Though it's generally agreed that the Marwari originates in India, there's not much more known about the ancient history of this magnificent breed. We do know that horses with similar features, specifically the curved ears, appear in cave paintings that were in existence in 2000 BCE in the Rajasthan region of India. Indian warriors, usually referred to as Rajputs, used these horses as cavalry mounts. They have also been used as ceremonial mounts in various parts of the world.
Standing between 14.2 and 16 hands high, the Marwari is an average size horse. Its most amazing feature is clearly the curved ears, though no one really knows why the ears developed this curve. Some horses have ears that actually touch or cross, giving them an even more exotic appearance. But the ears aren't the only impressive feature. They also have gracefully arched necks and are sometimes born with a pacing gait called either the apchal or the revall.
The Marwari is a true desert horse, but it's not exactly like other desert horses. Though not exactly stocky, this breed is certainly heavier than you might expect, almost as heavy as the Spanish horses. They have a similar build to the Kathiawari, though we don't exactly know much about that breed either.
Available in just about any color (except chestnut), the Marwari is used today to pull tourist carts and is also frequently ridden by police and for ceremonial events such as weddings and festivals. For more information on this special breed, visit Horse Marwari.
South Carolina can be boggy and hot and humid and generally unpleasant for people and horses alike. But there is one horse that is uniquely suited to the climate, and that is the Marsh Tacky. Descended from Spanish horses brought to the region in the 1500s, the Marsh Tacky's environment kept it isolated during the breed's formative years. This isolation resulted in a hardy horse well suited to traversing the marshes, swamps, and bogs while withstanding the ever-present heat and humidity.
Its versatility meant it could be used for plowing fields or hunting, ranching or transportation, or anything in between. Later it became a choice mount for soldiers in the area, especially during the American Revolution and the American Civil War. It was even used to patrol the beaches of South Carolina during World War II (WWII). Then, as happened to several other breeds of horse, numbers declined as the automobile and mechanized farm equipment became more popular. By the 1980s, the Marsh Tacky was feared extinct.
Luckily, they weren't, and with the help of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) and the Carolina Marsh Tacky Association (CMTA) the breed has slowly come back from the brink if extinction. But with less than 300 horses left in the world, it is still considered critically endangered.
There are a lot of wonderful things that can be said about the Marsh Tacky. It is gentle, sweet, and calm. It has great stamina, is incredibly strong, and is highly trainable. It's also a lovely companion horse. But probably its most distinctive trait is the Swamp Fox Trot. This is a unique gait that makes traveling over rough terrain a comfortable ride. It's also a gait no other breed has mastered.
The Marsh Tacky has a distinct appearance. With a wide forehead and a flat or slightly convex profile, the Marsh Tacky has a distinguished face. Its ears have a notch or inward point at the tips, the neck is wide, and the withers are pronounced. Not a tall horse, it stands between 13.5 and 15 hands high. Typical colors include bay, black, blue roan, chestnut, dun, grullo, red roan, and sorrel.
Used today for trail and pleasure riding, the Marsh Tacky is also suitable for endurance and competitive trail riding. If you want to get a good look at this breed, consider attending the annual Marsh Tacky races held at Hilton Head in South Carolina.
Bred from horses originally from the Iberian Peninsula, the Mangalarga Marchador is the national horse of Brazil. If there is a foundation stallion of this noble breed, it would have to be Sublime, who himself was a product of horses brought over from Portugal in the early 1800s. Sublime was eventually put to mares from several different breeds already present in Brazil, including Andalusians, Barbs, Criollos, and Spanish Jennets. The resulting offspring, and their offspring, were referred to as Sublime horses, but the name was eventually changed to Mangalarga Marchador. This name was not chosen randomly, but was picked to honor the first hacienda to embrace the breed in Brazil.
In Sao Paolo, the Mangalarga Marchador was crossed with American Saddlebreds, Arabians, and Thoroughbreds to achieve a slightly different look. These horses and their descendants are not Mangalarga Marchadors but rather Mangalarga Paulistas. The original Mangalarga Marchador is still pity and unchanged, and has remained so since the 1800s.
Standing between 14.2 and 16 hands high, the Mangalarga Marchador has a lot in common with a well-bred Barb. They are very upright horses with strong hindquarters and a highly arched neck. The head should have a noble appearance and the ears should have an alert set to them. Being a gaited horse (hence the term 'Marchador'), this breed has two specific gaits. Both gaits are natural and fairly smooth, the marcha picada being a lateral gain and the marcha batida being a more diagonal gait. Picada is usually just a tad smoother, but it can be hard to tell the difference for the inexperienced.
Though this interesting breed can be found in all solid colors, chestnut, gray, and pinto are the most common. Today they can be found participating in many sports, including polo, endurance riding, and jumping. They are also popular for leisure pursuits and can be fun on a trail ride, especially because their gaits are natural ones, meaning all Mangalarga Marchadors can move in at least one of the recognized gaits without having to be taught to do so.
In the US, the US Mangalarga Marchador Association is one of the few associations to truly preserve, regulate, and register these beautiful horses. They work closely with their Brazilian counterparts to ensure the same standards are imposed regardless of where the horse is bred.
