American Saddlebred History: Famous Saddlebreds,
Facts, Info, Origins

American Saddlebred horses teach us well and of many things: courage, steadfastness, generosity, nobility, elegance, grace, freedom. From working and living with the American Saddlebred, to knowing their history, origins and bloodlines, to reading about famous Saddlebreds and their unique stories, we often find in the hearts of these horses , the essence of our own best and deepest characteristics.

FAMOUS SADDLEBREDS IN HISTORY

From the beginnings of the breed to modern day, including world grand champions and family bloodlines, there have been many famous Saddlebreds and outstanding individuals in the foundations and history of the American Saddlebred breed.

The first National show was held in St Louis in the mid 1800's and in the late 1800's the first breed organization was founded. In the early 1900's the first World's Championship show was organized which is still held annually, in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, with its long history of truly great performances.

Astral King, a nine year old in 1915, battled successfully for Five-Gaited World Grand Championship, for two hours and five minutes with the eight year old Cascade and six other great animals, half of whom later became world champions in their turn.

Easter Cloud, an eight 8 year old in 1917, competing with Richlieu King, for one hour and thirty minutes, won the same Saddlebred World Grand Championship. Richlieu King, at age nine , won the same honor from Easter Cloud and Golden Firefly in a one hour and ten minute battle. Then in 1918, Cascade at eleven years of age, worked brilliantly for one hour and five minutes to defeat the eleven year old Richileu King.

In 1948 as a five year old, the famous stallion Wing Commander, won the title in only 45 minutes. The next year it took him one hour and fifteen minutes to defend his title. He held this title through1953, his tenth year, each time putting up a prolonged performance against a ring full of the best Saddlebred horses in the world.

READ STORIES OF FAMOUS AMERICAN SADDLEBRED HORSES BELOW:
It would be a huge task to outline the entire history, but many stars are addressed, including a couple of the very most famous of American Saddlebred stallions. Check back as more will be added as time permits.

	Easter Cloud the First World Champion Saddlebred - First to win the tile and begin the history of magic in Kentucky.		Montrose - Beauty and Style from the annuals of American Saddlebred bloodline history.
	Rex Peavine a Saddlebred who was never for sale - He shaped the history of today’s show horses.		Bourbon King American Saddlebred Legend - The great progenitor of the “Chief” Family history.
	Rex McDonald - a Saddlebred who scared the competition - A shiny black stallion who won as many hearts as ribbons.		Supreme Sultan - Historical Article about the Famous Stallion (Based on a Ross Millin written article, with words and rare pastels added by sculptor, Patricia Crane.) Thank you Ross!
Dr. Ross Millin of Newline Stud writes a regular column for the South African Magazine, S.A. Show Horse, about the history and bloodlines of some of the great Saddlebreds of both the past and present. The HorseShowCentral website is very pleased to be allowed to carry these essays, with the author’s permission and we wish to thank Dr. Millin for the many photos used by his so gracious permission also.
	Wing Commander Saddlebred Super Star Six Times World Grand Champion 5 Gaited Winner		Genius Bourbon King Highly famed champion and stallion son of Genius Bourbon
	Indiana Ace Saddlebred A stallion famous on two continents!		Valley View Supreme Saddlebred 3 Gaited Stallion A rare Three-Gaited World Grand Champion and extremely successful sire.
	Stonewall Supreme The greatest of all Stonewall King Saddlebreds.

DEFINITION OF POPULAR TERMS: WHO OR WHAT IS THE AMERICAN SADDLEBRED?

The American Saddlebred is a breed of horse developed in America, and was named, rather appropriately, The American Saddlebred. Why the name? The intention of the early breeders was to create a grand saddle horse to meet the needs of a young nation. In the forming of the American Saddlebred, this animal was required to have stamina, courage, an easy temperament and the ability to be used for ever so many of the jobs that a growing civilization wished a horse to do. Along with all of these requirements, people also wanted high style and elegance, hence the saddle horse became a Saddlebred, and an American made breed with standardized characteristics.

The American Saddlebred was so successful in meeting all requirements that his history goes right along with that of the nation. The American Saddlebred, historically, has done everything asked of him at any time while maintaining always his particular hallmark of unique athletic ability coupled with high elegance and style.

Saddlebred or Saddlebreds (singular or plural), is a term used to refer to the breed of horse called the American Saddlebred, so when people use the word Saddlebreds they are speaking of a breed and not a general group of nice riding or ambling, gaited horses. Also people frequently use just the initials ASB, and by their use also mean the American Saddlebred horse.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN: HISTORICAL ORIGINS OF THE AMERICAN SADDLEBRED AND THE FOUNDATION STOCK OF the BREED

The base foundation stock of the eventual American Saddlebred as a breed, was the English saddle horse, well established in England and brought with the colonists to America.

The English saddle horse was a very definite type. In England before roads were suitable for wheeled vehicles, the ease of gait a riding horse possessed was a sought after trait. The saddle horses of the middle twelfth century ridden by nobility and gentry were not trotters . The trotters were assigned to squires and other attendants. And this old English stock held its identity in the Colonies even after the horse back in England was transformed.

English saddle horses that existed in colonial America became the foundation stock of the modern American Saddlebred Horse, just as they were the foundation stock of the Quarter Horse, the Standardbred and the Morgan. These current day breeds were achieved by the selection of equine individuals and characteristics and by careful and very limited use from time to time of blood outside the developing strain.

These British ancestors of the American Saddlebred horse were also already in the colonies prior to the infusion of any blood stock from the Syrian-Arabian deserts into the English Saddle horse.

It is certain, that Saddlebreds as a "type" were clearly recognized and bred for specific characteristics in the days of the American Revolution when Marie Antoinette of France, requested of the Continental Congress a Saddle Horse of her own. This improvement, beyond the English saddle horse, was partly the result of selection and survival of the fittest under very rigorous conditions, but an equally important factor was the inbreeding made necessary by life in those days, since few places in this country had more than one excellent sire. When such a stallion proved worthy, his progeny was bred back to him because he was the only good stallion available locally. Animals of great usefulness and with speed over distances were developed.

By the mid eighteenth century the new English Thoroughbred was imported and by the nineteenth century was used to improve all of the light horse breeds in American, including very selectively in the beginnings of the American Saddlebred breed. However, in spite of the contribution of more selective Thoroughbred blood in ongoing centuries, the essential characteristics of the American Saddlebred were developed from the old English horse in the Colonies.

Meanwhile, in England good roads changed English transportation from saddle to vehicles, and the court fads of Charles II, were brought home to England from France. The English Thoroughbred was the crowning achievement of the subsequent transformation of the English horse.

In spite of the contribution of more selective Thoroughbred blood in coming centuries, the essential characteristics of the Saddlebred were developed from the old English horse in the Colonies. Up to 1750, the Thoroughbred horses that had been brought to this country could be counted by the fingers on one hand. The horses used for racing in New York and Virginia , a century before the Thoroughbreds were imported, were the ancestors of the American Saddle Horse.

Then the American Colonies began to import the English Thoroughbred in the middle eighteenth century and by the next century the Thoroughbred, used by careful breeding, played its part in the improvement of all light breeds in America, including the beginnings of the American Saddlebred.

More than 60 percent of the horses in the first established breed registry volumes trace to the stallion, Gaines' Denmark. Another foundation sire was Harrison Chief. Both the Denmark and Chief families derived from imported Thoroughbred stallions crossed with the native "true to type" saddle horses.

Though the Saddlebred owes much to the Thoroughbred, the Thoroughbred's forward center of gravity, resting above the withers, moved back to just behind the withers in the American SaddleBred, freeing up the shoulders for lighter footwork, sure-footedness and agility.

In the mid 1800's the American Saddlebred competed in the first National show, in St Louis. By the late the first breed organization was founded.

Even into the late 19th Century, the American Saddlebred horse was very much still used in everyday life, and prized for the breed's ability and willingness to perform many versatile jobs, but as the rivalry at horse shows became an ongoing sport, the domination of Saddlebreds as gaited horses became clear. Their elegance and extreme ability established their value and reputation world wide as a supreme show horse. What the Saddle Horse accomplishes in the show ring naturally, requires the same heart and stamina demanded of the racing Thoroughbred on the track. Because of the breed's willingness to "give so much" and to partner with man so thoroughly, there is much richness surrounding the breed -- a richness of history recorded in both the written word and in the world of art.

FACT: WHY IS THE AMERICAN SADDLEBRED CALLED THE PEACOCK OF THE SHOW RING?

The fact that by stabling the American Saddlebred and drilling him in a special manner, he can give us one of the most glorious equine performances ever produced, putting forth racing speed at extreme action, a feat that can be performed by few, if any, horses of any other breed, gives many people the idea that American Saddlebreds are purely a show piece requiring very special handing, hence they are called the peacock of the show ring.

In the field of the show ring, especially in three and five-gaited classes, American Saddlebreds stand without peer as a masterpiece of nature . Their performance, which can raise a vast crowd to a tremendous peak of excitement, is not merely a burst of speed of a couple of minutes in duration but is a sustained competition by the equine great, viewed at close hand for the better part of an hour. The Five-Gaited champion American Saddlebred during a performance in the show ring ,varies from the racing speed of the rack to the restrained majesty of the slow-gait.

Horse shows for the American Saddlebred are held in every state of the United States and the breed popularity has spread to many other countries, with shows also popular in Germany, South Africa and England to name a few.

Those people whose knowledge of the American Saddlebred is limited to the show ring, know from experience that this horse has legs that can stand speed work and that he can carry weight and perform at racing speed with extreme action. They know that the great Saddlebreds can be trained to a machinelike precision. But people whose knowledge is confined to the show ring are seldom aware that because of the way the breed grew into being, the American Saddlebred is, when opportunity permits, the most attentive of companions and possesses an almost intuitive responsiveness.

POPULARITY AND MODERN DAY USES OF THE AMERICAN SADDLEBRED

In the world of today, the accomplishments we require of a horse are much less than in Colonial days, yet American Saddlebreds continue to enchant and please, whether at home, on the trail, or in the show ring where their high action , speed, unflagging, elegant style and heart are obvious to all viewers. Saddlebreds just have a habit of making riders feel as though they were indeed flying without wings. In accomplishing any task at all, a human experiences and so knows they have the support of an equine partner full of much heart, ability, and responsive willingness.

Outside the traditional show arena, the American Saddlebred has been successful in most equine disciplines, from cow horses to jumpers, dressage to carriage horses. If conditioned and trained properly, Saddlebreds are capable of almost any task they are asked to perform, and they do it with style.

Today, the popularity of the American Saddlebred has slowly spread around the world and their worth is acclaimed by enthusiasts everywhere. American Saddlebred stallions are also being used internationally at many stud farms throughout the world. There are international Breed Associations recognized by the ASHA (USA) -- in Canada, in South Africa and the UK in South Africa, Australian, The Philippines and interest is growing in Europe. Now in Australia, after a long period of negotiation between ASHAA (Australia) USA, purebred horses bloodtyped (and since 2002 DNA typed) and registered with ASHA Inc. can be registered in the American registry, with the export market as an aim.

The American Saddlebred a breed has consistently passed on its qualities to its heirs, and despite attempts to create similar horses through crossing other breeds to get the same characteristics, none has established itself as consistently as the American Saddlebred.

The creation of man and nature in concert, the American Saddlebred is truly The American Horse.




Saddlebreds and Judging - written by trainer Kevin Eltringham

Equine Color Genetics - Coat color variables in horses and genetics by Lynn Weber

Famous Saddlebreds and Breeding in South Africa - Discussion of many great sires and their bloodlines.

The following are articles from SADDLE & BRIDLE MAGAZINE, the oldest name in Saddlehorse Magazines, are reprinted here with their permission for your enjoyment. You will enjoy articles written by people in the industry.
And the words of Saddlebred trainers are always welcome:





Saddlebred Rescue - Learn about this rescue organization, where Saddlebreds slated for slaughter can be returned to a purposeful life. Wonderful work an wonderful stories about real-life ASB horses.



We hope you enjoyed our featured site section on American Saddlebred horses. Come back for more reading?

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The wonderful and natural copyrighted photo at the top of the page Ross Millin - Newline Stud.