American Indian horse
Encyclopedia
The American Indian Horse is any horse of Spanish
origin that has evolved to adapt to a particular environment within the United States, with or without breeding from humans. The title American Indian Horse does not refer to one specific breed; rather, it applies to any breed that has proved itself capable of withstanding a distinct ecotone, whether it be the high plains of the Midwest or the low swamplands of the South.
breed that was imported to Spain
, then bred with Barb and Andalusian
stock to become the Iberian horse
s which were brought over to the Americas by the conquistador
s in the 16th century.
The American Indian Horse Registry, established in 1961, has created five categories in which to group the horse:
or peacock spotted leopard
.
It does not have small feet in comparison to the body structure, overly muscled/fat body style of the 'modern' horse breeds or overly straight legs.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
origin that has evolved to adapt to a particular environment within the United States, with or without breeding from humans. The title American Indian Horse does not refer to one specific breed; rather, it applies to any breed that has proved itself capable of withstanding a distinct ecotone, whether it be the high plains of the Midwest or the low swamplands of the South.
History
The diverse nature of the "American Indian horse" results in a range of historical origins. Its earliest origin is from the ArabianArabian horse
The Arabian or Arab horse is a breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest breeds, with archaeological evidence of horses...
breed that was imported to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, then bred with Barb and Andalusian
Andalusian horse
The Andalusian, also known as the Pure Spanish Horse or PRE , is a horse breed developed in the Iberian Peninsula. Its ancestors have been present on the Iberian Peninsula for thousands of years. The Andalusian has been recognized as an individual breed since the 15th century, and its conformation...
stock to become the Iberian horse
Iberian horse
The Iberian horse is a title given to a number of horse breeds native to the Iberian peninsula. At present, 17 horse breeds are recognized by FAO as characteristic of the Iberian Peninsula....
s which were brought over to the Americas by the conquistador
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
s in the 16th century.
The American Indian Horse Registry, established in 1961, has created five categories in which to group the horse:
- Class A are those with unknown pedigrees, such as Bureau of Land ManagementBureau of Land ManagementThe Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
horses - Class AA have at least a 50 percent traceable pedigree to distinct American IndianNative Americans in the United StatesNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribe horses - Class M horses have modern type breed blood, such as Quarter Horse and Appaloosa.
- Class O horses are those horses which follow a distinct bloodline that follows back to specific Indian tribes
- Class P is reserved for ponies of Indian type.
Breed characteristics
There is no single characteristic typical of this type, because the American Indian Horse Registry has not just one single breed or stock but is rather a group that has developed over time in the Americas from Spanish stock. At the most general, the American Indian Horse stands between 13 and 15 hands high and comes in any colour from solid to lilac roanRoan (horse)
Roan is a horse coat color pattern characterized by an even mixture of colored and white hairs on the body, while the head and "points"—lower legs, mane and tail—are more solid-colored. The roan pattern is dominantly-inherited, and is found in many horse breeds...
or peacock spotted leopard
Leopard complex
The leopard complex is a group of genetically-related coat patterns in horses. These patterns range from progressive increases in interspersed white hair similar to graying or roan to distinctive, Dalmatian-like leopard spots on a white coat. Secondary characteristics associated with the leopard...
.
It does not have small feet in comparison to the body structure, overly muscled/fat body style of the 'modern' horse breeds or overly straight legs.