06/25/07 American Quarter Horse

Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger, generation after generation we still strive to improve on the American Quarter Horse, I'm Jeff Keane and I'll return. Centuries prior to the conception on the AQHA early American colonials were dabbling with the quarter horse breed and perfecting the characteristics that are now the pillars, which the AQHA legacy rests upon, here's Becky. The American Quarter Horse is a half ton of quick controlled energy, held back on a light hair trigger, aimed and ready. Proud and alert, yet typically calm and reserved, they are built on a solid foundation of heavy foot and bone, still being athletic and agile. As early as the mid sixteen hundreds these multi purpose, mixed breeds that set the standard for AQHA horses were being bred and in high demand. Given the versatility of the quarter horse we ride today, I can see why early Americans sought out a functional breed that can do it all well. Yeah, this was a horse that could pull his weight working all week and still be eye catching and quick enough for the track on Sundays. The exact origin of the breed is unclear but like the people who settled into the new world, our American Quarter Horse evolved from a mixture of stock. With combinations of everything from drafts, thoroughbred, Arabians and Spanish Barbs it appears that the Quarter horse took the best of every source. Seems previous generations knew exactly what they were doing, providing the world with a remarkable, versatile breed that's been hard to improve on, I'm Jeff Keane.