Ambling Horses in the American Colonies

Dr Deb Bennett just published another wonderful article on breed origination. September's issue of Equus Magazine includes her article "Horses of the American Colonies." Because of the lack of good roads, most of the horses in the colonies in the early 1600s were short, round bodied, muscular amblers. Using Hobbies, or small gaited horses from England/Ireland mixed in with some other breeds, Captain Hull in Rhode Island started breeding Narragansettl Pacers in the late 1600s, the first American breed. These horses were sold to the American south and exported to the Indies and other areas for plantation use. 

Dr. Bennett goes on to explain how the founding strain of imported horses led to the development of later American breeds. "All the riding horse breeds with roots in the original 13 colonies--including the Morgan, American Standardbred, Tennessee Walking Horse and the American Quarter Horse--descend from four strains first imported from Europe during the 17th century These were the English-Irish Hobby, the Breton-Canadian, the Scottish Garron and the Dutch (Flenish) "Hartdraaver." Dr. Bennett goes on to explain that Hartdraaver is a period name for the Friesian. English Thoroughbreds did not come into the mix until after the revolutionary war.

Note Hobbies, which no longer exist, looked like the contemporary Kerry Bog or Icelandic horse. I am endlessly amused visualizing Paul Revere tolting an Icelandic-looking horse, a chestnut with flaxen mane and tail of course, on his Midnight Ride through Massachuchetts--which may be more historically accurate than a trot or gallop.