The American Saddlebred is a gaited light horse developed in the American South, descended from crosses of the Narragansett Pacer and the Thoroughbred made by colonial breeders in the 1700s. Morgan blood was added in the 1800s to fix the breed’s athleticism and endurance. The result was registered under the name Kentucky Saddler before the breed’s modern designation took hold; the American Saddlebred Horse Association, founded in 1891, is the oldest breed registry in the United States.
The breed stands 15 to 16 hands (60 to 64 inches) and weighs 1,000 to 1,200 pounds. Common colors are bay, chestnut, black, and brown; grey and roan occur. Conformation is distinctive: long arched neck, prominent high-set withers, short muscular back, high-set tail carried straight. The breed’s movement is its defining trait — a naturally smooth, ground-covering walk and trot, and in trained show horses a learned slow gait and rack that are distinct lateral four-beat movements.
American Saddlebreds compete in saddle seat equitation and five-gaited and three-gaited show classes. They have also served as plantation horses, parade horses, and military officer mounts — General William T. Sherman’s horse Cincinnati was a Saddlebred. The breed is tractable and willing, which makes it accessible beyond the show ring; it is used in pleasure riding, driving, and trail work. The animated carriage and natural showmanship that draw admirers to the breed make it one of the most visually recognizable horses in the show ring.
Further reading: American Saddlebred on Wikipedia; breed history and standard at the American Saddlebred Horse Association.