Australian Stock Horse

Other Breeds

Keeshond   |   Palomino   |   Pig – Pot Bellied   |  

Alternative Name

N/A

Basic Info

Stock Horse Type Head: Alert, intelligent head - broad forehead full eye-wide nostril Neck: Good length of rein - well set into shoulders Shoulders: Sloping shoulder - well defined wither slightly higher than croup Chest: Deep - not to wide in proportion Ribs: Well-sprung ribs and strong back of medium length in proportion Legs: Forearms well-developed - cannon bone slightly flat - pasterns not to long and slightly sloping. Quarters: Strong powerful quarters - well-muscled and nicely rounded. Wide and deep in thigh and gaskin. Clean flat bone and clean joints - not meaty and soft. Hind legs well under when standing. Hoofs hard and straight. The whole to be in balance according to size of the horse The Versatile Breed The basic pre-requisites of a high performance horse are a quiet temperament, intelligence and athletic ability. These qualities are essential for a brilliant performance whatever the event. With its versatility, the Australian Stock Horse has achieved outstanding success in a wide variety of sports including campdrafting, show jumping, dressage, eventing, pony club events, polo and polocrosse. CAMPDRAFTING, a truly Australian sport, requires agility, intelligence and strength of both horse and rider. The horse must also have speed and 'cattle sense' which is required when the competitor selects a beast from the 'camp' or yard and separates it from the remaining cattle. After 'cutting-out' the beast, the rider has to work it with his horse around an outside course. DRESSAGE is the most elegant of equine sports. A dressage horse must have intelligence, suppleness, obedience and smoothness of movement to produce a flowing and disciplined performance. POLO and POLOCROSSE require fast, strong horses with stamina and a 'love of the game.' Called ponies in both games, these horses must demonstrate intelligence, agility and control at speed. SHOW JUMPING and EVENTING horses are indeed athletes and need to be obedient, intelligent and bold with obvious strength and soundness. PONY CLUB horses need a quiet temperament, and the ability to perform capably in a variety of events. They need intelligence, athletic ability and the ability to adapt to their rider's standard of horsemanship. The successful performance of the Australian Stock Horse has not only been recognized throughout Australia, but exports to England, America and Asia have given them world-wide recognition

Health

N/A

Habitat

N/A

Behavior

The Australian Stock Horse is intelligent, with courage, toughness and stamina, and has a good temperament

Origin

Australia

History

The Australian Stock Horse evolved through selective breeding in response to the demands of the environment.The history of the breed began with the arrival of the First Fleet which, brought the first horses to Australia in 1788. These were of English Thoroughbred and Spanish stock. Later importations included more Thoroughbreds, Arabs and Timor and Welsh Mountain ponies. All horses sent to the colony needed strength and stamina - not only to survive the long sea journey (which took between nine and twelve months), but also to work in the foreign, untamed environment that had become their home. After the crossing of the Blue Mountains as settlers ventured inland, strong and reliable horses became a necessity. Explorers, stockmen, settlers, bushrangers and troopers all relied on horses that could travel long distances, day after day. Weak horses were culled but the stronger types were used to breed sturdy saddle horses which were essential for the colony's development. Despite the mixed origins of these horses, they developed into a strong and handsome type that was eventually called the Waler after the colony of New South Wales.

Common Foods

grass