Today’s Horse Facts: The Kiger Mustang

31 May 2012 Leave a Comment

by Marsha Hubler in Horse Facts About Breeds, Just Horse Facts Chat Tags: , , ,

Today’s Horse Facts: The Kiger Mustang

Beautiful Trained Kiger Mustang

 

Did you know that there are at least four different substrains, or sub-breeds, of the breed known as Mustang? Today we’re going to look at one of those four sub-breeds, the Kiger Mustang. The other sub-breed names are: the Spanish Mustang, the Pryor Mountain Mustang, and the Dokota Mustang. Let’s take our 10-question quiz, and see how much you know about this unique horse of America:

  1. The Kiger Mustang is closely related to the Spanish horses brought to the USA in the 17th Century by the Conquistadors.
  2. The Bureau of Land Management discovered the Kiger Mustangs in 1971(One Internet reference says 1977) and decided to separate them into their own herd.
  3. Kigers are named after a man in Montana who discovered their unique breed.
  4. Kigers are feral, which means they are wild.
  5. Kigers are usually roan or sorrel in their base color.
  6. They have a wildness about them that can’t be tamed.
  7. The Kiger Mesteno Association has only 250 Kiger Mustangs registered.
  8. Some Kiger Mustangs are “gaited” horses.
  9. In the original “separation” of Kiger Mustangs from other Mustangs, ten Kigers were moved to the Kiger region ofOregon.
  10. A “dun” colored horse has to have a dark stripe running down its back from its mane to its tail.

 

 

Kiger Mustang and Baby

 

 Let me know if you got at least eight of these questions correct. If so, then you are a Kiger Mustang expert! Here are the answers:

  1.  T
  2.  T
  3.  F  They’re named after the Kiger region inOregon.
  4.  T
  5.  F  They are usually a shade of dun with a variety of other markings like black mane, tail, and legs.
  6.  F  Kigers are calm in nature and can be trained for all kinds of riding.
  7.  F  The Kiger Mesteno Association has over 800 Kiger Mustangs registered.
  8.  T
  9. F  Twenty Mustangs were moved to the Kiger region of Oregon.

10. T

If you want to learn more about this beautiful wild horse fromOregon, look up these other websites to check on additional facts:

http://www.kigerbrandinc.com/content/history.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiger_Mustang

http://www.kigermustangs.org/reg/index.php

Next time, we’ll take a look at one of the most unique breeds of horses in the world, the Marwari.

Happy riding!

Marsha

www.marshahubler.com

 

 

Today’s Horse Facts: The Clydesdale

17 May 2012 1 Comment

by Marsha Hubler in Horse Facts About Breeds, Just Horse Facts Chat, Pulling Horse Facts Tags: , ,

Today’s Horse Facts: The Clydesdale

Bay Clydesdale with One Black “Feather”

 

Whenever I think of the Clydesdale breed, I think of either big strong circus horses or muscular steeds that pull heavy wagons. One thing is for sure, no matter what Clydesdales do for their day job, they all have the same look about them: big thick necks, muscular round rumps, and “feathers” on their four feet.

Have you ever touched a Clydesdale? Have you ever ridden one? Clydesdales are usually that huge, they are too big to ride with a saddle. But some brave riders will attempt to straddle a Clydesdale bareback. Ouchy! But these horses are … well, I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s take our 10-question quiz, and see how much you know about this beautiful breed of draft (draught) horses:

  1. The Clydesdale originated through Flemish stallions in Clydesdale, Scotland.
  2. The breed goes as far back as the late 1400s.
  3. A popular use for this breed in the past was war horses.
  4. Clydesdales’ height ranges from 14 hands up.
  5. They can weigh as much as a ton or more.
  6. Clydesdales can be all white.
  7. A distinguishing mark of a registered Clydesdale is his “striped” hooves.
  8. A nickname for Clydesdales is “gypsy horses.”
  9. The breed almost became extinct all over the world by the 1950s.
  10. The Clydesdale has been an important part of the development of the Gypsy Vanner breed.

 Let me know if you got at least eight of these questions correct. If so, then you are a Clydesdale expert! Here are the answers:

  1.  T
  2.  F  It originated in the 1700s.
  3.  T
  4.  F  They range from 16 hands and higher.
  5.  T
  6.  F  They are usually black, bay, brown, or chestnut with white, sometimes black, feathers.
  7.  T
  8.  T
  9.  F  It was only in England that the breed almost became extinct. In the 1970s, British horse lovers started to preserve the breed and now it flourishes in that country. Other countries, like Australia, have successfully bred thousands of Clydesdales over many years.

10.   T 

Clydesdale Mare and Foal

 

If you want to learn more about this beautiful breed of draft horses, look up these other websites to check on additional facts:

http://www.horses-and-horse-information.com/articles/clydesdale-horses.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clydesdale_horse

http://www.clydesdalehorsesociety.com/breed_history.html

 Next time, we’ll take a ride to visit some Kiger Mustangs. But, you say, you already did Mustangs last November! Well, Kiger Mustangs are a special kind of Mustang, so we’ll take a look at that unique breed due to a personal request by one of our horse loving readers.

Happy riding!

Marsha

www.marshahubler.com

Today’s Horse Facts: The Lipizzaner

04 May 2012 1 Comment

by Marsha Hubler in Horse Facts About Breeds, Horse Facts Books, Just Horse Facts Chat, Training Horse Facts Tags: , , , ,

Today’s Horse Facts: The Lipizzaner

Gorgeous Lipizzaner in Dressage

I doubt whether any of us have ever touched a Lipizzan horse, let alone ride one. This breed is most known as an expensive, world renowned show horse that is trained in Austria to perform “ballets.”

When I was a child, my mother bought me probably my most favorite horse book of all times, Marguerite Henry’s Album of Horses, first published in 1951. On page 66 through to page 69, Ms. Henry describes the Lipizzan horse. An absolutely gorgeous painting on page 67 by Wesley Dennis shows a Lipizzan performing the capriole, one of the “ballet movements” these beautiful animals are trained to do. As I read about the Lipizzans again and again, I would picture myself sitting in the saddle, dreaming of riding one of these fantastic white steeds. As a child then and as an adult now, I’m still dreaming and always will, for the riders of the Spanish Riding School Lipizzans are a chosen lot and are an exclusive group of which us average folk will never be included.

So let’s have our T/F quiz and see exactly how much you know about the world famous Lipizzaners. Here we go:

1. The Lipizzaner has its roots in Carthage from 2000 years back.

2. The “Lipizzaner” breed actually got its name in the late 1500s when Maximilian II, emperor of Austria, crossed Arabians and Spanish mares with Andalusian blood.

3. The word “Lipizzan” comes from the town of Lipizza near the Adriatic Sea, where the first Lipizzans were foaled.

4. All Lipizzans must be “white.”

5. Grey Lipizzan foals are always born dark and turn lighter when they’re older.

6. Lipizzans are usually between 14.2 hands and 16.1 hands.

7. You have to go to Austria to buy a Lipizzan.

8. The world famous Spanish Riding School horses that perform all over the world are really trained in Austria.

9. Only six-year-old Lipizzan stallions are trained at the Spanish Riding School.

10. One of the beautiful ballet movements is called the “piaffe,” when the Lipizzan prances in place.

Let me know if you got at least eight of these questions correct. If so, then you are a Lipizzan expert! Here are the answers:

1. T

2. T

3. T

4. F  This is false for two reasons. Lipizzans come in different colors of brown and black, and the “white” ones aren’t really considered “white.” They are grey.

5. T

6. T

7. F  There are Lipizzan breeders all over the world; however, there are only about 3000 registered Lipizzans.

8. T

9. F  Lipizzan stallions can start their training at the Spanish Riding School when they are four years old.

10. T

Lipizzaner Performing the Levade

So how much do you know about the dazzling white Lipizzaners? If you want to learn more, look up these other websites to check on additional facts about the beautiful breed:

http://www.lipizzaner.com/home.asp

http://www.uslipizzan.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipizzan

Next time, we’ll take a ride to visit some Clydesdales.

Happy riding!

Marsha

www.marshahubler.com

Today’s Horse Facts: The Appaloosa

19 Apr 2012 1 Comment

by Marsha Hubler in Horse Facts About Breeds, Just Horse Facts Chat Tags: , ,

Today’s Horse Facts: The Appaloosa

Do you want a flashy horse that will turn every eye your way every time you trot by? Then you want an Appaloosa. One time I owned a strawberry roan that ALMOST could have been an Appaloosa, but her spots were way too big and blotchy so we had to call her a Pinto! Isn’t that a riot? If you know your horses, then you know that … well, let’s see exactly how much you do know about this splashy, head turning horse breed. Here we go with our T/F quiz:

  1. The name “Appaloosa” came from the word “palousey” back in colonial times.
  2. The Iroquois Indians bred the first Apps.
  3. The Appaloosa breed registry was formed in the USA in 1938.
  4. An App must have a blanket that covers its rump or its entire body.
  5. A registered App must have striped hooves, a white outer coat (sclera) around its eyeballs, and black lips.
  6. A registered App can be crossbred only with Arabians, American Quarter Horses, and Morgans.
  7. Because of their stocky build, Apps are shown only in western classes.
  8. There are five basic coat patterns: leopard, snowflake, marble, frost, and raindrop.
  9. Registered Apps must be at least 14.2 hands.
  10. All App foals are born black.

Let me know if you got at least eight of these questions correct. If so, then you are an Appaloosa expert! Here are the answers:

  1.  T
  2.  F  The Nez Perce Indians, who lived in what is now Idaho and Washington, bred the Apps first.
  3.  T
  4.  T
  5.  F   A registered App must have striped hooves, a white outer sclera around its eyes, and spotted skin around the eyes and lips.
  6.  F   Registered Apps can only be crossbred with Arabians, AQ Horses, and Thoroughbreds.
  7.  F  They’re shown in English classes too.
  8. F  The five coat patterns are leopard, snowflake, marble, frost, and blanket.
  9. T
  10. F  Foals can have color but their coats usually get more intense as they get older.

    

Well, do you know your horse facts about the Appaloosa? If you want to learn more, look up these other websites for you to check up on additional facts about the beautiful breed:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appaloosa

http://www.appaloosa.com/

https://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=appaloosa+horse+pictures&revid=13961035&sa=X&ei=TweKT4fUDeiw2wXKu5jECQ&ved=0CCgQ1QIoBDgK&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=ca6c8ac50bfa60d6&biw=1366&bih=651

Next time, we’ll take a ride to Austria to visit the Lipizzan.

Happy riding!

Marsha

www.marshahubler.com

 

 

Today’s Horse Facts: The American Quarter Horse

05 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment

by Marsha Hubler in Horse Facts About Breeds, Just Horse Facts Chat, Riding Horse Facts Tags: , ,

Today’s Horse Facts: The American Quarter Horse

Young QH Stud

If you talk to anyone, horse lover or not, the person probably knows the name “American Quarter Horse,” one of the most popular horse breeds in the world. But I doubt whether the person would know why the breed is called that or where or when the horse got its name. Do you? Let’s see how you do in today’s T/F quiz:

  1. The Quarter Horse originated in colonial America as early as the 1800s.
  2. He was a cross between Chickasaw ponies called Spanish Barbs and the colonists tough work horses.
  3. The Quarter Horse is so named because he’s the fastest running horse for a quarter of a mile.
  4. Racing Quarter Horses in the Wild West was a very popular pastime.
  5. Quarter Horses are often called “Steel Dusts,” originating from one of the early prototype horses named Steel Dust in the mid-1800s.
  6. The Quarter Horse is a tall lanky horse.
  7. Quarter Horses are usually solid colors.
  8. It wasn’t until 1960 that the American Quarter Horse Association registry was formed to preserve the breed.
  9. This breed has a broad head and little “fox ears.”
  10. The trot and canter are very smooth gaits with Quarter Horses.

Coke: One of my Quarter Horses
(Note the little fox ears)

Let me know if you got at least eight of these questions correct. If so, then you are an American Quarter Horse expert! Here are the answers:

  1.  F  They originated in colonial America as early as the 1600s.
  2.  T
  3.  T
  4.  T
  5.  T
  6.  F   This horse is short and stocky with a solid round rump
  7.  F   Sorrel is the predominant color, but a QH can be any of 17 different colors or combination of colors.
  8.  F   The AQHA registry started around 1940.
  9.  T
  10.  T

Well, do you know your horse facts about Quarter Horses? If you want to learn more, look up these other websites for you to check up on additional facts about the beautiful Quarter Horse breed:

http://www.aqha.com

http://www.aqha.com/museum

http://www.aqha.com/foundation.aspx

http://www.horses-and-horse-information.com

Next time, we’ll take a ride to visit the splashy Appaloosa.

Happy riding!

Marsha

http://www.marshahubler.com

Today’s Horse Facts: The Tennessee Walking Horse

22 Mar 2012 2 Comments

by Marsha Hubler in Horse Facts About Breeds, Just Horse Facts Chat, Riding Horse Facts Tags: , ,

Today’s Horse Facts: The Tennessee Walking Horse

 

Tennessee Walking Horse

Of the few various breeds of horses I’ve owned, the Tennessee Walker is by far my most favorite horse of all time.

“Why?” you ask. What’s so special about the Tennessee Walker?

Well, let me ask you a question. Have you ever ridden a Tennessee Walking Horse? If not, then you’re missing out on one of the smoothest rides you’ll ever have.

Let’s ride right into our 10-question T/F quiz and see how much you really do know about this fantastic breed:

  1. The Tennessee Walker has its roots in Tennessee as far back as the 1880s.
  2. The first “Walker” was a half Standardbred and half Morgan named Black Allan.
  3. Black Allan was the first “Walker” to refuse to trot but rather wanted to “walk fast.”
  4. This breed comes in all colors and any combination of colors.
  5. This horse’s height usually is between 15 hands and 17 hands.
  6. Because of its smooth gait, this breed is often called the “rocking horse.”
  7. The Walker is a winner in both English and Western riding classes.
  8. The Walker has three motions: the walk, the running walk, and the canter.
  9. Since 1947, a Walker has to have both parents registered as Walkers to become registered itself with the Tennessee Walker registry.
  10. “Soring” is a horrible practice that needs to be outlawed where cruel horse owners apply acids, abrasive substances, nails, or other objects to the feet of the horse to make him high step

Ginger, One of my Tenn. Walkers

Answers:

  1.  T
  2.  T
  3.  T
  4.  T
  5.  T
  6.  T
  7.  T
  8.  T
  9.  T
  10.  T

Yep, in case you didn’t notice, all the answers are true in this blog. If you got seven or more correct, then you really know your stuff about Tennessee Walkers. And I’ll make a safe bet that if you ever rode one, you couldn’t believe how smooth the ride was.

If you want to learn more about this special breed, check out more information at these websites:

http://www.twhbea.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_Walker

Next time we’ll take a look at probably the most well-known breed of horse, the American Quarter Horse.

Happy riding!

Today’s Horse Facts: The Icelandic Horse

08 Mar 2012 1 Comment

by Marsha Hubler in Horse Facts About Breeds, Just Horse Facts Chat, Pulling Horse Facts, Riding Horse Facts Tags: , ,

Today’s Horse Facts: The Icelandic Horse

 

Adorable Brown Icelandic Horse

If you as a true blue horse lover want a rough and ready type horse that will take you through the blizzards of the north or the rustic back woods of any countryside, then you need to go find yourself an Icelandic Horse.

An Icelandic Horse? What in the world is an Icelandic Horse?

Obviously, it has to be a horse from Iceland, right?

Well, you’re partially right. This amazing little horse has some of its roots in Iceland; however, it has become popular all over the world, not just in Iceland. Now, let’s take our T/F quiz and see how much you know about this unusual breed:

  1. The Icelandic Horse is one of the newest equine breeds in the world.
  2. The Vikings migrated the Icelandic Horse to Iceland around 500 BC.
  3.  The Icelandic Horse is considered a pony.
  4.  This breed is ideal for children.
  5.  This horse comes only in dark browns and blacks.
  6. This horse starts at 13 hands and larger.
  7. Because of the harsh conditions in which they live, these horses only live about fifteen years.
  8. Because of its stocky build, this horse has a bumpy trot like a pony.
  9. This breed is popular in the United States with thousands and thousands of registries.
  10. An “Icelandic Horse” saddle resembles a western saddle.

Handsome White Icelandic Horse

Answers:

  1.  F  There are records about them from as early as 1000 years back.
  2.  F   The Vikings brought this horse to Iceland between 860 and 935 AD.
  3.  F  The Icelandic Horse is just that, a small but mighty horse.
  4.  F   This breed is too high spirited for children.
  5.  F   It comes in any color or combination of colors.
  6.  F   It can’t be larger than 13.1 hands.
  7. F   They have a long life expectancy, two of the oldest being recorded at 42 and 56 years old.
  8. F    This breed has a smooth four-beated gait called a “tolt.”
  9. F    It is considered a rare breed in the U.S. with only about 2000 registries.
  10. F    An “Icelandic Horse” saddle is very similar to an English saddle or a dressage saddle; however, the seat and girth sit further back on the horse.

Yep, in case you didn’t notice, all the answers are false. Now come on, admit that you didn’t know all these facts about the amazing little Icelandic Horse. It would be a thrill to see one, pet one, and ride one, wouldn’t it?

Let’s have three cheers for this little tough guy, the Icelandic Horse. If you want to learn more about this special breed, check out more information at these websites:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2252439_ride-icelandic-horse.html

http://horsebreedslist.com/horse-breeds/70/icelandic-horse

Next time we’ll take a ride on one of my favorite breeds, the Tennessee Walker.

Happy riding!

Marsha

www.marshahubler.com

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