Early Life
Foaled, or born, in 1951, Lightning Bar was bred to be a race horse, but injuries and bouts of illnesses kept him from racing past the age of two. His breeder, Art Pollard, owned him for the horse's entire life. Lightning Bar was sired by Three Bars, a Thoroughbred stallion later inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame. His dam was Della P, a daughter of the Thoroughbred stallion Doc Horn. His second dam, or maternal grandmother, was a mare who was never given a name, sired by Old D. J. Art Pollard purchased Della P from "Dink" Parker for $1,750 (approximately $16,900 as of 2013) in the late 1940s. Della P was bred in Louisiana, a leader in breeding short distance racehorses between 1900 and 1940, and was taken to Arizona by Parker.
When Lightning Bar was about five days old Pollard was afraid that he had leg problems and was buck-kneed, and considered putting the colt to sleep. He sought Parker's advice, and as Pollard later related the story, "Dink just looked at me and shook his head. 'Ain't you ever gonna learn nothing? That colt's just what you're looking for.' " When mature, the sorrel-colored Lightning Bar stood 15.2 hands (62 inches, 157 cm) tall and weighed about 1,250 pounds (570 kg).
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