by Holle Abee

Created on: July 12, 2009   Last Updated: July 13, 2009

The horse known as the Tiger Horse is a very old breed and the ancestor of several modern breeds, including the Appaloosa and the Knabstrupper. Its history and origins are often debated. Some believe the horses originated in the area of modern-day China and Siberia and got their name because they were often used as courageous mounts for tiger hunting. Other equine experts, however, claim the breed developed in Spain and was referred to as "tiger" because of its mottled coat. The Spanish language had no word for "leopard," which would more aptly describe the horse's spots, so "tiger" was as close as they could come.

Regardless of its place of origin, we know for a fact the breed was in Spain by the 1500s. They were very popular with the Spanish nobility because of their colorful coat patterns and their easy, fluid four-beat fourth gait. Historical records from 1593 describe how the Spanish king's horse trainer placed the breed at the top of his personal list of superior equines, noting their bravery, their conformation, and their disposition.

By the early eighteenth century, spotted horses were losing popularity in Europe as horses with solid colored coats of bay and chestnut gained favor. So when explorers left for the New World, they took many of the unwanted spotted horses with them. Eventually, some of these steeds wound up with the Western tribes of the American Indians. The Native Americans loved the colorful animals, and one tribe, the Nez Perce, took a special interest in them. This tribe was one of the first to use selective breeding practices in order to keep the desirable traits of the foundation Tiger Horses. They bred only the best stallions, gelding or trading the rest.

The Nez Perce and Chief Joseph made these horses famous in their ongoing battle with the army. The Tiger Horses outran, outlasted, and outmaneuvered the prized horses of the white soldiers over hundreds of miles of rugged, rocky terrain, and they did it on less food and less water. The Indian ponies also had the disadvantage of traveling with women and children instead of a soldiers-only group.

When Chief Joseph and his band were finally defeated by the US Cavalry and placed on reservations, their beloved horses were scattered into obscurity. Some ended up in the hands of ranchers and farmers who crossed the spotted ponies with stock horses, Arabians, and other breeds. Unfortunately, the natural fourth gait was lost in most of the resulting offspring. There were, however, a

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