USA - ANIMALS

THE APPALOOSA HORSE

The appaloosa is a breed of saddled horse from the North-West of the United States. The outstanding feature of these horses is to have very often a spotted coat.

The nose-pierced tribe, who used to breed these horses, lost most of them in 1877 and the breed declined for decades.

Since the mid-twentieth, numerous cross-breedings with horses, quarter horses and thoroughbreds have been made. Quarter horses and painted horses are allowed in three international competitions and western riding races.

In the United States, it was named the official state horse for Idaho in 1975.

This horse is also present in many popular works, especially movies.

The appaloosa is rooted in the many horses brought with settlers on the American continent. It is one of the first horses since we can find statements or representations of horses wearing this dress from prehistoric times to the Renaissance times but horses in colorful dress were unappreciated by Arabic and Spanish people according to specialists.

Oral tradition has it that the pierced-nose indians have discovered the horse in 1730 and acquired this newcomer in Shoshone lands, down south. They bought a full white mare and early after, huge herds thrived in an environment of fat pastures and canyons, supportive and protected. Horses multiplied along the valleys of the Snake River, the Palouse River and wide plains of Columba.

The Appaloosas were also selected for a particular shape, the Indians wanted a very comfortable seat to cover long distances, "horses for 100 miles a day."

Ranchers continue to breed these horses color but for their own use. In 1937, a historian and also a jumper, Francis Haines, published an article on the Appaloosa in a horse magazine. It was the beginning of an immense interest of readers and other articles followed with public support, six fans in search of the descendants of original Appaloosas created a studybook and are trying to save the breed. Nearly 5,000 horses are selected and declared at the origin of the new Appaloosa.

Chloé and Anna