American Quarter Horse

What is an American Quarter Horse?

A compact, heavily muscled American stock horse of 142-163cm, named for its speed over a quarter of a mile - a distance at which it is the fastest horse in the world. Powerful hindquarters, a short back, and a small head with a famously calm expression.

With over six million registered, it is the most numerous breed on earth.

History and origins

Developed in colonial Virginia and the Carolinas from English stock crossed with Spanish horses, originally for quarter-mile match races on village streets. As settlement moved west the same horse proved outstanding at working cattle, and "cow sense" became the selection criterion.

The American Quarter Horse Association was founded in 1940 and is now the largest breed registry in the world.

Appearance and size

142-163cm, 450-600kg. Deep chest, short strong back, and hindquarters that are the defining feature - broad, deep and heavily muscled.

Type varies enormously by discipline: halter horses are extremely muscled and often unsound; racing lines are lighter and more Thoroughbred-like; ranch and reining horses sit in the middle and are generally the soundest.

Any solid colour, with sorrel commonest.

Temperament and personality

Calm, sensible and willing - the breed's great asset. A Quarter Horse is typically unflappable, which is what made it the ranch horse and what makes it such a good all-round riding horse.

They are people-oriented and forgiving, and a well-bred one suits an improving rider better than almost anything else of comparable ability.

Intelligence and trainability

Highly trainable with a genuine aptitude for cattle work - "cow sense" is real and partly heritable. They learn quickly, hold their training and think for themselves in a useful way.

They excel at reining, cutting, western pleasure, barrel racing, trail and jumping.

Children and other pets

One of the better breeds for a confident child or a novice adult, given the temperament. Size and sense both suit.

Easy in a herd and straightforward on the ground.

Health problems

Five inherited diseases are covered by the AQHA five-panel test, and a buyer should simply ask for the results.

HYPP (hyperkalaemic periodic paralysis). Descends from one extremely successful halter stallion, Impressive. Causes muscle tremors, weakness and collapse, and can be fatal. Dominant, so a single copy affects the horse. AQHA no longer registers H/H foals, but N/H horses are still bred and still sold.

PSSM1 (polysaccharide storage myopathy). Muscle glycogen storage disorder causing tying-up and reluctance to work. Manageable with diet and exercise.

HERDA, a skin collagen defect causing the skin to split and slough; affected horses cannot be ridden. GBED, a fatal glycogen storage disease of foals. MH (malignant hyperthermia), a lethal reaction to anaesthesia.

Beyond the panel: navicular disease, common in the breed, particularly in horses with small feet under heavy muscling. Laminitis and EMS, being good doers. Hock arthritis in reining and cutting horses.

Twenty-five to thirty-five years.

Daily care routine

Daily checks, feet out daily, and real attention to the feet generally - farrier every five to seven weeks, and a farrier who understands the breed's tendency to small feet under a heavy body.

Teeth annually, vaccinations annually, worm counts through the season.

Grooming and coat care

Straightforward. A moderate coat, clipped for winter work. Manes are often pulled or banded in western showing.

Exercise needs

Four to six days a week for a horse in work. They have explosive power rather than endurance and are happiest with varied work - schooling, trail, cattle or jumping.

Feeding and diet

Forage first, and modestly - they are good doers and a fat Quarter Horse is at real laminitis risk. If PSSM1 positive, a low-starch high-fat diet with daily exercise is the treatment and it works well.

Price

£3,000-£12,000 for a registered riding horse; £15,000-£60,000+ for a proven reining, cutting or showing horse. Unregistered "Quarter Horse type" horses are cheaper and are a different thing.

Keeping one costs £3,500-£9,000 a year.

Buying advice

Ask for the five-panel test results. It is one cheek swab, it covers all five diseases, and any serious American or British breeder will have it. If the horse is N/H for HYPP, understand what that means before you buy.

Ask for AQHA papers and check the microchip.

Look at the feet against the body. A heavily muscled horse on small feet is the classic navicular picture, and a five-stage vetting with front foot radiographs is worth the money.

Ask which discipline the lines are bred for - halter, racing or working - because they are almost different horses.