One
of the most unique is the Rocky Mountain Horse.
Henry
Logan and his wife, Shana Rockwell, have discovered a breed of horse that has
gaits so easy to ride, it’s almost like sitting in a
rocking chair.
Henry
is a well known horseman in the Valley. Long an advocate of the Arabian breed,
he rode in many long distance competition rides.
His
faithful Arab mount, Gdapper, is cooling his
23-year-old heels out in the pasture.
“We’ve
ridden thousand of miles together,” Henry said
softly. “We’ve done the Tevis cup five times, ridden
many 50-mile rides and participated in the NTRAC rides for 25 years.”
Gdapper’s not only a National
Champion in competitive riding, but he also ran in the Arabian races at Los
Alamitos Race Track! Henry is well acquainted with Arabian horses, as he bred
and trained them for many years. In fact, not long ago there were five
Logan-trained horses entered in the NTRAC ride.
We
caught up with this octogenarian the day after he and Shayna
had completed a 25 mile ride near New Cuyama, and
they had the horses out and all shined up.
This
peppy couple appeared to be ready to go again at the drop of a hat, saying how
pleased they were with the Rocky Mountian Horse’s
attitudes and temperaments.
“My
Rocky, Winston, is a four-year-old gelding, standing 16 hands high,” Shayna said. “Henry’s horse is Icy, a seven-year-old
gelding who has plenty of get-up-and-go, but Henry has years in the saddle with
high spirited Arabians so he can handle it.”
“The
Rocky Mountain breed is known for its sensibility,” Henry said. “They’re people
lovers, and want to please you; they’re easy to train, ’cause they’re smart.
Their gait is called an amble, and is a four-beat lateral gait that is so
smooth you can literally read a book while riding.
“They’re
so sure footed, that they make a perfect trail horse,” he said. “We’ve only
owned these horses for about four months, but they are a joy to ride and will
improve as we continue to train them. I’m ready for a horse that’s an easy ride
now and I find that now I’m riding like I did 20 years-ago.”
The
Rocky Mountain Horse appears to have evolved at the end of the 1800s from a
young stallion whose powerful genetic material allowed a long line of progeny
to carry his excellent characteristics.
It
was back in eastern Kentucky, near the Appalachian foothills, that they first
appeared.
The
Rockys are medium-sized horses with an ambling speed
that can reach 10 to 15 miles per hour.
They
were prized for all types of farm work as well as being a family horse for
children to ride, and were also willing to pull the family carriage to town.
There
is a West Coast Rocky Mountain Club, in Arroyo Grande, that
is full of enthusiastic riders. Barney and Gloria Northcote
are the leaders.
Kissin’ Cousins
Donna
Keeler has a Kentucky Mountain Walking Horse, which she feels is an offshoot of
the Rocky Mountain horse.
“The
people back there sometimes had feuds and would just start a new registry if
they felt like it,” said Donna. “Some of the horses are registered both ways.
My horse is just three generations from a Tennessee Walking
Horse.
“The
Mountain breeds prize the chocolate Palomino color with a flaxen mane and tail,”
She said.
“However,
my horse is a golden Palomino. These horses crave human company, and he’s such
a good boy that on a rainy night, I just wish I could bring him in and put him
in his pajamas to sit by the fire.”
Tennessee Walking
Horses
Larry
Marsh has a Tennessee Walking Horse named Sugar Babe
that he uses for the American Field Trials with Brittany hunting dogs.
“I
really enjoy this 20-year-old horse,” said Larry. “I originally rented him for
the day, and his gaits were so smooth that I just ended up buying him.”
During
these interesting and unique Field Trials, Larry rides his horse out into the
field where a bird planter has released game birds.
Upon
locating a bird, his dog goes on point and then Larry, who is the dog handler,
dismounts and flushes the birds for the shooter.
At
the signal of a tap on the head, the dog runs forward and retrieves the bird
and lays it at Larry’s feet. Larry then remounts his horse and a whistle is
blown as a signal for the dog to move forward to hunt for the next birds.
Judges ride behind and evaluate each performance.
The
American Field Trail is a timed event, which could have as many as 150
contestants. These contests can last for a weekend or even three or four days, and often are held in brushy desert areas near
Oroville.
“They
have taken place in California for about 35 to 40 years. Larry is not only
proud of his Champion National Field Trial dogs, but said, “My Tennessee Walker
is considered to have the perfect gait for pursuing this sport.”
The
Tennessee Walker was, at one time, also known as the
Plantation Walking Horse and the Tennessee Pacer, and traces back to the
Narragansett Pacer. In addition to its very smooth gait there is a
characteristic nodding of the head that is a part of its charm.
As one studies the different breeds of horses, it’s
interesting to see how they evolved through the introduction of various other
fine bloodlines. It is no wonder that the horse is able to contribute to the
enjoyment of mankind in so many ways today.