Horses of the Old West-The Palomino

 

The palomino is one of the most famous horses in the West. Roy Roger’s Trigger catapulted this horse to fame in the popular Roy Roger’s television series back in the fifties that ran from 1951-1957. The horse was nearly as popular as Roger’s himself. Trigger was part thoroughbred and very smart.  His original name was Golden Cloud. After riding him, Roger’s liked him so much he purchased him for $2500 and paid off the bill in installments. He considered it the best $2500 he’d ever spent. For dangerous stunts, Trigger had stunt horses that filled in for him. He knew over a hundred tricks and could walk nearly fifty feet on his hind legs. He was referred to as the smartest horse in movies. Trigger lived to be thirty years old. Roy loved him so much that when Trigger died, he had him stuffed and mounted.

The television show Mr. Ed also starred a palomino. AND Elvis Presley had a palomino named Rising Sun. Queen Isabella of Spain had hundreds of palominos.

 

Like the piebald, the palomino is not a breed but a color.  The color is golden or yellow and they have white manes and tails. Even though palominos can be any breed, most are quarter horses.

On the whole these horses have great temperaments and are good-sized animals that weigh at least a thousand pounds.

Because of their temperament they are good family horses, easily trained and loyal.

 

Palominos fall into four colors: golden—the best known and most popular—, chocolate and pearl—both  uncommon—and light palomino. Their coat colors can be affected by diet and the seasons.

They also live a few years longer than the average horse. In some cases they can live up to thirty-five years.

All in all, a definite keeper in the horse world. 

 

*Two of my heroines think so too, Gwen Slade of GwenSlade, Bounty Hunter and Abigail Jennings of Montana Shootists.

 Got a favorite in the horse world? What’s your thoughts on palominos?

Horses of the American West

 

A cowboy’s life on the range wasn’t easy. Without his horse it would have been impossible, making stealing a man’s mount a hanging offense.Many of the cowboys’ horses came from captured mustangs which made up a large portion of the remuda on cattle drives. Half-broke, half-wild, the mustangs were small, fast and sturdy. 

Also popular among cowboys were American Quarter Horses. They were highly prized for their intelligence, calm dispositions, speed and sturdy bodies. Besides working cattle, these equines were also used to pull wagons. 

While a cowboy’s life wasn’t easy, neither was the life of his horse. The horses had to depend on what the prairie offered for their food and water. Oats were used occasionally as a treat but not a staple.

Horses in the Wild West dated back to the 1500s when they were brought over by the Spaniards. Notably the Palomino; the buckskin which would later become a cowboy favorite; and the appaloosa.

     When the Spaniards left, the horses survived and thrived because of the Native Americans who cared for them and bred them, finding their lives suddenly much easier because of the horses. They used them for traveling, hunting and to move their portable lodges, previously dragged by dogs, whenever they relocated. 

The Native Americans became exceptional horse men. The Nez Perce known for their Appaloosas, their horses of choice.

Pony Express riders favored Morgans. These equines were also used by the cavalry during the civil war. They’re a smaller horse, hard-working and friendly.

These diverse breeds helped men shape the West as we know it. Where would cowboys and/or Native Americans have been without these magnificent companions? Can you imagine a cowboy without his horse or for that matter a world without horses in it? I can’t.

 

For more cowboy trivia: https://www.cowboytrivia.blogspot.com.

 

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