For centuries, Quarter Horses have been our trail and work partners. Careful breeding has produced a versatile, compact horse with an easygoing temperament and well-muscled conformation. Today, the American Quarter Horse Association organizes trail rides from coast-to-coast - and beyond.
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Breed evolution:
In the 1500s and 1600s,
Spanish explorers and English colonists brought Iberian Horses and English
Thoroughbreds to Central and North America. Early settlers needed sturdy working
stock to till their fields and pull their carriages. Through selective breeding,
a versatile, compact horse evolved — one with an easygoing temperament and
well-muscled conformation.
In their leisure time, the hardworking pioneers gathered with
their horses for quarter-mile races. The victors of these "quarter-mile horse"
trials became the preferred breeding stock, and their talents were passed on to
future generations of Quarter Horses.
Wagons drawn by Quarter Horses pushed westward across the
continent. On broad Quarter Horse backs, riders forged wilderness trails, scaled
the Sierra Nevadas, and came face-to-face with the Pacific Ocean. Quarter Horses
pulled plows over fields in the Midwest and drove cattle in the Southwest. For
centuries, American Quarter Horses have been our trail and work partners.
In 1940, the American Quarter Horse Association was formed to
preserve and record the breed’s bloodlines. Currently, there are more than three
million registered Quarter Horses worldwide, by far the most populous equine
breed.
The AQHA hosts more than 80 trail rides annually across the
country and overseas. The association offers several recreational riding
programs for trail riders that award prizes and national recognition, including
programs for members who own or ride other breeds and want to share in the fun
of AQHA rides.
If you’re in the market for a Quarter Horse, look for one that has good foot and bone structure to help your future mount stay sound after many hours in the saddle.
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Owners tell us: As trail horses, Joe Wood Jr. of the Wood Ranch in Heber Springs,
Arkansas, says Quarter Horses stand out, because of their breeding and
experience crossing most any terrain.
The Woods’ horses are turned out in hilly pastures where they
quickly learn to cross creeks, climb hills, and walk on rough terrain. "Their
disposition is absolutely wonderful — they have a huge heart with the
willingness to do anything that you ask of them," Wood says. "Their smooth gait
and ride allow you to sit many hours in the saddle. They are very surefooted,
which allows you to ride rough terrain without worrying about their ability to
keep you safe."
Wood was raised to love and promote Quarter Horses. His family
first registered with the AQHA in 1968 and depends on the horses for ranch work,
as well as showing and leisurely trail rides around their vast, hilly acreage.
Today, the Woods devote family time to horse time. Multiple
generations are involved with daily planning, work and ranch chores, making
their horse business possible. The family stands five Quarter Horse stallions to
their own broodmares and has nearly 350 horses.
On the trail: Wood rides his favorite ranch-raised horse, WR Smooth Whiskey, through
winding and steep trails, across creeks, and over fallen branches each week
during their designated time together.
"We have many areas to trail ride that includes mountains, flat
lands, river lands, and timber areas," Wood says. "This varied experience is
beneficial in breaking and gentling young horses and is great to keep my
favorite horses alert. As soon as we can, we take all of our 2-year-olds out of
the round pen and onto the many trails around our ranch. It helps them learn to
step anywhere and makes them great horses for future trail riders."
Carole Smith and her Quarter Horse, Button, hit the trails a
little farther west at the WYO Quarter Horse Ranch in Thermopolis, Wyoming,
where her family and friends organize a large annual Quarter Horse sale.
Smith says Quarter Horses’ disposition and dependability make them
wonderful trail mounts and make it easy to enjoy the ride. She and her husband,
Bill, trail ride around Wyoming throughout the year and travel to the Beartooth
Mountains in Montana each August. Born and raised on a working ranch, the
Smiths’ 105 horses confidently travel on any terrain.
"We take many horses to the mountains each year, not only for our
enjoyment, but as a training for the geldings we sell each May and September,"
says Smith. "We know that many of our clients are trail riders, and we want our
horses to experience all that they can before they’re sold."
Selection savvy: Wood says to "ride the prospective horse and see how you get along. The
horse needs to be gentle and willing to do what you ask and travel with a smooth
walk, trot, and canter."
Smith recommends looking for a horse that has good foot and bone
structure to help your future mount stay sound after many hours in the
saddle.
Stumble It!
