Florida Cracker Horse

Common card · No. 464511

The Florida Cracker Horse is a critically endangered horse breed from the U.S. state of Florida. It is genetically and physically similar to many other Spanish-style horses, especially those from the Spanish Colonial horse group, including the Banker horse of North Carolina and the Carolina Marsh Tacky of South Carolina. The Florida Cracker Horse is a gaited breed known for its agility and speed. The Spanish first brought horses to Florida with their expeditions in the early 16th century; as colonial settlement progressed, they used the horses for herding cattle. These horses developed into the Florida Cracker type seen today and continued to be used by Florida cattlemen (known as "Florida crackers" or "cowhunters") until the 1930s. By this point, the breed was superseded by American Quarter Horses which were needed to work the larger cattle breeds brought to Florida during the Dust Bowl. As a result, the population of the Florida Cracker Horse declined precipitously. Through the efforts...

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