American Quarter Horse

An American horse breed named for its ability to outrun other breeds over a quarter mile (0.40 kilometers) or less, with some individuals clocked as fast as 44 miles per hour (71 kilometers per hour). Its development traces to the 1600s, when imported English Thoroughbreds were crossed with assorted local horses along the Eastern seaboard of colonial America; during nineteenth century westward expansion these colonial Quarter Horses were further crossed with Spanish mustangs and horses bred by Native American tribes, producing animals with a strong instinct for working cattle. Quarter Horses have a short, refined head with a straight profile and a strong, well-muscled body with a broad chest and powerful, rounded hindquarters, standing 14 to 16 hands and occasionally up to 17. Beyond racing, the breed dominates rodeo events, ranch work and western riding competitions such as reining, cutting, working cow horse, barrel racing and calf roping, while also performing well in English disciplines and recreational riding.