Guests and employees at Arabian Nights often remark on how beautiful and talented the horses in our show are, so our featured breed this week is the American Quarter Horse.
Originally bred for sprinting short distances of a quarter mile or less, the American Quarter Horse is a popular and versatile breed that is an excellent fit for the Arabian Nights show.
Buster in the Square Dance Act
In the 1600s, American colonists on the eastern seaboard began crossing imported English horses with “native” horses that were actually descendents of Spanish, Arabian and Barb stock brought to America by the Conquistadors. This crossbreeding led to the creation of the American Quarter Horse breed, but it didn’t stop there. These crosses were later improved for racing through more crossbreeding with Thoroughbred racehorses, and for ranching through crossbreeding with Native American horses and Mustangs.
The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) was founded in 1940 by a group of horsemen and ranchers from the southwestern United States. The group is dedicated to preserving the pedigree of their ranch horses. The American Quarter Horse is the most popular breed in the United States, and with over 3.2 million registered worldwide it’s also the largest breed society in the world.
Commonly believed to be the world’s fastest breed of horse over short distances, the American Quarter Horse has been clocked at 55 mph! Today, the American Quarter Horse is well known both as a racehorse and for its performance in rodeos and horse shows. The compact body of the Quarter Horse is the key to the breed’s ability to excel in roping, reining, cutting and other western-style events where speedy maneuvers are required. A versatile horse, the Quarter Horse is also featured in English disciplines and driving.
Quarter Horses are recognized by their stocky build, compact head with well-defined jaw, and their well-muscled appearance. They can come in a number of different colors including gray, chestnut, bay, palomino (gold with a cream mane and tail), and buckskin (gold with black points and a dorsal stripe).
Inca in the Native American Act
In the Arabian Nights show, the American Quarter Horse is most notably featured in the Native American Tribute Act, where the discipline of Reining is displayed. Our Quarter Horses are also seen doing Dressage and Western riding in the show (we told you they were versatile!). Now that you know about American Quarter Horses you can come to Arabian Nights for a show and see if you can spot Buster and Inca during the show!
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