Appy's, color, and endurance

[Samm C Bartee <bartesc@mail.auburn.edu>]

I have Appaloosa's and I raise a few now and then.  My older mare is
traced on one line back to Guy Lamb, he was a  Nez Perce Indian.  He
raised these horses, for color.  

Appy's that are born solid can produce color when bred to solid colored
non-Appy's. The ApHC frowns on outcrossing solids and if you wish  to have
papers on the  resulting foal, you  have to breed solids to regular
papered Appys.  HOwever, a solid Appy is indeed an Appy.  Same appytude,
same everything, just no spots.  

I think, depending on the way the horse
is bred, that Appy's can be very good endurance horses. Of course, they
can fail miserably. I have had both. 

I cross my Appy mare with good Arabian stallions, trying to get that
phenotype back from long ago.  BEFORE QH's were so bulldogish.  Before the
show judges wanted to see huge bodies and little feet, QH's were awesome
working machines, many today still are. Same with  Appy's. ITs harder to
find them now, but they still do  exist.  The Colorado Ranger Horse that
Vicki spoke about is a great using horse. My Appy's are also bloodline
registered CRHA's.   
So far, my  oldest Ara-Appy is doing pretty good in endurance. Her 1/2
sister will be old enough to start some LD this coming spring and I can't
wait to see how she does.  A family with 4 kids has a 1/2 brother that I
bred and those kids have been riding that boy all over creation for a
couple of years now.  I wish  they would sell him back to  me!!   My
youngest colt is not quite a year.  He has great conformation and that
appytude that I love.  I can't wait to see how he continues to grow.
Hopefully, he will be a good endurance prospect too.  

Mainly, no matter what breed you like, you  have to look for the
individual.  I want a horse that I can ride, something I can bond with for
miles and miles and hours and  hours. Personally, I don't care if that
happened to be a stick horse so long as I feel bonded with him!!  

Appy Trails,


samm --and the spotted (roan really) gang in AL