Horse
Pronunciation:
Rok'-key Mown'-ten
Breed Description:
The Rocky Mountain breed of horse is an American gaited horse breed, with a reputation for a gentle temperament and extraordinary endurance. Many of the horses are descendants of a single stallion, Tobe, a stallion owned by Sam Tuttle who selected the stallion for its unusual natural and smooth four beat saddle gait and its excellent disposition.
All Rocky Mountain horse must have a natural, four-beat gait (called the single foot or rack), and must not pace (when the lateral rack collapses from four beats to two). This naturally occurring gait is present from birth and does not result from training.
The Rocky Mountain horse is best known for its characteristic chocolate-brown body color and flaxen mane and tail, which is an outcome of a rare 'silver' gray gene, although Rocky Mountain Horses can be any solid color. Today's Rocky Mountain horse, because of its excellent disposition, is popular as a pleasure horse and is a good choice for children.
Temperament:
The Rocky Mountain breed of horse is known for an extraordinarily docile and co-operative temperament which has made it a popular riding horse.
Height:
The Rocky Mountain breed of horse stands between 14.2 and 16 hands.
Weight:
The Rocky Mountain breed of horse weighs between 850 and 1000 pounds.
Health Problems:
The Rocky Mountain breed of horse carries the silver coat color gene, which is linked to Anterior Segment Dysgenesis also known as ASD, which can cause partial or more rarely complete blindness. Symptoms vary, and some horses only have difficulty going from light to dark areas, and in some cases there are no adverse affects at all. It is very rare that ASD will produce total blindness, and as this condition is not painful to the horse and most horses adapt well to partial sight loss, it is not considered a significant concern for the breed as yet.
Living Conditions:
The Rocky Mountain breed of horse is fairly hardy and can be kept outdoors in most climates.
Exercise:
The Rocky Mountain breed of horse enjoys work but can be kept idle in pasture without problems.
Life Expectancy:
The Rocky Mountain breed of horse commonly reaches over thirty years of age.
Grooming:
The Rocky Mountain breed of horse requires little maintenance, but regular grooming is rewarded by the fine appearance of the breed's most common yet striking chocolate brown coloring.
Origin:
The Rocky Mountain breed of horse originated around 1890 when a gaited chocolate stud colt from the Rocky Mountain region of the United States was brought to the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains of Eastern Kentucky. He was extensively bred to the local mares and his offspring were popular because of their consistent smooth gaits and calm temperaments. This Rocky Mountain stallion was the foundation stallion of the breed and the great grandsire of Tobe, a chocolate stallion owned by Sam Tuttle of Spout Springs, Kentucky. From the 1940s through the 1970s, Tobe was the primary breeding stallion used in this area, and he is credited with perpetuating the breed as we know it today.
The Rocky Mountain Horse Association and Registry was founded in 1986, and perpetuates a type in the breed reminiscent of Tobe; including a calm temperament, the unusual coloring, and a natural four beat single-footing gait. 