American’s have been developing equine breeds for centuries, since the country was founded in fact. It is not surprising then that in certain parts of the country we will find certain horses with similar qualities to their neighbors, although they are a breed in their own right.  
 
The Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse (the Saddler for the sake of this essay) is a fairly good example of this. Like many other American breeds, the Saddler finds it’s roots in Spanish stock brought to these shores in the 16th century. The Spanish horses were left by the Conquistadors to cross with the wild mustangs that roamed the land. Eventually, stock migrated into remote parts of the land, including the mountainous region of Kentucky.  
 
Early settlers to those remote hills found the horses to be as resilient as themselves and a tough horse was a requirement in this untamed part of the world.
 
The first settlers to Kentucky found the climate to be mild and enjoyable. Natural resources were in abundance with lush greenery and plenty of timber. The mountains were sheltering and winters quite easy. With vast land clearing however, the countryside became prone to mud slides and soon the unlimited fishing areas were clouded with muddy water and left unusable. Fishing was no longer in abundance and hunting became the root of survival.  
 
More and more, settlers were driven into the mountains to subsist off the land. They farmed the rocky earth as best they could and found horses to be essential to growing successful crops. The horses living wild in the area were soon tamed and employed and were found to be not only useful as agricultural workers but also comfortable mounts.
 
The blue grass of Kentucky was attractive to migrants who settled there and they would not be driven from it. They found ways to survive and thrive and along with many southern states, horse breeding became prominent. Kentucky soon became the hub of horse breeding.
 
When racing became popular and Thoroughbred horses started taking precedence over racing breeds of the time, many locally bred horses were put aside. Eventually, Kentucky became known as Thoroughbred country and many farms remain today that have been breeding Thoroughbreds for generations.
 
Nonetheless, the mountain people and farmers still needed horses to ensure their very survival. They continued to breed the mountain horses and employ them until the mechanization of farming.
 
Their ambling gait made a smooth ride over rough terrain and for those lucky enough to keep one, life was made a bit easier.  
 
The farmers from the hills bred them to pull plows and as occasional transportation into town. The animal had to be tough to maneuver the steep slopes and rocky lands.  
 
Their gait was naturally ambling and is believed to come from the now extinct Narragansett Pacer. The Narragansett Pacer was popular in the New England states in the 18th century. Their smaller size and rocking motion made the ride smooth and they possessed great speed. It is said that Narragansett could pace a mile in a little over two minutes.
 
The last of the Narragansett Pacer breed was a mare who died around 1880. She was described by Alice Morse Earle in Stage Coach and Tavern Days, as “an ugly sorrel color with a broad back and short legs and moving at a curious rocking pace.”
 
The peculiar color is found in the Kentucky Mountain Horse today and is believed to be further proof of its connection with the Narragansett Pacer.  
 
For over 200 years the horses remained quite hidden in the mountains of Kentucky until one man in particular brought them to light.
 
In the late 20th century, Sam Tuttle of Stout Springs, Kentucky, ran the horse riding tours at the Natural Ridge State Resort Park. He took visitors on trail rides through the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. One of his favorite mounts was a stallion named Old Tobe, who was noted for having a calm temperament and comfortable ambling gait.
 
Old Tobe was sure-footed and hardy, working until he was 37 years old. He was a potent stallion with strong genes. He passed on his ambling gate to his offspring and on occasion an unusual color.  
 
The breed began to get notice from horse breeders in the area and soon a set breeding program was put into motion. The ultimate goal was to produce a horse with the versatility, intelligence, and desirable temperament which these horses have possessed for centuries, without compromising the smooth ambling gait that came naturally.
 
In 1989, Robert Robinson, Jr, of Irvine, Kentucky, formed the Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse Association (KMSHA). In 2002 a subsidiary of the KMSHA was formed as the Spotted Mountain Horse Association to accommodate horses of color bred in the mountain horse type.
 
Today there are over 18,000 registered Kentucky Mountain Saddle horses documented with the KMSHA with roughly half being from Kentucky and the rest scattered about the world.
 
For more information on the Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse please visit www.kmsha.com or write to KMSHA, P.O. Box 1405, Georgetown, KY 40324 or call 502/863-3545.