Tiger Horse
Encyclopedia
Tiger horses are gaited
, spotted
horses with a coat color
much like the Appaloosa
. The tiger horse can exhibit various ambling
gaits
including various lateral gaits called the "Glider Gait" or Indian shuffle, stepping pace, and running walk, as well as the diagonal Fox Trot. Registered horses must exhibit gaits without artificial aids and while flat-shod.
even within these two types. The Tiger Horse may have a straight or convex profile. Breeders are striving for the predominance of the convex profile as it reflects the Spanish ancestry
of the breed. They have a large, eye which is well-placed on the head. Stallions have pert, forward-pointed ears while those of a mare are usually longer. The necks are arched and substantial and the chest is well-developed. Although the refinement of the legs and bone range throughout the breed, they should be clean-boned and have average sized hooves
. The mane and tail may be full or sparse. Tiger Horses may show the leopard complex
traits, including a white sclera
and striped hooves. They come in all base coat colors
and often display the leopard pattern of an Appaloosa
. Solid colors and solid-colored hooves are also accepted if the horse fits the Tiger Horse profile and has two registered parents. Markings
such as socks are acceptable but not preferable, as they may be indicators of splashed white
or sabino
genes. Both types are have an average height of or more, although Heavenly types may be or more.
The Royalty type exhibit a strong ambling
gait such as the Running Walk. They may have a lower set tail, upright pasterns, and straighter shoulder. They more closely resemble the ancient Chinese Soulon Type or Iberian horse. They have uphill movement and a straight way of going. Royalty horses have an arched neck bending at the second vertebrae, moderate to high withers
, and a moderate length back. They are popular for trail riding
.
The Heavenly type may not be fully gaited, although they often exhibit the Glide or "Indian Shuffle." They are often more heavily muscled and taller, resembling a larger version of the Royalty type. They have more angled pasterns and shoulders and more closely resemble warmblood
horses. They are suitable for dressage, cross-country, and hunter jumper events. According to the Tiger Horse Association, "breeders are advised to use only the exceptional Gliders in future breeding experiments, and only with Royalty horses." As of 2011, Heavenly types exhibiting glider gaits will only be registered if one parent is a registered Royalty type.
, so they called all cats with leopard-like markings, as well as tiger markings, simply tigers. The tiger horse is the ancestor of the Appaloosa
, the Knabstrupper, and the Noriker horse
breeds. Iberian
breeders bred horses from northern climates, the Orient, and North Africa, including the Chinese Soulon Type.
In 1992, Mark and Victoria Varley began a breeding program to recreate "El Caballo Tigre," the spotted gaited horse that had been brought to America from Spain in the 16th century They began breeding certain Appaloosa
horses with non-spotted, gaited types. In 2010 it was recognized how closely some of these horses were to the ancient Soulon Type. According to the Tiger Horse Association, "The Soulon's pheno-type is the ultimate profile for our modern day Tiger Horse Breed." The Soulon is the ancestor of the Tiger Horse, bred in China during the T'Ang Dynasty around 618 AD. The Soulon emerged after Chinese breeders crossed heavy draft horses with lighter horses from the west to create large, fast, ridable horses. On January 1, 2011, The Soulon Tiger Horse Registry was created to promote this type and to award Registered Tiger Horses exhibiting the Soulon Type with the Soulon Seal of Approval.
Ambling
The term amble or ambling is used to describe a number of four-beat intermediate gaits of horses. All are faster than a walk but usually slower than a canter or gallop...
, spotted
Leopard complex
The leopard complex is a group of genetically-related coat patterns in horses. These patterns range from progressive increases in interspersed white hair similar to graying or roan to distinctive, Dalmatian-like leopard spots on a white coat. Secondary characteristics associated with the leopard...
horses with a coat color
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...
much like the 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...
. The tiger horse can exhibit various ambling
Ambling
The term amble or ambling is used to describe a number of four-beat intermediate gaits of horses. All are faster than a walk but usually slower than a canter or gallop...
gaits
Horse gait
Horse gaits are the various ways in which a horse can move, either naturally or as a result of specialized training by humans.-Classification:...
including various lateral gaits called the "Glider Gait" or Indian shuffle, stepping pace, and running walk, as well as the diagonal Fox Trot. Registered horses must exhibit gaits without artificial aids and while flat-shod.
Characteristics
There are two types of Tiger Horse, the "Heavenly Type" and the "Royalty Type." Because the Tiger Horse breed is still in development, there are variations in conformationEquine 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...
even within these two types. The Tiger Horse may have a straight or convex profile. Breeders are striving for the predominance of the convex profile as it reflects the Spanish ancestry
Iberian horse
The Iberian horse is a title given to a number of horse breeds native to the Iberian peninsula. At present, 17 horse breeds are recognized by FAO as characteristic of the Iberian Peninsula....
of the breed. They have a large, eye which is well-placed on the head. Stallions have pert, forward-pointed ears while those of a mare are usually longer. The necks are arched and substantial and the chest is well-developed. Although the refinement of the legs and bone range throughout the breed, they should be clean-boned and have average sized hooves
Horse hoof
A horse hoof is a structure surrounding the distal phalanx of the 3rd digit of each of the four limbs of Equus species, which is covered by complex soft tissue and keratinised structures...
. The mane and tail may be full or sparse. Tiger Horses may show the leopard complex
Leopard complex
The leopard complex is a group of genetically-related coat patterns in horses. These patterns range from progressive increases in interspersed white hair similar to graying or roan to distinctive, Dalmatian-like leopard spots on a white coat. Secondary characteristics associated with the leopard...
traits, including a white sclera
Sclera
The sclera , also known as the white or white of the eye, is the opaque , fibrous, protective, outer layer of the eye containing collagen and elastic fiber. In the development of the embryo, the sclera is derived from the neural crest...
and striped hooves. They come in all base 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...
and often display the leopard pattern of an 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...
. Solid colors and solid-colored hooves are also accepted if the horse fits the Tiger Horse profile and has two registered parents. Markings
Horse markings
Markings on horses usually are distinctive white areas on an otherwise dark base coat color. Most horses have some markings, and they help to identify the horse as a unique individual. Markings are present at birth and do not change over the course of the horse's life...
such as socks are acceptable but not preferable, as they may be indicators of splashed white
Splashed white
Splashed white or splash is a horse coat color pattern that produces pink-skinned, white markings. Many splashed whites have very modest markings, while others have the distinctive "dipped in white paint" pattern. Blue eyes are a hallmark of the pattern, and splash may account for otherwise "solid"...
or sabino
Sabino horse
Sabino is a group of white spotting patterns in horses that affect the skin and hair. A wide variety of irregular color patterns are accepted as sabino. In the strictest sense, "sabino" refers to the white patterns produced by the Sabino 1 gene, for which there is a DNA test...
genes. Both types are have an average height of or more, although Heavenly types may be or more.
The Royalty type exhibit a strong ambling
Ambling
The term amble or ambling is used to describe a number of four-beat intermediate gaits of horses. All are faster than a walk but usually slower than a canter or gallop...
gait such as the Running Walk. They may have a lower set tail, upright pasterns, and straighter shoulder. They more closely resemble the ancient Chinese Soulon Type or Iberian horse. They have uphill movement and a straight way of going. Royalty horses have an arched neck bending at the second vertebrae, moderate to high withers
Withers
The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of a four-legged animal. In many species it is the tallest point of the body, and in horses and dogs it is the standard place to measure the animal's height .-Horses:The withers in horses are formed by the dorsal spinal processes of roughly the...
, and a moderate length back. They are popular for trail riding
Trail riding
Trail riding sometimes called horse or pony trekking is riding outdoors on natural trails and roads as opposed to riding in an enclosed area such as a riding arena. The term may encompass those who travel on horses, on mountain bikes, or on motorcycles and other motorized all-terrain vehicles...
.
The Heavenly type may not be fully gaited, although they often exhibit the Glide or "Indian Shuffle." They are often more heavily muscled and taller, resembling a larger version of the Royalty type. They have more angled pasterns and shoulders and more closely resemble warmblood
Warmblood
Warmbloods are a group of middle-weight horse types and breeds, primarily originating in Europe, registered with organizations that are characterized by open studbook policy, studbook selection, and the aim of breeding for equestrian sport...
horses. They are suitable for dressage, cross-country, and hunter jumper events. According to the Tiger Horse Association, "breeders are advised to use only the exceptional Gliders in future breeding experiments, and only with Royalty horses." As of 2011, Heavenly types exhibiting glider gaits will only be registered if one parent is a registered Royalty type.
History
The Spanish had no word for leopardLeopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
, so they called all cats with leopard-like markings, as well as tiger markings, simply tigers. The tiger horse is the ancestor of the 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...
, the Knabstrupper, and the Noriker horse
Noriker horse
The Noriker horse, also called the Norico-Pinzgauer and historically known as the Pinzgauer horse, is a moderately heavy Austrian draught horse breed. The Noriker is considered indigenous to the central Alpine region of Europe, and is believed to have originated around the highest mountain of...
breeds. Iberian
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
breeders bred horses from northern climates, the Orient, and North Africa, including the Chinese Soulon Type.
In 1992, Mark and Victoria Varley began a breeding program to recreate "El Caballo Tigre," the spotted gaited horse that had been brought to America from Spain in the 16th century They began breeding certain 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 with non-spotted, gaited types. In 2010 it was recognized how closely some of these horses were to the ancient Soulon Type. According to the Tiger Horse Association, "The Soulon's pheno-type is the ultimate profile for our modern day Tiger Horse Breed." The Soulon is the ancestor of the Tiger Horse, bred in China during the T'Ang Dynasty around 618 AD. The Soulon emerged after Chinese breeders crossed heavy draft horses with lighter horses from the west to create large, fast, ridable horses. On January 1, 2011, The Soulon Tiger Horse Registry was created to promote this type and to award Registered Tiger Horses exhibiting the Soulon Type with the Soulon Seal of Approval.