THE SADDLEBRED IN AMERICA
SO APTLY PROVEN IN WAR, THE SADDLEBRED RETURNED HOME TO DEMONSTRATE ITS STRENGTHS FOR USE IN SPORT, PLEASURE, AND WORKADAY WORLD ACTIVITIES. THE HALLMARKS OF THE BREED --- ITS EASY RIDE AND REGAL LOOKS --- WERE PERFECT FOR THE HORSE-CENTRIC CULTURE OF THE TIMES.
TODAY ONE CAN HARDLY IMAGINE THE CITYSCAPE OF PRE-AUTOMOBILE AMERICA IN THE LATE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY. HORSES WERE EVERYWHERE: UNDER SADDLE, PULLING CARTS AND BUGGIES, HAULING WAGONS AND VANS (SOME CARRYING OTHER HORSES), AND GUIDING STREETCARS, OMNIBUSES, AND COACHES. IT WAS A HORSE LOVER'S PARADISE (AND SANITATION AND OLFACTORY NIGHTMARE) IN THAT EACH MODE OF TRANSPORTATION HAS A BREED DEVELOPED SPECIFIC TO ITS NEEDS. HEAVY LOADS ARE THE CHARGE OF THAT HAPLESS BELGIAN OR MULTIPLE PAIRS OF MULES, AS IN THE FAMED 20-MULE TEAM HITCH. LIGHTER LOADS MAY HAVE ANY ONE OF A NUMBER OF THE HARDIER BREEDS. BUT THE HORSE OF CHOICE FOR EVERYDAY USE IS THE TRIED-AND-TRUE SADDLEBRED.
THE BREED'S NATURAL GAITS -- WALK, TROT, AND CANTER -- ARE IDEAL FOR EVERYDAY TRANSPORTATION. ITS GENERALLY EASYGOING TEMPERAMENT AND HIGH INTELLIGENCE MAKE FOR A HORSE THAT CAN BE TRAINED TO TWO ADDITIONAL GAITS (OR SPEEDS): THE STEPPING PACE AND THE RACK, BOTH BEING FOUR-BEAT GAITS IN WHICH EACH HOOF HITS THE GROUND SEPARATELY. THE STEPPING PACE CAN BE FASTER THAN THE TROT, WHEREAS THE RACK IS THE "FIFTH GEAR" FOR THE SADDLEBRED.
OF COURSE, A WELL-BRED, TRAINED AND MAINTAINED HORSE LENDS ITSELF TO COMPETITION. STREET RACES WERE OUTLAWED EARLY ON, BUT RACES ACROSS FIELDS (UP TO 4 MILES) AND ON OVAL OR STRAIGHT TRACKS COULD PROVE WHICH ANIMAL ON A GIVEN DAY WAS THE FASTEST. FOR THE SADDLEBRED, HOWEVER, THE ULTIMATE TEST WAS (AND REMAINS) IN THE RING UNDER SCRUTINY OF ONE OR MORE JUDGES AND IN THE PRESENCE OF OTHER, EQUALLY WELL-TURNED-OUT HORSES. AS ITS USE FOR TRANSPORTATION EBBED, ITS WORLD IN THE RING EXPANDED, LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR TODAY'S COVETED POINT-BASED CHAMPION (CH) COMPETITION.
FROM THE BOOK "IMAGES OF AMERICA, KENTUCKY'S SADDLEBRED HERITAGE"
WRITTEN BY: JAMES KEMPER MILLARD
COURTESY OF THE LOCAL LIBRARY
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