In case the phrase is new to you, a gaited horse is one that keeps
one foot on the ground at all times. This makes for an unbelievably
comfortable ride. If you've ever trotted on any other kind of horse,
then you'll recall the discomfort that can arise after you spend a
few hours in the saddle. Because gaited horses are so comfortable,
you can travel longer and more quickly and explore more trails
without an aching back.
It's also much easier to have a conversation when you're gliding
along the trails at the speed of a trot than when you're bouncing
along them -- something that will really make family trips on the
trail more fun! A ride on a gaited horse is often referred to as “a
champagne ride" because you can carry a full glass without spilling
a drop!
We fell in love with these horses the first time we experienced
their gait and disposition, and we suspect you will, too. Once you
try a mountain horse, there really is no going back.
Our Gaited Breeds:
The Rocky Mountain Horse
The Mountain Pleasure Horse
The Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse
About ASD, a congenital eye syndrome that affects Rocky Mountain
Horses
The Rocky Mountain Horse
 The
Rocky Mountain Horse (RMH) is originally from a small
mountainous
region of Eastern Kentucky. Since the 1800’s, farmers in the area
have valued them for their smooth gait, beautiful colors, easy-going
temperament, and versatility in farm work. The horses are now
emerging as a mount for trail and endurance riders and are growing
as a popular family horse.
The RMH is used as a pleasure horse for trail riding and for
competitive or endurance riding. As show horses, the breed is rapidly
gaining in popularity because of its beauty and unique way of
moving. The calm temperament of this horse makes it ideally suited
for working around cattle or for 4-H. These horses are hardy and
sure-footed on rough ground. Their natural gait requires a minimum
of effort by both horse and rider, so together you can cover a
greater distance tirelessly.
In an effort to maintain these desirable
and naturally occurring traits, an effort to organize the breeding of
the RMH resulted in the creation of the Rocky Mountain Horse
Association in 1986. Among the strict registry requirements is a
natural four-beat gait with no evidence of pacing. When the horse
moves you can count four distinct hoof beats. This occurs from birth
and does not require any special training devices.
The Mountain Pleasure Horse
The beauty of the Mountain Pleasure Horse (MPH)
is its disposition and gait. Many of us do not have the time to ride
a horse every day. The MPH is waiting,
with its natural gait and willing disposition, whether you ride once
a week or once a month.
The versatility and disposition of the MPH is the product of years
of breeding and use in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. The
resulting Mountain Pleasure Horse is a combination of several of the
gaited type horses that were available to the savvy Kentuckians who
bred for that ideal horse that was easy to ride, could ride all day,
and had the temperament to do anything its rider desired.
Although we do like to 'show off' our horses, MPH owners will be
quick to tell you these horses are not bred primarily as show
horses. Their beauty, smoothness of gait and responsiveness under
saddle can be observed in the show ring, but the real proof of value
of this breed is on the 100-mile trail ride or at the backyard
birthday party when a youngster becomes acquainted with his or her
first mount.
The Mountain Pleasure Horse Association has strict requirements that
promote breeding of the MPH in which the natural gait and amiable
disposition breeds true. As a rider gets to know his or her MPH,
they will find the horse can be ridden at varying speeds while
maintaining the same smooth, comfortable, four-beat gait.
About one sixth of the MPHA registry is an unusual chocolate color,
another one sixth is palomino. Chestnut is closely related to these
two colors and one-third of the horses are chestnut. The remaining
one third are black, buckskin, grey, bay, roan and even cremello.
Color is not a criteria of quality in the MPHA.
What's the difference between the Rocky Mountain Horse and the
Mountain Pleasure Horse?
The MPH breed existed some 100 years before the existence of the RMH.
In fact, Kentucky Governor Brereton Jones, in September of 1994,
recognized in his official proclamation: "1. 'The horsemen of eastern
Kentucky developed a type of horse know as the MPH, to be smooth of
gait, gentle of disposition, willing to work and surefooted for
mountain terrain; and 2. 'This
MPH
has been carefully and closely bred for over 160 traceable years
along the original Kentucky mountain bloodlines'; and 3. ' Bloodtyping
research by the University of Kentucky has shown the
MPH
to be the parent stock of American gaited horse breeds,' including
the RMH and Tennessee Walking Horse."
 On the other hand, some 40 to 45 years ago, Sam
Tuttle tapped into
the mountain horse heritage, crossing the native Mountain Pleasure
stock with Tobe, a stallion carrying an unusual chocolate color, and
his descendants, spawning (eventually) the Rocky Mountain Horse
Association breed registry.
1.) The key difference between the two registries is genetic
foundation. Fewer than 17 percent of the foundation horses of the
MPHA carry any trace of 'Tobe' bloodlines and those combine Tobe
with the native MPH bloodlines.
2.) In the MPHA, color is not a trademark of the breed. In the RMHA,
the chocolate color is generally preferred. Besides the chocolate
color there are, to those who study various physical characteristics
and slight variations in gait among horses descended from the Tobe
bloodlines that generally are not present in the MPH.
3.) The MPHA registration books are now closed and only offspring of
a registered stallion and registered mare can be submitted for
registration. We have no provision for 'grade mares.'
4.) The MPHA registration process requires that all horses submitted
for permanent registration be videotaped, demonstrating gait and the
Board of Directors of the MPHA must approve each horse.
5.) The MPHA requires that all its horses be blood-type tested by
the University of Kentucky for absolute identification of parentage
before papers are issued.
Generally speaking, MPHA horses tend to be bit larger (taller),
longer bodied and cover more ground with their gait than the horses
from the Tobe/Tuttle bloodlines.
We are proud of the
MPH
genetic heritage that helped produce the horses of the Tobe/Tuttle
bloodlines. We realize that some people may prefer the results and
color of the Tobe/Tuttle influenced horse. But for those who want
the old-fashioned smooth ride and wonderful disposition of over 150
years of Kentucky heritage, backed by the integrity of the
bloodtyping and stringent scrutiny by the MPHA breed registry, we
offer the Mountain Pleasure Horse.
The Kentucky
Mountain Saddle Horse
The Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse Association was developed to
encourage selective breeding in an effort to maintain the much
desired natural, smooth gait and gentle, willing disposition of
these horses. They may be of any color, and can be classified in
class A or B depending on height. They are of good conformation with
well- proportioned bodies, necks, hinds, and legs.
The "saddle" gait is recognized and defined as a natural, distinct,
four-beat gait (i.e. no artificial means used). This gait is smooth,
even and very comfortable to the rider. The horse is expected to
show a quiet disposition, but is alert and willing.
These characteristics make for an excellent trail and all-around
family horse. Having registered the local foundation mountain
horses, the Registry was opened to receive other horses possessing
these traits. The stallion books are now closed but fillies/mares
can still be registered.
Currently, Class A consists of horses from 13.3 H with no upper
limit in height, and Class B consists of horses from 11 H to 13.3 H.
Other than height, both classes A and B, required the same standards
for registration.
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