Nez Perce Horse
 |
 Nez Perce Horse | |
| Country of origin | Idaho, United States |
|---|---|
The Nez Perce Horse is a spotted horse breed developed by the Nez Perce Tribe of the State of Idaho in the United States. The modern-day Appaloosa horse breed is descended from it, and the current Nez Perce Horse is a sport horse developed by crossbreeding Appaloosa horses with imported Akhal-Teke stallions from Russia from the 1990s to present.
Characteristics
[edit]The modern Nez Perce Horse was developed by crossbreeding the Appaloosa and the Akhal-Teke, an ancient breed that originated in Turkmenistan (near Afghanistan), and bred in Russia. They are known for their superb endurance and "metallic" coats. The Akhal-Teke coat colors commonly include palominos, buckskins, and dark bays. A typical Nez Perce Horse is a buckskin or palomino with Appaloosa characteristics—mottled skin with a spotted coat or a blanket.
The Nez Perce Horse's conformation is longer and leaner than the Quarter Horses or other stock horses of the Western U.S., with narrower shoulders and hindquarters, a longer back, and a lean runner's appearance. They are good at long rides and compete well in endurance races; they are also good jumpers. Some Nez Perce Horses are gaited, with a fast and smooth running walk.
History
[edit]The Nez Perce Tribe first encountered domesticated horses when Spanish, English, and other European settlers brought horses to what would later become the United States of America. The Nez Perce purchased and traded for horses from other Native American tribes, including the Cayuse of Oregon and the Shoshone of Wyoming, and captured feral horses that had been released or escaped by settlers. The tribe began selectively breeding horses.[1]
By the time the Lewis and Clark Expedition, a select group of around 30 U.S. Army and civilian volunteers under the command of Captain Meriwether Lewis and his close friend Second Lieutenant William Clark, first encountered the Nez Perce in 1805 and 1806, Lewis noted the "quality" of horses bred by the tribe, comparing their type to that of "fine English coursers", which included Thoroughbreds.[1] Lewis also noted that one member of the Nez Perce Tribe owned more than 1,500 horses alone, with "50 to 100 horses...not being unusual for one individual to possess".[2]
After the Nez Perce War of 1877, over 1,000 horses were confiscated from the Nez Perce Tribe by U.S. government forces, with many being either sold or killed. However, many horses were left in the Wallowa Valley; additional animals escaped or were released into the wild; and, after the Nez Perce Tribe had resettled in Idaho, the U.S. government allowed limited horse breeding by the Nez Perce throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries.
The Nez Perce Horse Registry (NPHR) program was established in 1995 in Lapwai, Idaho, and was based on cross-breeding the old-line Appaloosa horses (the Wallowa herd) with an ancient Central Asian breed called Akhal-Teke.[3] Four Akhal-Teke stallions that had been imported from Russia, including the Tersk Stud, were donated to the Nez Perce Tribe and their breeding program by German-born and Minnesota-based breeders Hans and Eberhard Sprandel, with assistance from the Akhal-Teke Association of America (ATAA).[4][5][6] As of 2020, the program was producing Nez Perce-bred spotted sport horses of up to 3/4ths Akhal-Teke blood for cross-country riding, show jumping, and eventing.[7]
The breeding program was also financed by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the Nez Perce Tribe and a nonprofit group called the First Nations Development Institute, which promotes such businesses.
The Nez Perce people are historically known for their selective horse breeding practices, according to NPHR breeders Jon and Rosa Yearout.[8]
The Nez Perce Horse is "fit to carry the Nez Perce name," according to Rudy Shebala, director of the Tribe’s Horse Registry and the Nez Perce Young Horsemen program.[9]
Notes
[edit]- ^ a b McBeth, Kate; McBeth, Sue. "The Horse and the 18th Century". University of Idaho. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
- ^ "Ancient People of the Nez Perce Forest" (PDF). Nez Perce National Historical Park. U.S. Forest Service. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
- ^ Murphy, Michael (1995). "Nez Perce Launch Horse Breeding Program". Nez Perce Horse Registry. Retrieved 2008-09-22.
- ^ "Kaltaman". Akhal-Teke Association of America. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
- ^ "Akhal-Teke Stallion - Akgez Geli - The Golden Horse". StableExpress.com. Akhal-Teke Association of America. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
- ^ "Stallions". Nez Perce Horse Registry. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
- ^ Loushin, Kimberly (12 June 2020). "Whether Hunt Field Or Cross-Country, This Appaloosa-Akhal Teke Shines". The Chronicle of the Horse. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
- ^ "Welcome". M-Y Sweetwater Appaloosa Ranch. Archived from the original on 2010-12-29. Retrieved 2008-09-22.
- ^ Winsor, Morgan. "Nez Perce horse culture resurrected through new breed". Idaho Natives. University of Idaho. Retrieved 2008-09-22.