7 Things Quarter Horses Do Better Than (Most) Other Breeds

Quarter horses are an amazing breed and they’re also one of the most common horse breeds in America. And that’s with good reason.

Here are some tasks and jobs that quarter horses just do better than most other horses.

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Great Temper For Kids Learning To Ride

The quarter horses are famous for having a very nice temper. They are calm and they are friendly.

They like being cuddled and kids will quickly form a strong bond with these types of animals.

It’s really important to get a horse with a calm temper when you are working with kids. Remember that horses are gigantic animals for smaller kids. So it’s really important that that horse is able to control itself even if the kid does something wrong.

A kick from a horse can be very dangerous so we only want horses with a good calm temperament around kids. Even for bigger kids.

The Shoulders Are Especially Easy To Hold On To

The horse has a rather short back which makes it easy for the rider to sit tight. It makes it easy to turn around and stop.

The back and shoulders of the horse are a little wider than many other breeds so it’s easy to get a good grip when the horse speeds up. That also makes the horses that much easier to ride.

Many people have referred to the quarter horses as being one of the easiest horse breeds to learn to ride. This is not only due to physical reasons but also because they are steady and willing to learn from the rider.

The quarter horse is having a good time when the rider is having a good time.

This means, that over time the rider and the horse will just get better and better (together) even if this is the first horse you have ever ridden.

It’s Fast (when it has to be!)

This point comes back to how this amazing breed got its name.

The quarter horses are named this way because they happened to be one of the fastest horses to run a quarter-mile. They can accelerate fast and they can also keep a good ground speed for a long stretch.

The quarter horse can run as fast as 55 mph (86 km/h) which is very fast for a horse by any standard.

The horse is very strong and muscular which enables it to run with great speed over longer distances.

All of the joints in the legs are very strong as well. This is one of the reasons why the quarter horses are among the most popular horse breeds across the United States. This combination of speed and willingness to learn and adapt to the rider is quite unique.

The quarter horse can sprint over longer distances.

It’s Exceptionally Great For Cattle Work

This breed is also exceptionally good at working around cattle. This is probably one of the reasons why we find more registered quarter horses around the world than any other horse breed.

This is also sometimes referred to as the Quarters have a “Cow Sense”.

There are many reports from people working with cattle that the quarter horses have a special feeling for how and when the cattle will move. It seems like the genes of the quarter horse is perfectly developed in order to work effectively with the cattle.

The horses not easily provoked and it likes to work with its master around the cattle.

This was one of the primary uses of the quarter horses in the American West back in the days.

Horses are still to this day preferred by many farmers over ATVs and all other vehicles with an engine. Engines tend to stress and frighten cattle so the horse is a much better alternative. It’s also a lot more fun (and stylish!).

Because farmers have always been using the quarter horses around cattle they have been specifically bred to work hard and long in the field.

In Cutting competitions, the rider and the horse work together around cattle. In these competitions, people often choose the Quarter horses due to their agile movements and great temper around the cattle.

They Rule The Rodeo Game

Quarter horses totally dominate the competition levels of the rodeo sport.

This is because they are easier to maneuver and handle than other horse breeds. In order to win the rodeo contest, you need an animal that is easy to hold onto.

The broad shoulders of the horse make it easy to get a firm grip and stay on the horse under any condition. This is something you also benefit greatly from in the day-to-day work with the horse.

It always comes down to how easy this breed is to ride.

Because of the strong and compact muscular figure around the neck and shoulders, it’s just easier to ride. This means fewer accidents from people falling off the horses.

They Often Win Horse Shows

When it comes to winning horse shows the quarter horses are also the champions.

They are famous for a couple of things. First and foremost because of their muscular and compact appearance combined with the beautiful colors of the skin. Next, they are also very famous for their beautiful style and collaboration with the rider.

It almost looks like the horse loves to be the center of attention when it enters the stage with its rider.

You also find the shows across Europe. In Germany alone, there are more than 20,000 Quarter horses and more than 70 yearly shows where this breed compete to find the best and most beautiful horses.

You can read more about how the horses perform at shows over at the American Quarter Horse Association (aqha.com).

They Are Great Race Horses

Not only are these horses THE fastest horses on the planet, but they are also really great at racing very short distances.

This also makes them very fun to ride in nature. If you feel like sprinting for a few minutes you can do so at an incredible speed. The horse loves to get up to high speed and it does so in a fashion that makes it easy to stay on the horse. This is very important because the worst accidents often happen at very high speeds.

You don’t want to be thrown off a horse at full speed!

The quarter horse will be your buddy here. As we mentioned earlier, it’s easy to get a good grip at the high-speeds as you lean forward and “hug” the animal.

The Champion horses can sprint 440 yards in 21 seconds. This is from starting from a complete standstill.

One of the best racehorses of all times was the horse named “Easy Jet”. It won an incredible 27 races of the 38 events it entered!

By the time the poor animal passed away in 1993, its descendants had produced a total of earnings of more than $25 million for its owner.