Nez Perce Horse
Encyclopedia
The Nez Perce Horse is a spotted horse breed of the Nez Perce tribe of Idaho. The Nez Perce Horse Registry (NPHR) program began in 1995 in Lapwai, Idaho
and is based on cross-breeding the old-line Appaloosa
horses (the Wallowa herd) with an ancient Central Asia
n breed called Akhal-Teke
. This program seeks to re-establish the horse culture of the Nez Perce, a tradition of selective breeding of Appaloosa horses and horsemanship that was destroyed in the 19th century. The breeding program was financed by the United States Department of Health and Human Services
, the Nez Perce tribe and a nonprofit group
called the First Nations Development Institute, which promotes such businesses.
The Nez Perce Horse is "fit to carry the Nez Perce name," according to Rudy Shebala, director of the Tribe’s Horse Registry and the Nez Perce Young Horsemen program.
The Akhal-Teke is an ancient breed that originated in Turkmenistan
(near Afghanistan
). They are known for their superb endurance and "metallic" coats. The Akhal-Teke coat colors
commonly include duns
, palomino
s, buckskins, and dark bays. A typical Nez Perce Horse is a buckskin or palomino with Appaloosa characteristics—mottled skin with a spotted coat
or a blanket.
The Nez Perce Horse's conformation
is longer and leaner than the Quarter Horses
or other stock horses of the Western U.S., with narrower shoulders and hindquarters, a longer back, and a lean runner's appearance. They excel at long rides and compete well in endurance races; they're also excellent jumpers. The Nez Perce Horses are often "gaited," with a fast and smooth running walk.
The Nez Perce say that the horse has attitude—they "allow" people to ride them! The Nez Perce people are historically known for their selective horse breeding practices, according to NPHR breeders Jon and Rosa Yearout. "We strive to follow the lead of our ancestors and carry on their legacy and traditions."
Lapwai, Idaho
Lapwai is a city in Nez Perce County, Idaho, United States. The population was 1,137 at the 2010 census. It is the seat of government of the Nez Perce Indian Reservation.Lapwai is part of the Lewiston, ID-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
and is based on cross-breeding the old-line Appaloosa
Appaloosa
The Appaloosa is a horse breed best known for its colorful leopard-spotted coat pattern. There is a wide range of body types within the breed, stemming from the influence of multiple breeds of horses throughout its history. Each horse's color pattern is genetically the result of various spotting...
horses (the Wallowa herd) with an ancient Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
n breed called Akhal-Teke
Akhal-Teke
The Akhal-Teke is a horse breed from Turkmenistan, where they are a national emblem. They are noted for their speed and for endurance on long marches. These "golden-horses" are adapted to severe climatic conditions and are thought to be one of the oldest surviving horse breeds...
. This program seeks to re-establish the horse culture of the Nez Perce, a tradition of selective breeding of Appaloosa horses and horsemanship that was destroyed in the 19th century. The breeding program was financed by the United States Department of Health and Human Services
United States Department of Health and Human Services
The United States Department of Health and Human Services is a Cabinet department of the United States government with the goal of protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. Its motto is "Improving the health, safety, and well-being of America"...
, the Nez Perce tribe and a nonprofit group
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
called the First Nations Development Institute, which promotes such businesses.
The Nez Perce Horse is "fit to carry the Nez Perce name," according to Rudy Shebala, director of the Tribe’s Horse Registry and the Nez Perce Young Horsemen program.
The Akhal-Teke is an ancient breed that originated in Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states...
(near Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
). They are known for their superb endurance and "metallic" coats. The Akhal-Teke coat colors
Equine coat color
Horses exhibit a diverse array of coat colors and distinctive markings. A specialized vocabulary has evolved to describe them.While most horses remain the same color throughout life, a few, over the course of several years, will develop a different coat color from that with which they were born...
commonly include duns
Dun gene
The dun gene is a dilution gene that affects both red and black pigments in the coat color of a horse. The dun gene has the ability to affect the appearance of all black, bay, or chestnut -based horses to some degree by lightening the base body coat and suppressing the underlying base color to the...
, palomino
Palomino
Palomino is a coat color in horses, consisting of a gold coat and white mane and tail. Genetically, the palomino color is created by a single allele of a dilution gene called the cream gene working on a "red" base coat...
s, buckskins, and dark bays. A typical Nez Perce Horse is a buckskin or palomino with Appaloosa characteristics—mottled skin with a spotted coat
Leopard (pattern)
Leopard is a term used to describe a spotted color pattern, particularly in the hair coat or skin of animals, but also used to describe spotting patterns in plants and fabrics...
or a blanket.
The Nez Perce Horse's conformation
Equine conformation
Equine conformation evaluates the degree of correctness of a horse's bone structure, musculature, and its body proportions in relation to each other. Undesirable conformation can limit the ability to perform a specific task. Although there are several universal "faults," a horse's conformation is...
is longer and leaner than the Quarter Horses
American Quarter Horse
The American Quarter Horse is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name came from its ability to outdistance other breeds of horses in races of a quarter mile or less; some individuals have been clocked at speeds up to 55 mph...
or other stock horses of the Western U.S., with narrower shoulders and hindquarters, a longer back, and a lean runner's appearance. They excel at long rides and compete well in endurance races; they're also excellent jumpers. The Nez Perce Horses are often "gaited," with a fast and smooth running walk.
The Nez Perce say that the horse has attitude—they "allow" people to ride them! The Nez Perce people are historically known for their selective horse breeding practices, according to NPHR breeders Jon and Rosa Yearout. "We strive to follow the lead of our ancestors and carry on their legacy and traditions."