Rocky Mountain Horse Breed Information

Despite its name, the Rocky Mountain horse did not originate in the Rockies but in the hilly region of eastern Kentucky in the early 1900s. Other breeds that originated there were the American Saddlebred, the Tennessee walker and the Missouri fox trotter. The Rocky Mountain horse is the least-known breed but steadily gaining popularity in North America and Europe for its beauty and smooth gaits.

  1. Foundation Stud

    • The breed's foundation stallion is generally considered to be Old Tobe, also known as Tobe or Tuttle's Tobe. According to Storey's Illustrated Guide to 96 Horse Breeds of North America, Old Tobe's sire was reputed to have been from the Rocky Mountains, but this has never been proven. Old Tobe gave rides to tourists at the National Bridge State Park in Kentucky. Despite being a stallion, he was considered the best horse for beginning riders.

    Identification

    • Rocky Mountain horses are slim, level-backed, strong horses with low-set tails. They are medium-sized horses, averaging 14.2 to 16 hands high. A hand is 4 inches and the standard unit of measurement for horses or ponies. They average only 1,000 pounds, yet can carry a full-grown man up to eight hours in the saddle. Their manes and tails are thick and often left to grow long. The profiles of their heads are usually straight.

    Color

    • The Rocky Mountain Horse Association will register horses of any solid color but will exclude any pinto or spotted patterns. Solid colors include bay, black, chestnut, gray and roan. The most desired color is a dark chocolate brown with a pale blonde or white mane and tail. That was Old Tobe's color. White markings are allowed on the face and below the knees.

    Gait

    • According to International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds, the ideal Rocky Mountain horse is able to naturally perform a smooth four-beat gait known as "single-footing". Many other breeds of horses can learn this gait, but usually they need artificial devices placed on their hooves to teach them. This is similar to a walk-in that all four hoofs hit the ground separately, but Rocky Mountain horses can reach speed up to 26 miles per hour, which is about as fast as a trot. This smooth gait is much desired by riders.

    Registry

    • The Rocky Mountain Horse Association (RMHA) began in 1986 in Winchester, Kentucky. Since then, more than 13,000 horses have been entered into the stud book. According to the RMHA, around 1,000 new foals are registered each year. When a Rocky Mountain horse is 23 months old, it is inspected by an official from the RMHA to be sure the horse meets the physical qualifications. If not, the horse will be denied registry, even if both parents are registered.