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A horse named America

The Horse America Made!

The American Saddlebred is a partner, performer, and the ideal horse for every job! A friendly companion, American Saddlebreds form strong bonds with their people and always aim to please. Their bravery, confidence and personality sets them apart in the show ring and in the stable.

American Saddlebreds are easy to spot with their commanding presence, large expressive eyes, and graceful ears that are alert and forward. The ideal American Saddlebred is well-proportioned and presents a beautiful overall picture. American Saddlebreds are patient and forgiving partners, ideal for beginners, children and amateurs.

Saddlebreds typically stand between 15.1 and 16.3 hands in height and can be of any color ranging from black, bay, grey, and chestnut to palomino and pinto.

As a trotting breed, all American Saddlebreds perform three standard gaits: walk, trot, and canter. The breed standard for movement should be fluid and animated, with clear balance and cadence.

Some American Saddlebreds have the ability to be trained to perform two additional gaits exhibited in the five-gaited division. The slow gait and rack are both a four-beat gaits with each of the horse's hooves striking the ground separately. These gaits, like the breed’s walk, trot and canter, should be fluid, animated and balanced.

Breed Standard

The breed standard, as created by the Association and listed in the USEF Rulebook under SB102 and SB103 is as follows:

  1. The American Saddlebred is the epitome of the show horse. It carries itself with an attitude that is elusive of description—some call it “class”, presence, quality, style, or charm. This superior air distinguishes its every movement.
  2. The ideal American Saddlebred is well-proportioned and presents a beautiful overall picture. The animal should be in good flesh, with good muscle tone and a smooth, glossy coat. Masculinity in stallions and femininity in mares are important and should be taken into consideration. The average height is 15 to 16 hands and the weight 1,000-1,200 pounds. Any color is acceptable; the most prominent are chestnut, bay, brown and black with some gray, roan, Palomino and Pinto. HEAD—well-shaped with large, wide-set expressive eyes, gracefully shaped ears set close together on top of the head and carried alertly; a straight face line with a relatively fine muzzle and large nostrils and a clean and smooth jaw line. NECK—long, arched and well-flexed at the poll with a fine, clean throatlatch. WITHERS - well defined and prominent. SHOULDERS—deep and sloping. BACK—strong and level with well sprung ribs. CROUP—level with a well carried tail coming out high. TAIL - carried proudly, coming out high from the croup. LEGS—The front leg should set well forward under the shoulder. The line of the hind leg, in a natural stance, should be vertical from the point of the buttock to the back edge of the cannon bone. The forearms and hindquarters are well muscled to the knees and hocks. Legs are straight with broad flat bones, sharply defined tendons and sloping pasterns. HOOVES—good and sound, open at the heel, neither toed in or toed out. TO BE PENALIZED: lack of American Saddlebred type, coarse or plain head, roman nose, round jaws, lop ears, wide ears, small eyes (pig eyes), short neck, straight neck, ewe neck, thick throatlatch, flat withers, sway-back, roached back, crooked tail, hollow chest, straight shoulders, crooked legs, calved knees, over at the knee, bow legs, rough joints, round bones, straight pasterns, splay feet or pigeon toes, contracted heels, base stance too wide or too narrow, sickle hocks, cow hocks, dished feet, lack of muscle tone, thinness, obesity, rough coat or overall lack of conditioning. These and any other defects attributable to heredity must be penalized. With the natural variations of type within the breed, some horses do not conform to the ideal but are perfectly suitable for various kinds of competition. If they meet all other requirements for a particular event, they should not be penalized too severely, except in stripped classes, Harness classes and In-Hand classes where extremely low backed horses must be severely penalized.
  3. The Half American Saddlebred offers characteristics similar to its Saddlebred parent – smooth gaits, willingness to work with people, intelligence and versatility. Half American Saddlebreds may be of any size and may show characteristics of any other breed. HEAD – should be attractive with wide-set expressive eyes. NECK – flexed at the poll with a fine clean throatlatch. WITHERS – well defined. BACK – strong and level. LEGS – true and straight forward action, neither toe in or toe out. FEET – well conformed.

General, Soundness, and Welfare

  1. The American Saddlebred and Half American Saddlebred have clean, rhythmic and fluid action which is straight and true. Winging, interfering, traveling wide behind, mixing of gaits and loss of form are undesirable.