Appaloosa history ApHC Appaloosa Stud Book Robert Peckinpah Eastowest
quotes from the appaloosa studbooks
"Specifically, what was this "heritage" that the Northwest horsemen speak of, that today gives the Appaloosa the deserved title of the ideal rough country stock horse?
"...Their locale, a rugged, canyon scarred vastness, a broad, mountainous expanse, the very heart of the northwestern plateau.
"The Nez Perces... covered a great expanse of territory year after year, generation after generation. The war horse of the Palouse country became the buffalo hunter par excellence. For more than a century they were trained to follow the stampeding buffalo, enter the plunging herd, and place the hunter close to his selected vicim. This requires a tougher, speedier, gamer horse than handling cattle on most western ranges...
"Irrespective of breed, all tried and true working light horses have a certain basic conformation. This fundamental soundness should always be distinguished from type; the latter being more like size and build and outward dressing...
"Because the Appaloosa was developed in rough country we recognize that he has an excellent saddle back, with adequate withers. The rugged country background made him fairly narrow between the front legs, yet deep in the heart girth. Because he has continually seen service in the land of rocks and windfalls, he has to be free moving and have sufficient height. We appreciate that an adequacy in the pasterns makes him easy riding. Experience and time have proven that the physical and structural attributes which have made the Appaloosa a superior rough country stock horse, in no way hampers or restricts them for other uses. The converse, however, is not necessarily true. For example, the physical features of an exaggerated bulldog type horse-- extreme width in front, low withers, insufficient leg length, lack of wind, etc.-- does not allow him to work efficiently in steep country.
"Appaloosa type is of itself something many people become excited about at various times. In the first place, as breeders, we must recognize that all the type in the world will not remedy or cure an animal with a foot on backwards. Although we have a type standard set, we must also appreciate the fact that there will always be a variance depending on locale and use...
"What we must vigilantly guard against are those that refuse to accept the Appaloosa as a breed, and what he stands for, and who continually exert pressure in an attempt to convert him into a Quarter Horse, an Arab, or a Morgan, etc., with spots."
Robert L. Peckinpah, Appaloosa Stud Book Volume 3.
