"Foundation" is just that, the foundation from where a breed (or the start of
anything- such as a house) begins, and is built upon. Foundation Appaloosas are
the first ApHC registered Appaloosas, most being F (for Foundation) numbered
Appaloosas. F numbered Appaloosas are from a closed stud book, and 1428 of
them were designated by the National Stallion board to be Purebreds (which is
when the book was originally closed). The book was closed in order to declare
Appaloosas a breed so that the registry could hold breed shows. It was reopened
when the Appaloosa racing agency needed the numbering to be different than
those with letters, and then closed again after that for the second time. Since
then, the books were opened yet again, and are still open at this present time.
Every breed registry has Foundation horses. Some have only one, some have
three, some have many.
Robert (Bob) Peckinpah was a nine term ApHC (Appaloosa Horse Club)
president. His central accomplishment of his first term revolved around needing
to more clearly define the Appaloosa breed standard, for both judging purposes
and the ensuing result of maintaining the action and versatility of the breed. A
man named George Phippen was carefully selected for his true artist's knowledge
of anatomy, and was commissioned to paint a horse exhibiting the Appaloosa
breed standard in every line. The final painting, known as "the Phippen horse,”
became the official breed standard. When a Dr. William Linfoot first saw it, he
said "This is a horse that can do anything. He has withers, a good shoulder, long
muscle and shows good balance." Dr. Linfoot was considered to be an exceptional
horseman who knew what he saw from first hand, hands-on experience.
Many generations of registered Appaloosas bred to registered Appaloosas does
not at all make an Appaloosa Foundation bred. Many think this, but as I will
explain, that is not the case at all! As I have said, Foundation Appaloosas are the
very first ApHC registered Appaloosas, most having F (for Foundation) before
their registration number. Unless an Appaloosa today has a HIGH percentage of
F numbered Appaloosa blood, it is not fFoundation Bred, and most likely will not
fit the Phippen horse description which is what this Appaloosa "breed" was
meant to be! Here is why: A registered Appaloosa can be bred to a registered
Thoroughbred Arabian or Quarter horse, and the resulting foal will be a
registered Appaloosa. So, say a person breeds a registered Appaloosa to a
registered Quarter horse. Its foal will be a registered Appaloosa, but by blood that
foal is at LEAST half Quarter horse since one of its parents was a Quarter horse
(if that registered Appaloosa parent already had Quarter horse in it, then this foal
is MORE Quarter horse by blood than it is Appaloosa). This is just ONE
Appaloosa in that generation.
Some think that 5 generations of Appaloosa to Appaloosa breeding means no
other breeds are involved and call it Foundation bred, but, as you can see, this is
not necessarily the case! The only way a horse can be Foundation bred, is if it
carries a HIGH percentage of F numbered (first registered) Appaloosa blood in
its recent ancestors. Again, Foundation means just that, The Founding/very first
ApHC registered Appaloosas.
As Robert Peckinpah, the nine term ApHC president stated: "What we must
vigilantly guard against are those that refuse to except the Appaloosa as a breed
and what he stands for,and who continually exert pressure in the attempt to
convert him into a Quarter horse, an Arab, or a Morgan, etc., with spots."
You have to start somewhere with a breed, and the F numbered horses are it, no
matter what. Some F numbered Horses were half thoroughbred or half Arab, but
were given tentative registration papers (they had a T prefix verses the F) until
they had enough prodigy on the ground to prove themselves as Appaloosa
producers (including having a certain number with color). If these tentative
papered early Appaloosas proved themselves worthy as Appaloosa producers,
THEN they received F numbers.
However, once that F numbered pool was big enough (when the F numbers were
no longer given out), that is what people should be breeding from- the F
numbered decedents. We no longer need to add other blood (Thoroughbred,
Quarter horse, Arabian). All breeds started this way!! Adding any more blood
from other breeds after the F numbered Appaloosas, is just changing the
Appaloosa from what they first were, and what they were meant to be (which was
the Phippen horse--he was declared the Appaloosa breed standard!!).
With the above being said, it is important to note that not all F numbered
Appaloosas are created equal.
For example, look at "Red Eagle", who is a well known F numbered Appaloosa
Stallion. Even though his sire was a purebred Arabian, his dam had several
generations of Appaloosa to Appaloosa breeding, and was herself an F registered
horse. Whereas, a horse like Bright Eyes Brother came from an unregistered
grade dam, and he was sired by a QH, not considered a breed at that time, but a
type. There are many examples of this in the F stud books. As well, the F stud
books were closed, so that makes those horses bred from Fs, to be from a closed
book. Step one in creating a breed, using the founding animals to breed from
selectively.
The Nez Perce People were noted as one of the first breeders of the Appaloosa
horses. They used the practice of gelding inferior males and trading away poorer
stock to remove unsuitable horses from the gene pool. The early Nez Perce horses
were considered to be of high quality by the late 1800s.
Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition wrote in his February 15,
1806 journal entry about the Nez perce horses: "Their horses appear to be of an
excellent race: they are lofty, elegantly [sic] formal, active and durable: in short
many of them look like fine English horses and would make a figure in any
country”.
Many of the first registered (F numbered/Foundation ) Appaloosas came from
Appaloosa bloodlines such as the Nez Perce Appaloosas.
IPAA (International Appaloosa Association) and FAHR (Foundation Appaloosa
Horse Registry) explains in greater detail, and registers Foundation (High F
percentage by blood) Appaloosas. The reason is to preserve, enhance and
promote these REAL FOUNDATION APPALOOSAS. According to the IPAA and
FAHR,
The Appaloosa horse is known for its characteristics, coat pattern, striped hooves,
mottled skin and white sclera. Although these things are paramount to the
Appaloosa breed, the Foundation Appaloosa by a High percentage of F numbered
Appaloosa blood are this, and much more. Foundation Appaloosas are versatile,
have longevity, good bone and hooves, stamina, agility, hardiness, with great
conformation and temperament. They range in size from 14 to 17+ hands.
At Appaloosa Hillside Farm, we are selectively breeding for mid size to tall REAL
FOUNDATION APPALOOSAS.
Do not just own a registered Appaloosa, instead own a registered Foundation
bred Appaloosa with a high F numbered blood percentage. There is a BIG
difference.
Go to our Purebred Appaloosa page to see how the high percentage (75% or
more) of F numbered Appaloosa blood is the only way to get a purebred
Appaloosa.