Read About AQHA

AQHA World Championship Show Horses are famous the world over as race horses. Here's everything you need to know about this horse breed.

AQHA world championship show horses - Horse Breed Facts

  1. Breed Group:

    Show Horse
  2. Height & Weight:

    14.3 to 16 horse hands tall; 1200 to 1500 pounds heavy.
  3. Coat:

    Coat is shiny and glossy, or matte textured. The glossiness of the coat depends upon diet and grooming.
  4. Head & Neck:

    Heads are well defined and prominently protruding till the snout. The animals have gentle eyes. Their necks are strong and show marked bone structure and musculature.
  5. Body:

    They have a compact, heavily muscled body.
  6. Conformation:

    They have a heavily toned body, with a high placed neck and rounded withers. Their tail is placed in line with the dorsal spine.
  7. Colors:

    The recognized colors are bay, black, brown, buckskin, chestnut, dun, red dun, gray, grullo, palomino, red roan and blue roan.
  8. Gait:

    They are highly speedy runners. Even their speeds at trotting and cantering are much higher than those of other breeds of horses.
  9. Popularity:

    The AQHA has gained in popularity in the last century because of show participations.
  10. Registries:

    The AQHA, or the American Quarter Horse Association, was founded in 1940 and is presently located at Amarillo, Texas. It has registered about 3.7 million horses to date.

AQHA world championship show horses- Horse Breed Origins

  1. Country of Origin:

    USA
  2. Lineage/ Bloodline:

    They were obtained by selectively crossing colonial American and British horses with horses brought from Arab, Turk and Barb breeds.
  3. Historical Information:

    They were specially obtained by hybrid cross-breeding for racing in the 1600s. They were used for racing for the first time in 1674 in Enrico County, Virginia.

AQHA world championship show horses- Horse Breed Defining Characteristics

  1. Training Ease:

    They are very easy to train because of their origins. However, there may be some problem horses which may become aggressive with the rider or even throw them.
  2. Temperament:

    They have a mild disposition, but can overcome cattle in a roundup. They also have a fierce competitive spirit.
  3. Child Friendly:

    Some of these horses are child friendly and may allow them for rides. A few exceptions may be aggressive.
  4. Behavior:

    They are obedient animals. They are not averse to working hard or traveling long distances. They can obey commands if trained adequately.
  5. Riding Ease:

    They provide a fast and smooth ride to the rider, provided the rider is astride in the proper manner.
  6. Uses:

    They were used for cattle roundup by cowboys. Their other chief use remains for racing events.

AQHA world championship show horses- Horse Breed Concerns

  1. Health Issues:

    A genetic disorder may transgress into HYPP or Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis, which may cause muscle twitching, muscle weakness and even death in the horse.
  2. Feeding:

    They eat regularly at 1 to 3 hour intervals if food is available. Their diet includes grasses, hay, legumes, shrubs and wood plants.
  3. Outfitting:

    The saddle must be properly placed so as not to throw the rider. The bridle must also be properly attached. Some show horses are made to wear boots

AQHA world championship show horses- How to Choose a Horse Breed

  1. What to Look for:

    It should not have badly cracked hooves, runny eyes or a runny nose. Ride it and check for temperament.
  2. What you will Need:

    A good horse outfit, a stable, and plenty of fodder.