Remember that Saddlebreds were originally developed to be an
all-day, every-day comfortable riding horse for Southern farmers
and gentlemen. The goal was: soundness, stamina, comfortable
gaits, perfect manners, beauty and stylishness.
Horses of Kentucky saddle horse breeding were the mount of
choice during the Civil War. Famous guerilla troops like
Nathan Bedford Forrest's light mobile cavalry, which routinely
put in 25-35 mile marches day after day, were mounted on
saddlers. Saddlebreds were routinely used for hunting,
and the ability to jump serviceably was assumed.
In 1925, a man named MacCready campaigned his Kentucky Saddlebred
named Rex Rysdyk in the famous 300 miles in five days Eastern
Cavalry Endurance ride held in Brandon, Vt. Carrying 200
pounds, Rex finished 4th. In 1926, carrying 225 pounds, he
finished 3rd. Rex Rysdyk was a 5-gaited show horse, who
had been actively showing in major shows just five months before
these contests, and he returned to the ring after these feats.
Saddlebreds havn't been bred for their using qualities in decades.
But I don't think the show people have ruined this great breed
yet. I think the American Saddlebred is the undiscovered treasure
of American horses.
Linda B. Merims
lbm@ici.net
Masschusetts, USA
(Whose first horse was a Saddlebred.)