Appaloosas roamed the Americas during the 19th century. The Nez Perce Indians knew these horses well, and the horses were central to the Nez Perce Tribe. These Appaloosas were highly athletic, elegant, and prized by the Nez Perce. They carried entire tribes great distances and helped the Nez Perce hunt and survive. However, the horses were taken away by the U.S. Cavalry at the Nez Perce’s 1877 final surrender to the Cavalry’s advances.

That original breed and its characteristics have long been lost. The Nez Perce Appaloosa horses were bred with many other breeds, creating the Appaloosa of today. Today’s Appaloosa is wildly different from the Nez Perce Appaloosa; it is much sturdier and broader, lacking the refined appearance of the Nez Perce Appaloosa.

However, through the Nez Perce Tribe’s efforts, the Nez Perce Horse is being developed once again. The Nez Perce Tribe began a breeding program in Idaho in 1995. By breeding four Akhal-Teke stallions to 33 Appaloosa mares, the Nez Perce Tribe’s breeding program began its attempt to produce horses resembling the original Nez Perce Appaloosa. The Akhal-Teke's more refined and elegant appearance, combined with the distinctive coat pattern and strength of the Appaloosa, produce a beautiful horse reminiscent of those ridden by the Nez Perce in the 1800s.

The Nez Perce tribe has created an official handbook – the Nez Perce Horse Registry – to govern the breeding of these Nez Perce horses. According to the handbook, any Appaloosa bloodlines may be used, but only horses bred by the Nez Perce tribe using one of the tribe’s Akhal-Teke stallions may be registered as a Nez Perce Horse.

The Nez Perce Horses produced by this breeding program have a finer conformation than the typical build of a Quarter Horse or Appaloosa. The Nez Perce Horse has a long back and a lean, light, athletic build. This build makes the horses excellent distance and sport horses - they are talented jumpers and endurance mounts.

As the breeding program continues, the Nez Perce are likely to further refine and develop the Nez Perce Horse. The breeding program is deliberate and carefully monitored, with the ultimate goal being to produce a quality horse closely resembling those horses that were lost long ago. While many breeds of horses have been lost through crossbreeding and lack of interest, the Nez Perce Horse is one fascinating example of where we may see a very similar breed emerge again.

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/nuriaijoancarles/380717599

Original Source: The Nez Perce Horse

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