Florida Cracker Horses

Sturdy, feral, Spanish-descended horses running free and supplying local Native Americans and cattle folks with small with willing work horses. This sounds like the ideal of the commonly known Mustang horse, correct?
Now imagine them in Florida.
No, Mustangs weren't the only horse that made it's stamp on early American civilization. The Florida Cracker had it's time, and it's now.
As already stated, these animals are descended from Spanish horses that escaped on expeditions to the deep south, particularily Florida, in the early 1500's. It is genetically similar to the Paso Fino, Peruvian Paso, and of course, the Spanish Mustang. These horses filled a niche in the need for strong horses as cow ponies, transportation, and for basic farm work. The general name for these horses is the Colonial Spanish horse, and branches off into various strains, of which the Florida Cracker is one. Others include the Marsh Tacky and the Choctaw, although there are eleven lines recognized by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) altogether. The Florida Cracker is the only one that is considered a different breed by the conservancy due to geographic location. Their name is derived from the "cracking" sound of a bull whip used by the cowboys (called "crackers" in that area).
This little horse had been nearly abandoned in the 1930's, as well as many other livestock breeds, in the advent of specialization in breeds. Most regional breeds had been replaced by the Quarter Horse. By 1950, the breed was all but extinct. Dedicated breeders carried the Florida Cracker through the years, and their hard work paid off when the horse was brought under the wing of the ALBC and the creation of the Florida Cracker Horse Association in 1989. The breed is still quite uncommon, however the population is holding at 800 and rising steadily. In 2008, the Florida Cracker was given the honor of being designated as Florida's state horse!
They aren't very big horses at 13 - 15 hands tall, but they pack a punch in strength and sturdiness. They are slim in body type, and come in virtually any color, however gray and solid colors are the most common. Florida Crackers are valued as all around horses, and they do exceptionally well in activities such as team penning, cutting, and as cow ponies.
Interested in a rare breed western horse that's not too big? Check out the Florida Cracker! It will be like riding a piece of history!

References:
The Florida Cracker Horse Association - http://www.floridacrackerhorses.com/
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy - http://www.albc-usa.org/

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