Saddlebred Horse

The American Saddlebred, formerly known as “The American Horse”, dates back to the early 1700’s. The breed came from the cross between the Narragansetts Pacer and Thoroughbreds by plantation owners in Kentucky (Columbia). They carried many desired traits such as: agility, endurance, stamina, and pleasant temperament. These traits made them ideal for going into battle, pulling carriages, and work horses. In fact the Saddlebred was used in the Civil War in taking the generals into battle.

The breed ranges from fifteen to seventeen hands tall and weighs anywhere between 1,000 pounds to 1,200 pounds. They are noted for their well-formed, swanlike neck with aristocratic arch, and uplifted tail (Columbia). The breed may come in any color but the most predominant are chestnut, bay, brown, grey, roan, palomino, and pinto. For registration purposes all colors are accepted, since registration is based on pedigree (ASHA).

Today, the American Saddlebred is best known for being the ultimate show horse. They perform five different gaits: walk, trot, canter, slow gait and rack. Of these five, the slow gait is a mastered task that is always a crowd pleaser. During this gait all feet hit the ground at different intervals and at different beats. The rack is a gait where all four feet hit the ground at equal intervals. The rack is a difficult and acquired gait that the American Saddlebred is known for (ASHA). Other commonly seen show skills are saddle seat riding, dressage, hunter/jumper, and western riding.

Some of the most famous horse television personalities are Saddlebred horses. Mr. Ed, a palomino Saddlebred, from the fifties and sixties. His real name was Bamboo Harvester and was chosen based on the breeds responsiveness and great personality (ASHAA).

Currently, one of the most famous Saddlebred’s is Gold Commander. He is recognized as the number one palomino Saddle/Pleasure Type stallion in the United States in halter and color by the PHBA (Palomino Horse Breeders of America) for 2004 (GASHA).

There are no real breed predilections diseases for the Saddlebred. However, along with all breeds of horses, colic is a predominant disease risk.

Colic affects nearly ten percent of horses on an annual basis making colic a very serious and life threatening condition.

The term colic generally refers to an upset within the abdomen that causes pain that may or may not encompass the gastrointestinal tract. Some of the reasons for colic are pelvic flexure compaction, spasmodic colic, sand impaction, enteroliths, parasitic infections, torsion, and intussusception.

Pelvic flexure compaction colic is where the intestine takes a 180 degree turn and narrows at the colon. This causes food to impact at this site. The most common cause is poor dental health, over-consumption of straw, and box rest horses (Wikipedia). This colic can be treated with medical treatment unless it is severe, then surgery would be needed.

Spasmodic colic is a decrease in peristaltic contractions. This causes gas and pressure to build up within the gastrointestinal tract which can be very painful. Treatment is usually a mixture of spasmolytic and analgesic medications (Wikipedia).

Sand impactions can cause many forms of colic. The sand can cause impactions in the pelvic flexure, right dorsal colon, and cecum creating a blockage in the GI tract. Sand and dirt can also tear away at the lumen of the intestines creating peritonitis and weight down the intestinal loops to where passage of materials becomes impossible. In most cases administering a laxative, like paraffin, can relieve the complications. If there is an overload of sand or dirt in the horse, surgery may be needed. This is