Re: Appaloosas...and a question

["S. Brown" <sbrown@wamedes.com>]

>You might consider the fact that the horses brought over by the Spaniards
>were of the Moorish or Barb descent! These horses included some with the
>blanket and spots.
>
>Fast forward to the Barbs and Spanish Mustangs being bred today with very
>little outside influence and you will find the occasional blanket with
>spots.

Twelve years ago I bred my old style Appy mare to an Appy stallion who had
a very high number (high on the list) in the Colorado Range Bred registry.
What I got was a horse that, in all of that time, *no one* has ever
successfully guessed as an Appy.  She looks as if someone crossed Barb and
Mustang with a bit of Morgan (which is what people guess her as.)  She's a
black bay with black feet like rocks...has never lost a shoe (even in the
Washington suck-mud) or chipped a hoof...long wavy forelock, mane, and
tail...and ZERO Appy characteristics.  A white star is the total extent of
her coloring.  I plan on breeding her some time in the future to an Arab
since she's an absolutely wonderful schooling horse for timid riders and
has very nice conformation.  She's loaded on both sides of the family tree
with black leopards so the chance of getting lots of color is in there also.

We started her this year with more serious trail work and endurance
conditioning.  I had no idea how she would do since, two years ago when I
pulled her out of the pasture to be trained as a schooling horse, she was
fat, furry, stiff, and out of shape.  She has been quite surprising in her
abilities -- sure footed, calm, low pulse, powerful muscles, and a trot
that is *very* smooth...feels as if she could go on forever.  Her down side
is that she has a slow walk.  We've been working on it this year and we see
definite improvement, but it's been a struggle.  She would much rather trot!

How much emphasis should I place on improving her walk?  She has a very
strong, wide back and a very smooth, rolling type of trot so it's not hard
for the human aboard to ride it for a considerable amount of time.  But her
walk frustrates the bejeebers out of us!

Sue
Blue, Blaze, Sherry, and Darby (who will once again spend the day in the
arena thanks to the latest dose of Washington winter rolling in! :-p)  


sbrown@wamedes.com
Tyee Farm
Marysville, Wa.