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Rare Horse Breeds |
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Rare Horse Breeds |
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Have you ever heard of these breeds?
According to Bonset, Tennuvian breeders are trying to create a smoothly gaited pleasure mount with good feet like the Tennessee Walker's, but with a smaller body and more refined ear, like those of the Peruvian Paso.
The Tennuvian's gaits are similar to those of the Tennessee Walker, she say. "They're lateral, without much of the termino found in the Peruvian. But they are smoother than the Walker's gaits. She notes the Tennuvian possesses a unique gait, comparable to soft prancing, with longer strides than those seen in the Paso.
Tennuvians are great trail horses, especially suited to endurance. "Generally, they are graceful yet hard-working horses that have a pleasant disposition and eagerness to do what they are taught." The THRBA registers all colors including palomino, buckskin, and pinto. They range anywhere from 14 to 15 hands. The association currently has around 50 members with more than 100 registered horses throughout the country.
Brown and a number of other people have been crossing adopted wild Mustangs and Arabians for several years, and Brown founded the International Abstang Registry and Associatin in 1993 in an effort to gain acknowledgement for the new breed. Brown states the Abstang is an unmatchable trail horse, with endurance gleaned from teh Arabian and incredible fearlessness inherited from the Mustang. "You can ride them for a very long time," she says. "They are especially great in the mountains, and are very surefooted." She also says that both Abstangs and wild horses are known for their tendency to 'always take the most direct route.'
There are 1,500 horses registered in the IARA. Some are being shown in open shows in many different classes, and they make excellent jumpers. The association doesn't have any year-end awards yet, or specific breed shows, so the Abstang owners are limited to open competition.
All the registered Abstangs are the result of Mustang/Arabian crosses. There are no Abstang to Abstang matings as yet, and there seem to be little interest in creating any.
The registry was started in 1980, but the cross has been happening for more than a century. The registry was formed to collect, record, and preserve the pedigrees of Welara ponies, to publish a stud book, and to promote the breed. The Welara resembles a miniature coach horse with more refinement, a high tail carriage, an amicable gait , and arched neck. The breed's temperament is described as hardy, spirited, and versatile, and any color is accepted except that of the Appaloosa. The breed excels in light harness work, but is also used in hunting, jumping, English pleasure, and competitive trail riding.
The AWPS doesn't have a point award program yet, but it sponsors breed shows. Currently 1,023 Welara ponies are registered in this registry.
For more information on the Welara, visit:
The Walkaloosa is basically a gaited Appaloosa, according to Janet Franklin, registrar of the Walkaloosa Horse Association, formed in the 1980s. Though the name implies that the breed is a cross between an Appaloosa and a Tennessee Walker, it is in fact a cross between an Appaloosa and any gaited breed. You can breed a Paso Fino, Peruvian Paso, Missouri Fox Trotter, or a Saddlebred to an Appaloosa to get a Walkaloosa, but there are purebred Appaloosas out there that are already gaited.
The gait is called the Indian Shuffle, described as a stepping pace, and is something that the Nez Perce tribe that developed the Appaloosa supposedly bred for. "Walkaloosas -- Appaloosas with the Indian Shuffle -- have been around long before the Appaloosa Horse Club even was," says Franklin. "But with all the crossbreeding that has happened since then, the gait has almost been lost."
The WHA hopes to bring back the gaited Appaloosa and limits its registration to colored horses with an intermediate gait. Each horse registered must be inspected by a trainer or vet to certify that it's gaited.
Walkaloosa owners show their animals in open gaited shows, but don't have a point award program or breed-specific shows. The Appaloosa Horse Club-sanctioned shows disqualify horses with that gait, so to show Walkalooss is limited. They used to have year end open shows, but gave it up for lack of interest. Most of the Walkaloosas are simply back-yard horses.
You might think the cross would produce the temperament of a Quarter Horse with the beauty of the Arabian, but this isn't usually the case. "Oftentimes, you get the intelligence of the Arabian and the bulk of the Quarter Horse," says Wright. That's fine with the Quarab breeders because they are actually looking for more substance.
The Quarab stands from 14 to 16 hands, and is versatile, competing in roping, reining, dressage, trail riding, driving, endurance, and other events. UQR officials claim the Quarab is an excellent show horse and have a point award program, featuring 15 different categories, including halter, cow events, dressage, driving, and endurance.
The UQR strives to legitimize the Quarab and provide it with a foundation on which to build the breed, and the registration fees are less expensive than with the half-Arab group.
They have close to 750 members, with 487 solid Quarabs and 79 painted Quarabs registered in two separate indices, based on pedigrees. There are no breed-specific shows, but members are encouraged to enter open shows.
For more information on the Quarab, visit:
The Azteca Registry of America was formed in 1989, and its sister organization, the Azteca Horse Owners Association started in 1996. This latter group was started to help promote the breed.
The Azteca is incredibly athletic and the ideal ranch horse, but also excells at dressage, jumping, trail, and driving. Most are born black like their Andalusian and Lusitano relatives, later turning grey in color. They range in size from 15.2 to 16 hands.
Because Andalusians are rare in the US (around 3,500 individuals here), Aztecas are few and far between, so the registry doesn't offer award programs or breed-specific shows yet. Many Aztecas are dual registered as half-Andalusians and compete as such.
For more information on the Azteca see:
Do you know of any Rare Breed of Horses? Send info to Mary Ann or Eileen so we can get it into our newsletter.
For more information, visit:
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© 1997-2007
NW Breyer Horse Club & Refiner of Gold Creations Equinealities in place since 1997, Section in place 2001, Updated 3/13/2007 |
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