Florida Cracker Horse
Most people, even in Florida, do not have a very good idea what a Cracker Horse is, yet the Cracker Horse played a big part in Florida's history, particularly in connection to the cattle industry. Owners like to call the Cracker Horse as a heritage horse. The breed has displayed consistent Spanish traits for nearly five hundred years through various circumstances. Florida Cracker Horses are decedents of the first horses to set foot in North America that were originally brought to Florida by the Spanish during the colonial period, when the active cattle industry was founded. Florida cowboys who managed the cows were known as cow hunters and nicknamed "crackers" because of the sound made when the cracked their cow whips in the air. This name was also given to the small, agile Spanish horses they rode extensively to work the cattle.
As early as Columbus's second voyage to the Caribbean in 1493, Spanish horses were brought to the island of Hispaniola(now part of haiti). Here, they formed the basis of the first of the famed Caribbean Islands breeding herds. In fact the first horses to step foot on Florida soil was some of the horses from the islands herds. In 1521, Ponce de león brought some of the horses from the islands on his second trip to Florida. He used them as mounts for ranking members of his party, the expedition's scouts, and those riders who were responsible for herding the livestock that was their food supply. Other conquistadors also brought horses to Florida. In 1528 Pánfilo de Narváez came to Florida with many horses witch he had lost either accidental or deliberately by releasing them. In 1539, Hernando De Soto brought many horses to southeastern Florida to support his search for gold. In 1540, Diego Maldonado brought many cattle for Soto and presumably a sufficient number of horses for herding the cattle to the area of what is now Santa Rose County. It had been presumed that up until this point, all of the horses landing in Florida had come from the Caribbean Islands. In 1559, though, Tristan de Luna brought a great number of horses from Mexico for the purpose of founding a colony in an area that is now Pensacola. His project failed, and once again the livestock was either lost or abounded. The free-roaming Cracker Horses evolved over a long period of time be natural selection. They were molded and tempered by nature and a challenging environment into the horse the ultimately had a large part in the emergence of Florida as a ranching and agriculture state. They were well adapted to the environment and were useful in working the local Spanish-derived Cracker cattle. The horses also played a major role in the Seminole tribe's culture. During the early 1600s, the Spaniards made a modest start of cattle ranching in the Northern Florida, and horse numbers had increased significantly.
Florida Cracker Horses are wonderful little riding horses that have endurance, strength, and an easy ride, traits that have been lost in some other breeds. They have a lot of heart, giving their utmost beyond normal limitations, and do not tire as easily as some other breeds. During the frontier years and on into the mid twentieth century, the Cracker Horse was used for just about anything for which horses were used Pulling wagons, buggies, sleds, plows, and cane mills or taking kids to school, most of all they were appreciated as cow ponies. Today, although still used primarily as cow ponies, they are finding a place in other activities for which horses in Florida are being used, such as team penning, team roping, trial riding, endurance riding, and as mounts for historical reenactments. Like their ancestors, Cracker Horses can stand from 13.2-15 hands high, with short backs, sloping rumps, and other Spanish characteristics. Their weight can range from 750 to 1,000 pounds. They are also known for their unusual strength, endurance, a strong herding instinct, quickness, and a fast walking gait. Though not considered to be a gaited breed, many Crackers do have a single-foot or running walk gait. Cracker Horses can be any color that is common to the horse, however, solid colors and grays are dominant in the Crackers today.
As early as Columbus's second voyage to the Caribbean in 1493, Spanish horses were brought to the island of Hispaniola(now part of haiti). Here, they formed the basis of the first of the famed Caribbean Islands breeding herds. In fact the first horses to step foot on Florida soil was some of the horses from the islands herds. In 1521, Ponce de león brought some of the horses from the islands on his second trip to Florida. He used them as mounts for ranking members of his party, the expedition's scouts, and those riders who were responsible for herding the livestock that was their food supply. Other conquistadors also brought horses to Florida. In 1528 Pánfilo de Narváez came to Florida with many horses witch he had lost either accidental or deliberately by releasing them. In 1539, Hernando De Soto brought many horses to southeastern Florida to support his search for gold. In 1540, Diego Maldonado brought many cattle for Soto and presumably a sufficient number of horses for herding the cattle to the area of what is now Santa Rose County. It had been presumed that up until this point, all of the horses landing in Florida had come from the Caribbean Islands. In 1559, though, Tristan de Luna brought a great number of horses from Mexico for the purpose of founding a colony in an area that is now Pensacola. His project failed, and once again the livestock was either lost or abounded. The free-roaming Cracker Horses evolved over a long period of time be natural selection. They were molded and tempered by nature and a challenging environment into the horse the ultimately had a large part in the emergence of Florida as a ranching and agriculture state. They were well adapted to the environment and were useful in working the local Spanish-derived Cracker cattle. The horses also played a major role in the Seminole tribe's culture. During the early 1600s, the Spaniards made a modest start of cattle ranching in the Northern Florida, and horse numbers had increased significantly.
Florida Cracker Horses are wonderful little riding horses that have endurance, strength, and an easy ride, traits that have been lost in some other breeds. They have a lot of heart, giving their utmost beyond normal limitations, and do not tire as easily as some other breeds. During the frontier years and on into the mid twentieth century, the Cracker Horse was used for just about anything for which horses were used Pulling wagons, buggies, sleds, plows, and cane mills or taking kids to school, most of all they were appreciated as cow ponies. Today, although still used primarily as cow ponies, they are finding a place in other activities for which horses in Florida are being used, such as team penning, team roping, trial riding, endurance riding, and as mounts for historical reenactments. Like their ancestors, Cracker Horses can stand from 13.2-15 hands high, with short backs, sloping rumps, and other Spanish characteristics. Their weight can range from 750 to 1,000 pounds. They are also known for their unusual strength, endurance, a strong herding instinct, quickness, and a fast walking gait. Though not considered to be a gaited breed, many Crackers do have a single-foot or running walk gait. Cracker Horses can be any color that is common to the horse, however, solid colors and grays are dominant in the Crackers today.