Re: Arab or TWH

["Susan Swope" <nagzarus@prodigy.net>]

I must burst Paul's bubble..... General Lee was mounted on a Saddlebred by
the name of "Traveller."  Saddlebred's have a rich history in the early
foundation of this country.  The America Horse, as the early stock was
called, was first mentioned in government correspondence in 1776.  During
the Revolutionary War, members of the breed, were the favored mount for the
American Cavalry.  Also true of the War of 1812 and by the Mexican war of
1846 the breed was firmly established and entire companies were mounted on
them.  They were chosen for their temperament, substance and yes, endurance.

As to the Civil War, in addition to General's Lee's American Saddlebred
"Traveller," the following General's were mounted on the following
Saddlebred's:

Grant on "Cincinnati", Sherman on "Lexington" and Stonewall Jackson on
"Little Sorrell."  The confederate commands of Generals John Hunt Morgan and
Nathan Bedford Forrest were also mounted on Saddlebreds.  The feats of
endurance they asked of those particular horses would make us all cringe.
During the Spanish-American war of 1898, General John B. Castleman, who had
been a military officer under Morgan's command in the Civil War, naturally
rode an American Saddlebred.  In 1891 he had become the founder and first
president of the breed registry, now known as the American Saddlebred Horse
Association and won the five-gaited grand championship in Chicago on a mare
called "Emily" in 1893.  He also founded the famous "Louisville" horse show
now referred to as The World's Championship Horse Show.

I have both a Saddlebred and an Arabian I've done rides successfully on
both.  I suppose the Arabian breed does have the better track record but
perhaps that is because of the misconception by both owners and breeders of
the modern Saddlebred that they belong in the show ring, and no where else.
There is no doubt in my mind that there are Saddlebred individuals who will
excel in the sport of endurance, and perhaps better than any other
"non-Arabian" breed.  Saddlebred enthusiasts of today, at least in this part
of the country, tend to be purists who don't have a clue that their little
breed can do anything outside of the show ring.  Here in Kentucky, the heart
of the American Saddlebred and the state in which the breed was developed,
Saddlebred people look at folks like Jerrald and I, who venture out into
unknown territory with "their" breed, with mixed emotions and downright
suspicion!  They haven't a clue as to whether to be proud of us or shun us!
How dare we take these "Peacock's of the Show Ring" and have them climb
mountains and cross streams!!!!!!!

Anyway, just thought I'd clear up any misconceptions as to the Saddlebred's
history as a war horse.

Susan Swope-Attardi
AERC Southeast Region
Kentucky
-----Original Message-----
From: Lif Strand <fasterhorses@gilanet.com>
To: Thiessej@aol.com <Thiessej@aol.com>; AERC <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Date: Tuesday, April 13, 1999 8:32 AM
Subject: RC: Arab or TWH


>Jerald - as I said in my last post, I have owned a TWH.  She was a
>pleasure to ride.  I have ridden Saddlebred/Arab crosses, some long
>distance (not racing).  I am not judging all gaited horses by just one
>or two, nor do I base my "prejudice" towards using Arabians for
>endurance on the performance of one or two gaited horses.  I base it on
>statistics.  Lots of people have used other breeds for endurance -
>Arabians weren't the breed used at the start of the sport.  Over the
>years, the other breeds have regularly not done as well as Arabians and
>it seems kind of unrealistic to imagine that some sort of "breed
>prejudice" is why this is.  Either other breeds have better vet check
>indicators and can do the miles or not.  Remember, an endurance RACE is
>not the same as going a long distance on a horse.  I find it very hard
>to believe that endurance riders are choosing to ride Arabians instead
>of gaited horses if they could be doing better on gaited horses more
>regularly than on Arabians!  As I said above, I don't judge a breed of
>horse by what an individual can accomplish.  I judge the BREED by what
>many individuals do.
>
>You wrote:  "They [Arabians] need a lot more slow conditioning to build
>up their legs to do a 50 mile ride than a gaited breed. "  I would be
>grateful if you could let me know what your source for that information
>is.
>
>Paul reminds me that Robert E Lee rode an Arabian.
>
>
>--
>                                    ____________
>Lif & Paul Strand   STRAND ENTERPRISES   http://www.fasterhorses.com
>          Arabian Horses (looking for new homes!)
>         Nutrition for People & Critters * WebArt
>                     Quemado, NM  USA
>
>
>
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