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The history of the Rocky Mountain
Horse from 1890 to the latter part of the 1900s carries little or no
documentation and few facts that can be proven beyond the shadow of doubt.
Everyone who personally witnessed the breed's beginnings (back to the 1800s) is
deceased, and we have been left with only verbal history passed down from
generation to generation. Thus, all that can be recorded at this point in time
are the stories recollected by living descendants. The Rocky
Mountain Horse breed originated in the United States in the late 1800s, in the
foothills of the Appalachian Mountains of eastern Kentucky. At the time of its
beginnings, there was no understanding of the need to document anything about
these horses. The people living in this region were quite unaware that one day
their utility horses would become the foundation of a special breed of horse.
The existence of these horses was practically a secret for many years to all but
the inhabitants of this region. During the late 1800s and early 1900s,
the rural inhabitants of eastern Kentucky considered these saddle horses to be
horses for all seasons. They were sure-footed, easy-gaited, and the mount of
choice for postmen, doctors, and traveling preachers. People used them for
plowing small fields, herding cattle, traveling through the steep and rugged
trails, and driving the buggy to church on Sunday. Horses were not a luxury, but
a necessity. Every horse had to earn its keep and be extremely versatile. It was
not a matter of having horses around to use every once in awhile; these horses
were worked hard, every day. At the end of the day they were exhausted, but
possessed enough stamina to continue on, day after day. The families of eastern Kentucky who
owned these horses were not wealthy and could not afford to spend a lot of money
on the upkeep of their horses. Unlike Kentucky Thoroughbreds that were typically
owned by wealthy people, the gaited horses of eastern Kentucky received no
special care, and as a result most of the weak ones did not survive. These
horses withstood the harsh winters of eastern Kentucky with minimal shelter, and
they were often fed "fodder", a kind of rough silage. Some had to
exist on whatever sustenance they could find. So, like deer, they ate the bark
off trees when they were hungry. Only the horses that survived these extreme
conditions lived to reproduce their kind. The Rocky Mountain Horse Association's
(RMHA) rendition of the history of the breed states there was a gaited colt
brought from the Rocky Mountain region of the United States to the foothills of
the Appalachian Mountains in eastern Kentucky around 1890. He was referred to as
"the Rocky Mountain Horse" by the local Kentucky people because of the
area of the country from which he had come. He is the horse credited for the
start of the Rocky Mountain Horse breed. Little is known about this foundation
stallion, but oral history indicated he was chocolate-colored with flaxen mane
and tail, and he possessed a superior gait. The stallion was bred to the local
Appalachian saddle mares in a relatively small geographical area and the basic
characteristics of a strong genetic line continued. This prized line of horses
increased in numbers as years went by, and these are the horses known today as
Rocky Mountain Horses. Sam Tuttle was the most prominent
breeder of Rocky Mountain Horses for the first three quarters of the twentieth
century. With the advent of better roads and means of travel, the population of
gaited horses in the United States began to decline. The exception was the less
developed area of the Appalachian Mountains. Gaited horses were still needed for
travel where there were no roads, and therefore they were preserved in that
area. Even through the hard times of the
Depression and World War II years, Sam Tuttle kept a sizable herd of thirty to
forty horses on his farm. Sam is considered as the man most responsible for the
survival of the Rocky Mountain Horse. TOBE was the primary Rocky Mountain
stallion used in Sam's breeding program. In the 1950s, many people were selling
their stallions, and the horse population in general was rapidly declining due
to tractors and farm machinery available. Even so, breeders remembered TOBE, and
he was always in demand for stud service. People brought their mares to TOBE
from several different states, and he was as famous in Estill County as MAN O'
WAR was in Lexington, Kentucky. Everyone who rode TOBE fell in love
with him. TOBE's offspring were always in demand, and Sam never had any trouble
selling all the Rocky Mountain Horses he could produce. In the early 1960s, Sam Tuttle managed
the trail riding concession at the Natural Bridge State Park in Powell County,
Kentucky. He had as many as fifty horses there, including TOBE. This stallion
was often seen tied to the hitching post alongside all the mares. He became
quite well known in the ten or so years he was ridden there. Besides breeding,
TOBE was used as a trail horse. He carried Sam, and sometimes the trail guides
who worked for Sam, with sure-footed ease over mountainous terrain for many
years. Although Sam would allow other people to ride TOBE occasionally, it was
always a ride closely supervised. He loved to show off his beloved stallion, but
also kept a close eye on him. Everyone who rode TOBE enjoyed his gentle
temperament and comfortable gait. It amazed people to think the well-mannered
horse they were riding was indeed a breeding stallion. TOBE was used for breeding until July
of his thirty-fourth year, and he passed on his gait, disposition, and other
great qualities to his offspring. It has been said that TOBE's progeny followed
in his "perfectly-timed" footsteps. TOBE fathered many fine horses
before his death at the ripe old age of thirty-seven. One outstanding trait
passed on to his get was longevity, as many of his offspring were still breeding
into their late twenties and early thirties. ***This brief history of the Rocky Mountain Horse® is an excerpt from the book “Rocky Mountain Horses”, to be published in the near future. Courtesy of the author, Bonnie Hodge *** The author has compiled a scrapbook of old photographs of Rocky Mountain Horses and the people who loved them, and she plans to donate it to the RMHA membership after the book is released. This scrapbook as well as original pictures on a computer compact disc is being donated for the purpose of inclusion into the RMHA permanent historical archives, as well as being accessible and "on display" for the enjoyment of current and future members.
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