Florida Cracker Horse

The Florida Cracker Horse has very old roots but has only had its own registry since 1989. They were descendants of the original Spanish horses which were taken to the Florida area as long ago as the 1500s by the spanish conquiatadores. The value of the Spanish horse was quickly realised and by the mid-1600s they were being bred for working on the land and for use in the cattle ranches. The Florida Cracker Horse is a mixture of those early Iberian horses from Spain, as well as the Spanish Sorraia, Spanish Jennet, Barb, and Andalusian. They have similar charachteristics to other breeds largely based on the Spanish horse, such as the Criollo and Paso Fino, but have also developed their own traits.

The Indians were some of the first people to really utilise the Florida Cracker Horse and then later the early ranchers used them for working cattle. They have a natural 'cow sense' and their toughness and stamina made them excellent for all the ranch work. They were used for all purposes from riding to hauling loads, working the land and drawing the early buggies. These horses became the favourite mount for the early cowboys, having a tremendous turn of speed, and being able to carry large men all day, in spite of their diminutive size. The Florida Cracker Horse derived its name from the cowboys called Crackers, who used loud, cracking whips to herd their wild-natured Spanish cows. They are also known as the Seminole Pony, Chickasaw Pony, Florida Horse, and Florida Cow Pony, and they are considered to be an important part of Floridas cultural heritage but sadly, over the years, their numbers have drastically reduced. With the formation of the breed society it is hoped that the breed will be preserved.

In appearance, the Florida Cracker Horse, is a small horse, standing between 14hh and 15hh, and weigh from seven hundred fifty to over nine hundred pounds and clearly show its Spanish ancestry. They have a Spanish-type head with a straight, or convex profile, a muscular neck, and a good shoulder. They are wide and deep through the chest and have sloping quarters with quite a low-set tail. Generally they have good temperaments are especially prized for their incredible stamina and are also very fast; many of them retain a running walk. They are known for their unusual strength and endurance, herding instinct, quickness and fast walking gait. A good percentage of them have a running walk and some have a single-foot gait which, in true Cracker dialect, is often referred to as a "Coon Rack." Cracker Horse colors are any color common to the horse, however, solid colors, roans and grays are predominant.


Written by Salina Covich. - 2004 (c)

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