. For the novice owner or rider, it is best to seek advice and help when deciding what and how much to feed your horse. There are a few rules to keep in mind when feeding and watering:
- Feed little and often to keep their small stomach constantly about half full.
- Adjust feed according to the amount of work that the horse is doing and the time of year, the age of the horse, the size and build of the horse.
- Always feed good quality food.
- Make sure you feed at regular intervals during the day.
- Do not feed directly before exercise. You should allow a minimum of one hour after feeding before exercise.
- Do not let your horse drink large quantities of water before hard work.
- Your horse should have access to a constant supply of clean, fresh water.
- Use plenty of bulk and roughage in feed will aid the horse’s digestion and keep the digestive tract in good working order.
- Feed succulent foods daily to aid digestion and to provide vitamins and minerals.
- Be sure to clean feed and water containers regularly.
- Do not make any sudden changes to the horse’s diet as this can upset the bacterial balance of the gut and lead to poor digestion and colic. Changes should be made gradually over several days.
Over thousands of years the horse has always had the ability to inspire great emotions in people, and these have been expressed through centuries in art, literature, myths and legends. “God forbid that I should go to any heaven in which there are no horses,” written by Robert Bontine Cunningham-Graham in 1917, and this is, I am sure, a true sentiment that is shared by all horse lovers!
PHOTOS courtesy Cecil & Walsh Quarter Horses
