Breeds before Foxtrotters

The Narragansett Pacer was the first horse breed developed in the United States, but became extinct in he late 19th century. Developed in the United States during the 18th century, it was closely associated with the sate of Rhode Island. The exact origins of the breed are unknown; however, they were probably developed from a cross between English "ambling", or Dutch horses imported around 1629 - 1635 and Spanish breeds. These Spanish breeds often included bloodlines that included lateral gaits. The horses that developed from this cross were known for their smoothness and surefootedness over poor terrain. It is theorized the English horses which contributed to the Narragansett Pacer descended from members of the Irish Hobby breed; another possible ancestor is the Galloway pony. In the early 18th century, William Robinson, the Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island, began the serious development of the breed with a stallion named "Old Snip"-------speculated to be either an Irish Hobby or an Andalusian and considered the " father of the breed". Sales to the Caribbean and cross-breeding diminished the breed to the point of extinction, and the last known Narragansett Pacer died around 1880. Artist rendition of a Narragansett Pacer

George Washington owned and raced a Narragansett pacer in 1768 and it is thought that Paul Revere rode one during his 1775 ride to warn of the British march. History states they were highly valued by plantation owners of the 19th century and they were sold in large numbers to sugar cane planters in the West Indies.

The Narragansett was not exclusively a pacing horse, as there is strong evidence that it exhibited an ambling gait which is a four beat intermediate-speed gait, while the pace is a two beat intermediate-speed gait. The amble was more comfortable to ride than the pace, and Narragansett Pacers were known for their qualities as both riding and driving horses. They have been described as around 14.1 hands and generally chestnut in color with liberal splashing of white markings. James Fenimore Cooper described them as follows: "They have handsome foreheads, the head clean, the neck long, the arms and legs thin and tapered"; however another source stated "The hindquarters are narrow and the hocks a little crooked..." but also said, "They are very spirited and carry both the head and tail high. But what is more remarkable is that they amble with more speed than most horses trot, so that is is difficult to put some of them up on a gallop. They were known as a sure footed, dependable breed, although not flash or always good looking. Narragansett Pacers were used for racing and general riding and frequently crossed with other breeds, proving the foundation for several other American breeds, including the American Saddlebred, Standardbred and Tennessee Walking Horse.

The origins of the Canadian Pacer are unclear, but since the first horses shipped to Canada were French, it's thought that French harness horses were the initial breed stock. According to "International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" (University of Okahoma Press, 1995), stallions from Canada were shipped to New England and crossed on mares from another now-extinct breed, the Narragansett Pacer. Some photos of Canadian Pacers survive, showing a handsome, slightly muscular animal built somewhat like the original Morgan breed. They came in a wide variety of colors, including pinto, but grey, bay, chestnut and black predominated.
Beaulac de Cap Rouge #2734

The most famous Canadian Pacer is said to be Tom Hal, foaled about 1806. This impressive blue roan stallion stood in Canada, then Philadelphia and finally in Kentucky. Legend has it that he once paced 80 miles in one day on a bet. For a brief while, he founded a breed known as Tom Hal Saddlers which quickly became absorbed by the TWH and the ASB.

What most likely doomed the Canadian Pacer was the same thing that doomed the closely related Narragansett Pacer. Although these two breeds were endowed with tremendous endurance, athleticism and intelligence, they were considered to be ugly horses with large heads, small eyes and a chunky build. They were crossed with "better looking" horses until they no longer existed.

The Standardbred Horse is a relatively young breed just over 200 years old. Its origin dates from the England of the late 1700s, and specifically to a horse named "Mambrino." Mambrino had been a legend in 18th century England Trotting races for many years, and was the sire of "Messenger" (photo right) — an English thoroughbred — credited with becoming the American ancestor of the Standardbred breed.

"Messenger" was brought to the United States in 1788 and later was owned by Henry Astor, brother of John Jacob Astor. For 20 years Messenger produced many of the greatest American race horses in the stud farms of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York. The famous "Man O'War" was one of his descendants. He is credited with being the horse to whom every Standardbred horse is related.

Messenger's great grandson, "Hambletonian," (photo left) was foaled in 1849 in upstate New York, and soon became one of the fastest trotting horses of his time. It has been estimated that more than 90% of Standardbred horses today are related to him.

The term "Standardbred" was introduced in 1879 to distinguish those trotting horses who met a certain "standard" for the mile distance. The current standard for 2-yr olds is 2.20 minutes, and for 3-yr olds the standard is 2.15 minutes. The standard distance is always one mile. It is interesting to remember that this breed of horses have been able to achieve this standard with some level of consistency. It appears that "Messenger" passed on some very fast genes! (excerpts from American Morgan Horse Association website)

Justin Morgan is most famous in history for the horse he owned which founded the Morgan breed of horses. While in Massachusetts, he had owned a few mares and raised foals by the stallions he stood at stud. One of the last mares he owned was bred to the stallion True Briton the year he left Springfield, in 1788. The resulting bay stud colt foaled in 1789 was to have a profound and far-reaching effect in his role in American history. Named Figure, the colt was advertised at stud in West Hartford, Connecticut in 1792. He was apparently taken to Randolph by Justin Morgan late that spring as he was no longer advertised at stud after May 21st. Morgan advertised him at stud in 1793, 1794, and 1795. Just when Figure passed out of Morgan's hands is not certain.

Figure went on to become known as the Justin Morgan horse. To dedicated fanciers he was often simply called "the Justin". He spent the balance of his life in and around the state of Vermont. Legends of his skills as a racing and pulling horse abound, some fanciful, some based on fact. His most respected quality among horsemen, however, was his ability to reproduce himself and his qualities. His descendants were instantly recognizable for their distinctive look (or type). They were revered for their stamina, beauty, willingness to please, and easy keeping qualities on Vermont's marginal hillside farms.

In the mid to late 19th century Morgan breeding stock helped lay the foundation for other native American horse breeds. These breeds included the Standardbred, American Saddlebred, Tennessee Walking Horse, and in the 20th century, the American Quarter Horse. These specialized breeds often outstripped the Morgan breed's ability to perform the more specialized tasks. (excerpts from The National Museum of the Morgan Horse website) Be sure to read the article on the history of gaited Morgan from another source at http://www.gaitedmorgansinfo.com/originOfGait.php It's a great read.

In the

1800's and as the nation developed, the American Horse (also referred to as "Saddle Horses" or "Kentucky Saddlers) went west with the pioneers. In Kentucky, horsemen continued to add Thoroughbred blood to their easy-gaited horses, developing a larger, prettier, all-purpose animal and setting fast the American Saddlebred as a breed. In 1839, a Thoroughbred son of imported Hedgeford named Denmark (photo left) was foaled in Kentucky. Bred to a natural-gaited mare, he sired Gaines' Denmark (photo right) and established the Denmark family of American Saddlebreds.

The first exhibition was recorded near Lexington, Kentucky, in 1816, but the sport had grown over the years, with the first national horse show occurring at the St. Louis Fair in 1856. The gifted Saddlers dominated competition. In 1888, the rules for showing Saddlers were amended to require that horses show at the trot in addition to the "saddle gaits," (the rack, running walk, fox trot and/or slow pace). The term "pace" in the context of a saddle gait does not refer to the speedy, flat pace of today's Standardbred race horses, but to a lateral movement such as an amble or singlefoot. Gait was the overriding criteria for development of the breed, and horses could be registered based on their ability to perform the saddle gaits.

By the mid-nineteenth century, the Civil War demonstrated the superiority of Kentucky Saddlers on the march and on the battlefield. Most high-ranking officers in both armies rode Saddler types: General Robert E. Lee had his Traveller, (photo left); Grant was on Cincinnati, Sherman rode Lexington and Stonewall Jackson was on Little Sorrell. The first three were Saddler type with close Thoroughbred crosses; the latter was from pacing stock. Generals John Hunt Morgan and Nathan Bedford Forrest rode exclusively Kentucky Saddlers. So important were the horses that after the surrender, General Grant allowed Confederate veterans to keep the mounts they owned. In peacetime, the great demand for Saddle Horses enabled the industry to recover quickly.

In 1900, an unusual colt of predominately trotting blood, with a dash of Denmark was foaled in Kentucky. This foal, Bourbon King, (painting right) was sold as a weanling to Allie G. Jones and became a sensation as a five gaited show stallion. He lived to the age of 30 and was the great progenitor of the Chief family of Saddlebreds.

Natural Gaits Conformation & Size Disposition

HISTORY & FACTS OF THE PUREBRED BREEDS SO INGRAINED IN ESTABLISHING OUR BREED - KNOW AS THE MISSOURI FOX TROTTER