Nez Perce Appaloosas

[Kris Hazelbaker <shajarah@cybrquest.com>]

Thought I'd chime in here, since I live almost on the Nez Perce Indian
Reservation.  A couple of different thoughts come to mind.
Someone was asking about the current breeding program, crossing with
Akhal Tekes.  One man really started the breeding program, and somehow,
in his research and reading he came to the conclusion that some of the
Arabs that were used to start the Thoroughbred breed were actually Akhal
Tekes, and that some of the early Spanish horses in this country were
Akhal Teke descendents.  So his theory is that the early Appaloosas
actually has Akhal Teke lines to start with.
I've seen a lot of old pictures of Nez Perce horses, taken before the
Nez Perce War.  I have yet to see one that had spots.  Though I will
hasten to add, that they probably did exist.  But not all of the Indian
horses were spotted.  The former superintendent of the Nez Perce
National Historic Park did say though, that the tribe did indeed breed
for tough, good looking horses, but not necessarily for color.
And one of the reasons that I believe they did exist, besides the
tradition, is that there is this old guy who lives near here who has had
horses for ages.  And he claims that some of them are descended from the
original Nez Perce horses that his grandfather bought when the cavalry
disbanded them.  At least some of them are spotted Appaloosas.  He's
crossed them extensively with Tennessee Walkers and Standardbreds (he
used to race Standardbreds), so they aren't the pure old lines any
more.  Who knows what all is in there.  Pretty tough horses though.  I
know of one of his lines that has been used in endurance riding.

Kris Hazelbaker
Grangeville, ID