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A quarter horse is a specific breed of horse that’s perhaps best known for its speed over short distances and its short, stocky build. This sort of breed is originally American, and the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) remains the world’s largest registry, though today the horses are bred all around the world. Characteristics include limited white markings on the face and below the knees, heavy muscling, and a gentle nature. These horses are usually the most popular choice for racing, jumping, and rodeo work. Many participate in formal horse shows, too, where things like aesthetics and coloring are assessed by panels of judges. Lineage is particularly important in these sorts of settings. Casual riders often aren’t interested in a horse’s genetic history, but serious investors usually are. Associations like the AQHA usually keep detailed records of all registered horses, and typically also set rules when it comes to things like blood and family history.
History of the Breed
The first horse with quarter characteristics was bred sometime during the early 1600s, and is thought to have been a composite of Arab, Turk, and Barb breeds. All of these sorts of horses were brought to America during this period, and were and crossed with horses from England and Ireland that were already being used on farms and as a mode of transportation. Scholars aren’t sure whether the horse was intentionally bred for its strength and speed or whether these characteristics emerged more as a matter of happenstance, but they are defining features of these horses today.
While the breed is most widely known for its short-distance racing ability, it is also used to herd cattle, participate in various rodeo events, and for English classes of dressage and show jumping. Horses within the quarter category are usually a bit shorter and stockier than other breeds, and their muscle tone is often slightly enlarged.
Most have what’s known as a “sorrel” coloring, which is reddish brown, light chestnut color. In addition to sorrel, there are 12 colors accepted by the AQHA as “official” or “legitimate” quarter colors: brown; chestnut; gray; dun, which is marked by a light brown body but dark mane and tail; red dun; buckskin; black; bay, which is a dark chestnut with almost black mane and tale; grullo, which is a tan-gray coloring that often features stripes; red roan; blue roan; and palamino, which is a cream or off-white color.
Questions of Horse Heritage
The breed’s bloodline has been preserved by the AQHA, which sets forth a strict set of guidelines in regard to registration. One of many such guidelines is the fact that each foal must have an American Quarter Horse sire, or father, and dam, or mother. In order to keep accurate records of heritage, the AQHA maintains the largest equine registry in the world, with over 3.7 million registered horses. They keep track of all ownership records, performance and produce data, as well as population figures for the breed.
Different horse registries around the world have slightly different specifications, but most default to the AQHA’s requirements. In many respects this organization is seen to be the worldwide authority on the breed and what it means to be a part of it.
The association's headquarters is located in Amarillo, Texas, and the American Quarter Horse Heritage Center and Museum is located right next door. The museum is open to the public and boasts a wide variety of research materials, exhibits, informative videos, and hands-on displays documenting the history and prevalence of the breed throughout history.
Notable Horses Through History
Some of the most famous horses carrying this breed designation include King, who set the standard for the breed, and Go Man Go, who dominated the racing scene by setting three track records and one world record. Dash for Cash, considered one of the greatest sires of racing horses, is also a familiar name to many in the horseracing world, as is Easy Jet who, as a 2-year-old, had 22 wins from 26 starts.
Katika Sports & Hobbies, tumejitolea kutoa habari sahihi, ya kuaminika. Maudhui yetu yaliyoandikwa na wataalamu ni ya kweli-kuchunguzwa kwa ukali na inatokana na mamlaka ya kuaminika. Gundua jinsi tunavyotegemeza viwango vya juu zaidi katika kukupa maarifa ya kuaminika. Farasi wa robo ni jamii maalum ya farasi ambayo labda inajulikana zaidi kwa kasi yake juu ya umbali mfupi na ujenzi wake mfupi, wenye nguvu. Kwa sababu ya asili yake, American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) ni moja ya mashirika ya farasi wa Amerika. Sifa zake zinatia ndani alama chache nyeupe usoni na chini ya magoti, misuli mingi, na tabia ya upole. Kwa kawaida farasi hao ndio wanaopendwa zaidi katika mashindano ya mbio, kuruka, na mashindano ya rodeo. Wengi wao hushiriki katika maonyesho rasmi ya farasi, ambapo mambo kama vile urembo na rangi hupimwa na baraza la mahakimu. Ukoo ni muhimu hasa katika aina hizi za mazingira. Mara nyingi wapanda farasi wa kawaida hawapendezwi na historia ya maumbile ya farasi, lakini wawekezaji wazito kwa kawaida hupendezwa. Kwa kawaida, mashirika kama vile AQHA huhifadhi rekodi za kina za farasi wote waliosajiliwa, na kwa kawaida pia huweka sheria linapokuja mambo kama vile damu na historia ya familia. Farasi wa kwanza mwenye sifa za robo ya nne alizaliwa wakati fulani mwanzoni mwa miaka ya 1600, na inafikiriwa kuwa mchanganyiko wa jamii za Kiarabu, Kituruki, na Barb. Farasi wa aina hii walipelekwa Marekani wakati huo na walipigwa na farasi kutoka Uingereza na Ireland ambao walikuwa tayari wakitumiwa katika mashamba na kama njia ya usafiri. Wataalamu hawajui kama farasi huyo alizaliwa kwa makusudi kwa ajili ya nguvu na mwendo wake au ikiwa sifa hizo zilitokea kwa bahati mbaya, lakini zinafafanua sifa za farasi hao leo. Ingawa mbegu hiyo inajulikana sana kwa uwezo wake wa mashindano ya umbali mfupi, pia hutumiwa kufuga ng'ombe, kushiriki katika mashindano mbalimbali ya rodeo, na kwa madarasa ya Kiingereza ya mazoezi ya mbio na kuruka. Farasi wa jamii ya robo-nusu kwa kawaida ni wa hali ya chini na wenye nguvu kuliko farasi wengine, na mara nyingi misuli yao huongezeka kidogo. Wengi wao wana rangi inayoitwa "sorrel", ambayo ni rangi ya kahawia-nyekundu, rangi ya chestnut nyepesi. Kwa kuongezea, kuna rangi 12 zilizokubaliwa na AQHA kama rangi rasmi au halali: kahawia, chestnut, kijivu, dun, ambayo ni alama ya mwili wa kahawia lakini mane na mkia mweusi, nyekundu, dun, buckskin, nyeusi, bay, ambayo ni chestnut nyeusi na karibu mane nyeusi na tail, grullo, ambayo ni rangi ya kijivu-kijivu ambayo mara nyingi ina mistari, roan nyekundu, roan bluu, na palamino. Mifumo ya farasi wa asili ya Uingereza ni ya asili ya asili ya Uingereza, na ina sheria za kisheria za usajili. Miongoni mwa kanuni hizo ni kwamba kila mwana-farasi lazima awe na baba, mama, au baba wa farasi wa Amerika. Kwa mujibu wa takwimu za AQHA, shirika hilo lina orodha kubwa zaidi ya farasi duniani, na zaidi ya farasi milioni 3.7 wameandikishwa. Wao kuweka kufuatilia rekodi zote umiliki, utendaji na kuzalisha data, kama vile takwimu za idadi ya watu kwa ajili ya uzazi. Usajili tofauti wa farasi ulimwenguni kote una vipimo tofauti kidogo, lakini zaidi ya mahitaji ya AQHA. Katika mambo mengi shirika hili linaonekana kuwa mamlaka ya ulimwenguni pote juu ya jamii hiyo na maana ya kuwa sehemu yake. Makao makuu ya chama hicho yako Amarillo, Texas, na Kituo cha Urithi na Jumba la Makumbusho la American Quarter Horse liko karibu na hapo. Jumba la makumbusho ni wazi kwa umma na inajivunia aina mbalimbali za vifaa vya utafiti, maonyesho, video za habari, na maonyesho ya mikono inayoonyesha historia na kuenea kwa jamii hiyo katika historia. "Mmoja wa farasi maarufu zaidi wa mbegu hii ni King, ambaye aliweka kiwango cha mbegu hiyo, na Go Man Go, ambaye alitawala uwanja wa mbio kwa kuweka rekodi tatu za mbio na rekodi moja ya ulimwengu.""" Dash Cash, ambaye ni mmoja wa farasi wakubwa wa mbio za farasi, pia ni jina la kawaida kwa wengi katika ulimwengu wa mbio za farasi, kama vile Easy Jet ambaye, kama mtoto wa miaka miwili, alikuwa na ushindi wa 22 kutoka kwa 26 kuanza.