Appendix Horse

Appendix Horse

Country of Origin: United States

Just what is an Appendix horse? Is it a Quarter Horse? Can it be registered in the Quarter Horse Registry? Is the Appendix considered a cross breed? Appendix Horses are a cross between a Quarter Horse and a Thoroughbred Horse. For purposes of registry they are under the umbrella of the Quarter Horse Registry called the Appendix. The Appendix has breeding restrictions for the Appendix horse in order for its progeny to be registered Appendix.

"The first Thoroughbred bloodlines brought into the American Quarter Horse Association were not welcomed by all the board members. They decided to bring in Three Bars because he fit the conformation description of a Quarter horse. He was small for a Thoroughbred and met the requirements. His bloodline is used as a foundation bloodline to the Quarter horse.

Three Bars

The American Quarter Horse Association decided to do something to prevent the Thoroughbred bloodlines from diluting the Quarter horse bloodlines. They use the classification of a coded appendix horse. This means the horse is an offspring of a Thoroughbred and Quarter horse cross, once. The horse is issued an 'X' number to their registry. If you ROM (registry of merit) which means the horse runs a 81 speed index or you campaign the horse in the show ring, then you can apply for full Quarter horse papers. Then you can breed this horse to a Thoroughbred or a coded appendix producing once again an appendix coded horse in the American Quarter Horse Association. It's a continuous circle. Many appendix coded quarter horses do not ROM. Thus, they are gelded and sold without papers. Many come off race tracks. These horses in the American Quarter Horse Association are like an orphan stepchild.

So, the word appendix has been around for a long time. The Quarter horse got its name from running the quarter of a mile very fast. The Appendix horse or the Appendix Quarter horse gets its name from being an alternative classification to a well known breed.

The American Appendix Horse Association, is providing a service to the Appendix horse breeders. AAHA is the only registry for the Thoroughbred Quarter horse cross. ...AAHA is set up to make an entity of the Appendix horse." Follow this link for the above quoted information and much more: American Appendix Horse Association

For More Information: