Narragansett Pacer - History

History

Highly valued by plantation owners of the 19th century, the Narragansett Pacer had a major influence on many American gaited breeds. The breed was especially associated with the state of Rhode Island in the early 18th century, but had become extinct by the late 19th century. It was known as the first breed of horse developed in America. The exact origins of the breed are unknown. However, it is probably that it developed from a cross between English "ambling" horses and Spanish breeds. These Spanish breeds often included bloodlines that included lateral gaits. The horses that developed from this cross were known for their smoothness and sure-footedness over poor terrain. It is theorized that the English horses which contributed to the Narragansett Pacer descended from were members of the Irish Hobby breed; another possible ancestor is the Galloway pony. In the early 18th century, William Robinson, the Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island, began the serious development of the breed with a stallion named "Old Snip"—speculated to be either an Irish Hobby or an Andalusian and considered the father of the breed.

In 1768, George Washington owned and raced a Narragansett Pacer, while in 1772 Edmund Burke asked an American friend for a pair. Paul Revere possibly rode a Pacer during his 1775 ride to warn the Americans of a British march. The extinction was due mainly to the breed being sold in such large numbers to sugar cane planters in the West Indies that breeding stock was severely diminished in the United States. The few horses that were left were crossbred to create and improve other breeds and the pure strain of the Narragansett soon became extinct. North Carolina was also a noted breeder of the Narragansett, with breeding stock having been brought to the area as early as 1790 by early pioneers. The last known Pacer, a mare, died around 1880.