WINDY ROCK FARM

THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN BREED

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HORSES originated in the hills of Eastern Kentucky and were used daily for both work and pleasure. They were known to be small statured, gentle, and willing . Most Rocky Mountain Horses trace their ancestry back to a stallion named Tobe who was owned by Sam Tuttle and used by Tuttle to run the concessions at Natural Bridge State Park, KY. Tobe produced 5 offspring that are the foundation stallions of the Rocky Mountain breed: Sewell's Sam, Kilburn's Chocolate Sundown, Yankee, Maple's Squirrel, and Sam Clemon's Tim.

The signature color of the ROCKY MOUNTAIN HORSE is chocolate with a flax mane and tail (below), however Rockies come in all colors, including bay, black, palomino, sorrel, and buckskin.

The chocolate color is a genetically black horse with the silver dapple gene creating the dark chocolate color. The manes and tails can range from white to a mixed chocolate and flax.

Another unique color to the Rocky Mountain breed is "red chocolate", which is actually a bay with a silver dapple gene, creating brown, rather than black legs and points with a flax mane and tail, as in the picture below.

ROCKIES were gathered under one registry in 1986 when breeding was monitored and guidelines determined to protect and preserve the breed and prevent extinction. Prior to the registry, just a few hundred horses existed. Today, because of RM breeder's care and concern, there are over 16,000 horses registered. To maintain the norms of the breed, all horses must be certified before they are shown or bred and before they are permanently registered.

IN ORDER TO BE CERTIFIED THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HORSES MUST:

BE OF A SOLID BODY COLOR
WHITE MUST BE BELOW THE KNEES, AND ON THE FACE, WHITE IS LIMITED TO A BLAZE OR STRIPE (NO BALD FACES)
BE BETWEEN 14H AND 15.3H
DEMONSTRATE AN EVEN 4-BEAT GAIT
DISPLAY A CALM TEMPERAMENT

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HORSES are popular trail horses because of their smooth gait and their temperament. There is also a show circuit sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Horse Association. Rockies make great companions because of their naturally curious and attention-loving nature.

Many RM horses are also registered with the Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse Registry. The KMSHA is a registry with similar guidelines and their own show circuit. A third Mountain horse registry is the Mountain Pleasure Horse Association (MPH). They, too, share horses with the Rocky Mountain registry. All three organizations originated in Central Kentucky and their horses share some of the same ancestry. Although their philosophies vary, all three celebrate the distinctive characteristics of the Mountain Horse.