Horse
Pronunciation:
Ty'-ger
Breed Description:
The Tiger breed of horse is not tiger striped, as you would expect, but is actaully a breed with Appaloosa coloring. The Tiger is a gaited horse with a unique 4-beat pace called the Indian Shuffle. This is a very economical and comfortable gait, and makes the Tiger an increasingly popular choice for trail riding. Tiger horses have a regal ancestry, tracing their history back to the royal riding horses of medieval pain, where their coloring earned them their name - the Spanish had no word for leopard, and so referred to all wild cats, including leopards, as 'tigre' or 'tiger'; so these aerly appaloosas were called tigers because of their similar coloring to a leopard.
Temperament:
The Tiger Horse breed of horse has a trainable temperament, although depending on the immediate ancestry some individuals can be spirited.
Height:
The Tiger Horse breed of horse is between 14.3 and 15.3 hands.
Weight:
The Tiger Horse breed of horse weighs between 800 and 1100 pounds.
Health Problems:
The Tiger Horse breed of horse is a young breed, and as yet exhibits no significant health problems.
Living Conditions:
The Tiger Horse breed of horse is easy to keep, and can be kept outdoors, but will appreciate stabling in harsh weather.
Exercise:
The Tiger Horse breed of horse enjoys work, but requires little exercise if it is kept on pasture.
Life Expectancy:
The Tiger Horse breed of horse lives into its late twenties.
Grooming:
The Tiger Horse breed of horse is normally kept with a natural appearance. It requires little maintenance.
Origin:
The Tiger breed of horse, like all appaloosas, traces its heritage back to the spotted riding horses of medieval Spain, and even further back to Siberian 'heavenly horses'. The Tiger is allegedly the closest modern horse to these ancient Tiger horses, although it is a re-established breed, formed in the USA in the 1990s. The first Tiger Horse registry was established in 2004.
