Rocky
Mountain
Horse History
Tradition
has it that around the turn of the century a young horse
appeared in eastern Kentucky that gave rise to a line of
horses that have been prized and treasured in this part
of the country ever since. The basic characteristics are
a medium-sized horse of gentle temperament with an easy
ambling four-beat gait. This gait made it the horse of
choice on the farms and the rugged foothills of the Appalachians.
It was a horse for all seasons. It could pull the plows
in the small fields, work cattle, be ridden bareback by
four children to the fishing hole, or to town comfortably
on Saturday. They even performed well hitched to the buggy
Sunday morning to go to church. Fancy barns and stalls
were not necessary. Because of its cold-blooded nature,
it tolerated the winters in Kentucky with a minimum of
shelter. Naturally, out crossing with local horses did
occur but the basic characteristics of a strong genetic
line have continued.
In Spout
Springs, Kentucky, on the farm of Sam Tuttle, these horses
found a nurturing ground. Sam, who had the concession for
horseback riding at the Natural Bridge State Park, used
these horses for many years to haul green and inexperienced
people over rough and rugged trails. Old Tobe, his most
treasured stallion, who fathered fine horses up until the
ripe old age of 37, was as "sure" footed and
as gentle a horse as could be found. He was the one that
carried the young, the old, or the unsure over the mountain
trails of Kentucky without faltering, even though a breeding
stallion. Everyone who rode the stallion fell in love with
him. He had the perfect gait and temperament. Many of the
present Rocky Mountain Horses® carry his bloodline.
The breed
is best known for gentleness. It is an easy keeper and
a wonderful riding horse with a strong heart and endurance.
Today the Rocky Mountain Horse® is being used as a
pleasure horse, for trail, and competitive or endurance
riding. As show horses, the breed is rapidly gaining in
popularity because of its beauty and unique way of moving
in the ring. The calm temperament of his horse makes it
ideally suited for working around cattle and for 4-H projects.
It is
obvious that a haphazard and unorganized maintenance of
this breed would eventually result in its dissipation and
loss. For this reason, in the summer of 1986, those who
were interested in the breed got together to form the Rocky
Mountain Horse Association. The purpose of this association
is to maintain the breed, to increase the number of horses
in the breed and expand the area, which has knowledge of
this fine horse. To that end, the association has established
a registry that has shown steady and well-regulated growth
in the number of horses registered. It is critical that
standards be maintained and a panel of examiners has been
set up by the association to provide vigorous supervisors
to the growth and development of the breed. To achieve
this, ALL horses must be examined for breed characteristics
and approved prior to breeding. |
