Rocky Mountain Horse History

According to legend, in the late 19th century a gaited stallion was brought from the Rocky Mountains to Eastern Kentucky. The local people called him "the Rocky Mountain Horse". He is said to have been chocolate-colored with flaxen mane and tail, and to have a superior four-beat gait. This stallion was bred to local gaited Appalachian mares, producing a strong genetic line of gaited horses. He was the foundation stallion of the Rocky Mountain Horse breed and the source of the breed's name.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Appalachian folk found theses horses to be very versatile. They were sure-footed, easy-gaited, and were prized by traveling tradesmen, professionals and farmers alike. The horses were used for plowing fields, herding cattle, hauling buggies and negotiating steep, rugged trails. Horses were not a luxury for the Appalachian people but a necessity. The horses were worked very hard, every day and needed a lot of stamina. Unlike Thoroughbreds that were typically owned by wealthy people, the gaited horses of eastern Kentucky belonged mainly to poor folk. The horses received no special care and lived a life that weak horses could not endure. Living through harsh winters with minimal shelter, the horses often had to exist on whatever sustenance they could find for themselves. Only the strongest horses survived these extreme conditions and lived to reproduce.

For the first three quarters of the twentieth century Sam Tuttle was the most prominent breeder of Rocky Mountain Horses and is considered to be the man most responsible for the survival of the breed. A stallion called Tobe was the mainstay of Tuttle's breeding program. In the 1950s, when horses were being replaced by farm machinery and their population was declining, Tobe was still in demand for stud service. People from several different states, brought their mares to Tobe and his offspring were always in demand. Sam Tuttle also managed a trail riding concession at the Natural Bridge State Park. During the 1960’s, Tuttle had as many as fifty horses at the park, including Tobe, who was used as one of the trail horses. For many years, Tobe carried Sam, and other trail guides over mountainous terrain, with sure-footed ease. All who rode Tobe enjoyed his smooth gait and gentle temperament and found it hard to believe that he was also a breeding stallion. Tobe could often be seen tied to the hitching post alongside mares. Tobe continued in Tuttle’s breeding program until July of his thirty-fourth year, passing on his disposition, gait, and color to his descendents. When Tobe finally died he was 37 years old, leaving us a legacy of wonderful gaited offspring. His longevity was also passed on and many of his offspring have continued breeding into their late twenties and early thirties.

In 1986, the founders of the Rocky Mountain Horse Association became concerned that unless something was done, this great breed may disappear. The Rocky Mountain Horse Association was started and a registry set up, to preserve the breed. Among the strict registry requirements are a good temperament and a natural four-beat gait, with no evidence of pacing. When the horse is moving you should be able to count four distinct, evenly spaced, hoof beats. This is a natural gait, present at birth and does not require any special training devices. At the time the registry was formed, there were five of Tobe's sons still living. Today's Rocky Mountain Horses trace their heritage back to Tobe via one or more of these five stallions.