The American riding horse is a native of the United States and a favorite horse of American cowboys. It is this breed that can most often be seen in numerous films about the Wild West.
Description of American Riding Horse
The average height of the animal is 1.55 m, and weight - up to 0.5 t. The horse's head, as a rule, has the right shape, usually quite miniature in size. Profile is most often ideal proportions. Although occasionally you can meet individuals with the so-called mutton traits.
The neck is distinguished by length and grace. The American riding horse has a pronounced withers, small shoulders, hoofs with the correct setting and a powerful back. The back line of these horses is straight. Animals also have high-set croup with a raised tail. To do this, cut some of the muscles at the base of the tail to artificially create the effect of elation. However, the strands themselves are not trimmed much. Therefore, horses of the American riding breed are distinguished by sufficiently long tails.
Saddlebred (this is the name of this breed in his homeland) has well-developed musculature. For this reason, in all equestrian competitions, she is always among the contenders for victory. The intellectual abilities of these horses are extremely well developed. Big expressive eyes look at the world around us almost humanly.
Running features
"Americans" have their own corporate style of running, developed by American horse breeders in order to make horses suitable for riding at high speed over long distances. This original move is called "wreck." With such a ride, an American riding horse can develop a speed equal to the speed of a gallop.
Saddlebreds, who are trained to walk in five styles: move, gallop, step, trot, and plus to this wreck, are called five-pointed. Similar horses are often compared to dancers. Almost all animals of this breed are endowed with an innate ability to wreck. There are individuals who do not need special training in this gait and run racks from birth. If the horse does not have such a gift, then it can be easily taught. The training takes place according to a special technique, the essence of which is to upset the balance of the course by tilting the animal's head in different directions. Sometimes the imbalance occurs due to the mixing of the body of the rider alternately to the right and left. For the vast majority of animals of this breed, a few occupations are enough to assimilate this gait.
Distant ancestors
Saddlebred has a rich pedigree. The history of this breed dates back to the 17th century, when thoroughbred horses from England began to be imported into America en masse. They were not tall. But they quickly and easily acclimatized to new living conditions. As a result of the breeding activities of American horse breeders, a breed was born from English horses, called the Narraganasset pacifier. These animals fully met the requirements for riding horses, and were extremely popular among the local population.
However, at present, the breed is considered lost as a result of the fact that these hardy animals, ideally suited for agricultural work, were exported in large quantities to India. But still, part of the mares, the endangered breed, managed to leave offspring from the horses that were brought from the British Isles in the 18th century.
Breed origin
Closer to the 19th century, a new breed was formed, which was called American horses in those distant years. From their purebred ancestors, they inherited natural grace and an innate ability to move gently. The first documented mention of this breed is found in sources dated 1776.
Participants in historical events
The new breed was perfect for horseback riding, and for help in peasant labor. And yet, these animals were used by the cavalry of the colonial troops during the American Revolution and later in the war with the British and Native American tribes.
By the time of the Civil War in the USA, the American riding horse became the most common breed in this country. It is known that the famous General Robert Lee rode precisely on a saddlebred breed horse. After the war, the national horse fair was revived. At the end of the 19th century, several initiative horse breeders of the country put forward a proposal to create an organization of horse breeders engaged in breeding horses of this particular breed and officially register the breed of American riding horse with a description in the relevant documents. Which happened soon.
Equestrian sport featuring American riding horses
Saddlebreds are distinguished by their increased energy, love of an active lifestyle. The motto of this breed could well be the slogan: "Movement is life." Therefore, these animals are often involved in sports. In competitions on three gait traditionally demonstrated step, lynx and gallop. Each of them has certain requirements. The step of the horses must have sufficient elasticity. When trotting, the legs of animals should rise high, and galloping is necessary at a certain rhythm and pace (usually slow and measured).
In competitions for 5 gait, two more types of amble are added to the above moves. On some photos of American riding horses, artificially elongated legs can be seen. This effect is achieved by building hooves or putting on special shoes.