Appaloosa

The Red Hawk Family present the Appaloosa. The Appaloosa horse breed is famous for its distinctive patterned coat. The two horses that Shane and Tashina Red Hawk ride are known as Leopard Appaloosas. The stud of these two geldings’ registered name is “Iron Gyro,” a stud from the Heritage Appaloosa Ranch in Livingston, Montana. This bloodline dates to the Nez Perce horse. The Nez Perce horse is a spotted horse breed derived from old line Appaloosa (the Wallowa herd) and Central-Asians horse belonging to the Akhal-Teke breed. These Appaloosa’s fascinating spotting patterns are collectively known as the leopard complex. Any horse that displays Appaloosa core characteristics – such as the distinctive coat patterns, the mottled skin, the striped hooves, and the visible white sclera – is a carrier of at least one allele of the dominant leopard complex (LP) gene. Compared to the Quarter Horses that were bred into the Appaloosa breed from the 1870s and onward, the Nez Perce is a longer and leaner horse, with a longer back and more narrow shoulders. Overall, it is often described as looking like a “lean runner.” The Nez Perce horse is a good long-distance horse, and many Nez Perce horses have performed admirably in endurance races. The Nez Perce horses are often gaited, with a fast and smooth-running walk that makes them comfortable to ride. The Red Hawks horses, “Maza Tokala” (Iron Warrior) and “Akitchita Maza” (Iron Soldier), are revered as relatives in the family. They are adorned by pieces of traditional Lakota Regalia that the Horse and Rider has earned!