Palomino Quarter Horse

The Palomino Quarter Horse is a pure American horse breed that’s second to none in sprinting. The name of the breed comes from a quarter-mile distance this breed is especially good at. Some individuals can reach the speed of up to 55 mph. Since the breed comes from the best racing horses of the 16th century, it’s characterized by great endurance, agility, and intelligence.

Actually, the breed appeared as a mixture of Thoroughbred horses imported to America in the 18th century with assorted native mounts brought by the Spanish conquistadors two centuries earlier. Spanish horses of the Iberian, Arabian and Barb stock became feral and lived in prairies for two centuries. These feral horses were referred to as Mustangs. When the settlers of the 19th century moved westwards, their horses crossbred with Mustangs and produced strong and endurable offspring with an innate cow sense. The colonial palomino Quarter Horse became the favorite working horse breed on ranches and with cattlemen. Cowboys used these horses in rodeo events which began as informal competition and expanded to a major event throughout the Wild West.

This breed is one of the most popular today in America. A Palomino Quarter Horse can be used both as a race horse and a performance horse. The speed and general characteristics of the breed make it good at many equestrian activities: English disciplines, cutting, reining, working cow, barrel racing, calf roping, and other western riding events, involving working with cattle. This breed is also good at driving and makes quiet mounts for pleasure riding.

Although the breed originated long ago, the first breed association (the American Quarter Horse Association) was formed in 1940. Breed fanciers wanted to preserve the pedigrees of their horses and maintain the breed as it was. Actually, the Quarter Horse was a type rather than a separate breed and before 1940, nobody cared about the purity of these horses. Arabian, Morgan, Thoroughbred and Standardbred mares and stallions were often used to improve the working characteristics or conformation of the Quarter Horse. Even after the breed was established, the AQHA stud book was open to the Thoroughbred blood. A palomino Quarter Horse bred to registered Thoroughbreds produced the offspring registered as an "appendix" American Quarter Horse.