Spotted Saddle horse
Encyclopedia
The Spotted Saddle horse is a relatively new breed of horse
that was developed by crossing Spanish-American type pinto
horses with gaited horse
breeds (such as the Tennessee Walking Horse) to produce a colorful horse that was smooth gaited and possessed strength and stamina. The breed has a reputation for being gentle and easy to handle, surefooted and agile, good on steep and rough trails.
coat pattern that shows white behind the head and above the hocks, beyond basic face and lower leg markings
. The underlying coat color can include any found in the equine world.
for the Spotted Saddle horse:
s, Missouri Fox Trotter
s, Peruvian Paso
s, Paso Fino
s, and Racking horse
s. Standardbreds contributed size, speed and lateral gaits. Mustangs added more color and hardiness. Missouri Fox Trotters and Racking Horses, which share a common ancestry with Walking Horses, have influenced type and gait. Even Peruvian Pasos and Paso Finos have contributed in recent years. Consequently, horses registered as "Spotted Saddle Horses" vary significantly from one another, both in body type and gait.
Most Spotted Saddle horses are about 15 hands
high, though they can range from 13.3-16 hands high and weighing from 900 to 1100 pounds. A Spotted Saddle horse's head is of moderate length, refined, with a straight to slightly convex profile. The eye
s are wide set, with a soft expression. Ear
s are moderately long, set well up on the head, and carried alertly. The neck is very slightly arched, muscular but trim, of moderate length, carried high, and with a good head carriage. The chest is of moderate width, and well muscled. Long, sloping hips and shoulders, common to smooth-gaited horses, are preferred, as is a fairly short back. The top line should appear shorter than the bottom line as this contributes to a long, smooth stride. The hindquarters are broad and well muscled.
Some lines reveal pony
-type origins in a short-coupled, compact, sturdy body, with a somewhat coarse head and legs, while others exhibit more refined characteristics. Breed fanciers are split between the "true" old-type Spotted Saddle Horse, that generally didn't stand much over 14 hands versus a trend towards a Walking Horse build and gait. As a result, there are several different breed associations devoted to pinto
-colored gaited horses, each with a slightly different slant.
, and canter
. These are the three gaits
for which this breed is famous, with the intermediate speed gait being a naturally inherited smooth four-beat, lateral ambling
gait unique to this breed.
The flat walk, called a show walk by the National Spotted Saddle Horse Association (NSSHA) is a brisk, long-reaching walk that can cover 4 to 8 miles an hour. This is a four-beat gait with each of the horse's feet hitting the ground individually at regular intervals.
The running walk, called "show pleasure" by the NSSHA and "show gait" by the Spotted Saddle Horse Breeders and Exhibitor's Association (SSHBEA), is the intermediate gait of the Spotted Saddle Horse. This extra-smooth ambling
gait has the same footfall sequence as the flat walk with a marked increase in speed. This breed can travel at 10 to 20 miles per hour at this gait, which is very smooth.
The canter
is a three-beat gait. One nickname for it within the Spotted Saddle Horse community is the "rocking-chair-gait."
In addition, the horse must perform a faster four beat "saddle gait"
, such as the fox trot, rack, stepping pace, or one of the Paso gaits.
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
that was developed by crossing Spanish-American type pinto
Pinto horse
A pinto horse has a coat color that consists of large patches of white and any other color. The distinction between "pinto" and "solid" can be tenuous, as so-called "solid" horses frequently have areas of white hair. Various cultures throughout history appear to have selectively bred for pinto...
horses with gaited horse
Gaited horse
Gaited horses are horse breeds that have natural gaited tendencies, that is, the ability to perform one of the smooth to ride, intermediate speed four-beat horse gaits, collectively referred to as ambling gaits....
breeds (such as the Tennessee Walking Horse) to produce a colorful horse that was smooth gaited and possessed strength and stamina. The breed has a reputation for being gentle and easy to handle, surefooted and agile, good on steep and rough trails.
Registration of the Spotted Saddle Horse
In order to qualify for Spotted Saddle Horse registration, horses must have a pintoPinto horse
A pinto horse has a coat color that consists of large patches of white and any other color. The distinction between "pinto" and "solid" can be tenuous, as so-called "solid" horses frequently have areas of white hair. Various cultures throughout history appear to have selectively bred for pinto...
coat pattern that shows white behind the head and above the hocks, beyond basic face and lower leg markings
Horse markings
Markings on horses usually are distinctive white areas on an otherwise dark base coat color. Most horses have some markings, and they help to identify the horse as a unique individual. Markings are present at birth and do not change over the course of the horse's life...
. The underlying coat color can include any found in the equine world.
Registration
There are two breed registriesBreed registry
A breed registry, also known as a stud book or register, in animal husbandry and the hobby of animal fancy, is an official list of animals within a specific breed whose parents are known. Animals are usually registered by their breeders when they are still young...
for the Spotted Saddle horse:
- The Spotted Saddle Horse Breeders And Exhibitors Association (SSHBEA) which is an organization established in 1985 to promote the Spotted Saddle Horse. To accomplish this, SSHBEA has instituted a program for affiliating horse shows, licensing Judges, and approving Designated Qualified Persons, and has established official rules for registering and showing of the Spotted Saddle Horse.
- The National Spotted Saddle Horse Association (NSSHA) was formed in 1979, NSSHA is dedicated to establishing a uniform breed saddle horse that is naturally gaited and performs without the use of punishing training aids or substances.
Characteristics
Spotted Saddle horses resemble Tennessee Walking Horses the most because of that breed's strong influence. Other breeds were introduced into the Spotted Saddle horse, including Standardbreds, MustangMustang (horse)
A Mustang is a free-roaming horse of the North American west that first descended from horses brought to the Americas by the Spanish. Mustangs are often referred to as wild horses, but there is intense debate over terminology...
s, Missouri Fox Trotter
Missouri Fox Trotter
The Missouri Fox Trotter is an American breed of horse with a unique four beat gait. It was bred in the Ozark Mountain foothills, and used by settlers who valued its smoothness.-Breed characteristics:...
s, Peruvian Paso
Peruvian Paso
The Peruvian Paso or Peruvian Horse is a breed of light pleasure saddle horse known for its smooth ride. It is distinguished by a natural, four-beat, lateral gait called the paso llano.-History:...
s, Paso Fino
Paso Fino
The Paso Fino is a naturally gaited light horse breed dating back to horses imported to the Caribbean from Spain. Pasos are prized for their smooth, natural, four beat, lateral ambling gait and are used in many disciplines, but are especially popular for trail riding...
s, and Racking horse
Racking horse
The Racking Horse is horse breed derived from the Tennessee Walking Horse, recognized by the USDA in 1978. It is known for a distinctive singlefoot gait. The breed has its own organization, the Racking Horse Breeders' Association of America, headquartered in Decatur, AL. Its goal is to...
s. Standardbreds contributed size, speed and lateral gaits. Mustangs added more color and hardiness. Missouri Fox Trotters and Racking Horses, which share a common ancestry with Walking Horses, have influenced type and gait. Even Peruvian Pasos and Paso Finos have contributed in recent years. Consequently, horses registered as "Spotted Saddle Horses" vary significantly from one another, both in body type and gait.
Most Spotted Saddle horses are about 15 hands
Hand (unit)
The hand is a non-SI unit of measurement of length, now used only for the measurement of the height of horses in some English-speaking countries, including Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA. With origins in ancient Egypt, it was originally based on the breadth of a human hand...
high, though they can range from 13.3-16 hands high and weighing from 900 to 1100 pounds. A Spotted Saddle horse's head is of moderate length, refined, with a straight to slightly convex profile. The eye
Eye
Eyes are organs that detect light and convert it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons. The simplest photoreceptors in conscious vision connect light to movement...
s are wide set, with a soft expression. Ear
Ear
The ear is the organ that detects sound. It not only receives sound, but also aids in balance and body position. The ear is part of the auditory system....
s are moderately long, set well up on the head, and carried alertly. The neck is very slightly arched, muscular but trim, of moderate length, carried high, and with a good head carriage. The chest is of moderate width, and well muscled. Long, sloping hips and shoulders, common to smooth-gaited horses, are preferred, as is a fairly short back. The top line should appear shorter than the bottom line as this contributes to a long, smooth stride. The hindquarters are broad and well muscled.
Some lines reveal pony
Pony
A pony is a small horse . Depending on context, a pony may be a horse that is under an approximate or exact height at the withers, or a small horse with a specific conformation and temperament. There are many different breeds...
-type origins in a short-coupled, compact, sturdy body, with a somewhat coarse head and legs, while others exhibit more refined characteristics. Breed fanciers are split between the "true" old-type Spotted Saddle Horse, that generally didn't stand much over 14 hands versus a trend towards a Walking Horse build and gait. As a result, there are several different breed associations devoted to pinto
Pinto horse
A pinto horse has a coat color that consists of large patches of white and any other color. The distinction between "pinto" and "solid" can be tenuous, as so-called "solid" horses frequently have areas of white hair. Various cultures throughout history appear to have selectively bred for pinto...
-colored gaited horses, each with a slightly different slant.
Gaits
The Spotted Saddle Horse performs the flat walk, running walkAmbling
The term amble or ambling is used to describe a number of four-beat intermediate gaits of horses. All are faster than a walk but usually slower than a canter or gallop...
, and canter
Canter
The canter is a controlled, three-beat gait performed by a horse. It is a natural gait possessed by all horses, faster than most horses' trot but slower than the gallop, and is used by all riders. The speed of the canter varies between 16-27 km/h , depending on the length of the stride of the horse...
. These are the three gaits
Horse gait
Horse gaits are the various ways in which a horse can move, either naturally or as a result of specialized training by humans.-Classification:...
for which this breed is famous, with the intermediate speed gait being a naturally inherited smooth four-beat, lateral ambling
Ambling
The term amble or ambling is used to describe a number of four-beat intermediate gaits of horses. All are faster than a walk but usually slower than a canter or gallop...
gait unique to this breed.
The flat walk, called a show walk by the National Spotted Saddle Horse Association (NSSHA) is a brisk, long-reaching walk that can cover 4 to 8 miles an hour. This is a four-beat gait with each of the horse's feet hitting the ground individually at regular intervals.
The running walk, called "show pleasure" by the NSSHA and "show gait" by the Spotted Saddle Horse Breeders and Exhibitor's Association (SSHBEA), is the intermediate gait of the Spotted Saddle Horse. This extra-smooth ambling
Ambling
The term amble or ambling is used to describe a number of four-beat intermediate gaits of horses. All are faster than a walk but usually slower than a canter or gallop...
gait has the same footfall sequence as the flat walk with a marked increase in speed. This breed can travel at 10 to 20 miles per hour at this gait, which is very smooth.
The canter
Canter
The canter is a controlled, three-beat gait performed by a horse. It is a natural gait possessed by all horses, faster than most horses' trot but slower than the gallop, and is used by all riders. The speed of the canter varies between 16-27 km/h , depending on the length of the stride of the horse...
is a three-beat gait. One nickname for it within the Spotted Saddle Horse community is the "rocking-chair-gait."
In addition, the horse must perform a faster four beat "saddle gait"
Ambling
The term amble or ambling is used to describe a number of four-beat intermediate gaits of horses. All are faster than a walk but usually slower than a canter or gallop...
, such as the fox trot, rack, stepping pace, or one of the Paso gaits.
External links
- Gaited Horses
- National Spotted Saddle Horse Association
- http://www.sshbea.org/About%20the%20Breed/About_the_Breed.htm
- http://www.thegaitedhorse.com/spottedsaddle.htm