Where did the Breed Originate From?

The Narragansett Pacer (no longer exists) was important in development of the Standardbred, American Saddlebred and the Tennessee Walking Horse.

The first horses to arrive in Massachusetts were 25 mares and stallions, landing in Boston in 1629 after being shipped out of London. Six years later the Dutch sailed into Salem harbour with 27 mares and stallions.

The residents of New England preferred the Dutch horses as they were larger than the English horses, more muscular and had larger bones.

The largest of the Dutch horses stood at 14.2hh, back then they bred to reduce the height of the horses, all attempts to increase the height of early American horses had no effect.

The English horses had good saddle qualities where-as the Dutch didn’t, and as the colonies developed the people wanted saddle horses. The English and Dutch breeds were crossed and as more horses were brought to America they were selectively bred to produce a stout and hardly horse that could pace long distances without tiring the rider.

The pace is a natural gait and soon after birth many foals paced.

Many horses brought into New England were a French-Canadian breed, which was known for producing both trotters and pacers. As the colony of Rhode Island began to take root after the initial settlement in 1636 the fastest and best of the New England pacers were taken there for breeding.

Careful breeding produced the Narragansett Pacer, which reigned for a century and a half as the most wanted saddle horse in America.

The breeds name was taken from a bay at Narragansett, which was named for the Indians who once lived there.

The Narragansett pacer wasn’t a large horse averaging about 14.1hh its colour was usually sorrel, the breed was neither handsome or stylish but was sure footed, easy to ride and dependable. Its back remained straight as it travelled not producing a swaying or rocking action, as did other horses when they paced.

It’s likely this horse travelled at a four beat amble or a broken pace.

The horses were allowed to run free and fend for themselves as long as they were branded but they started to over produce and many were running lose without a brand in 1715 and act was passed to allow for older male horses to be shot providing he was running wild.

After more than 100yrs the Narragansett Pacer began to disappear just like their ancestors had done a century before them.

In Rhode Island smooth highways had been developed and wheeled vehicles had taken the place of the saddle. The style had also changed to a larger more dashing type of horse. Attempts to increase the height of the horses proved futile, though diminutive in size the little pacers were fine saddle horses, and until good roads and vehicles appeared they remained indispensable.

Out of this vast stock or early imports to the colonies were developed race horses that both paced and trotted.

Harness racing in America began quietly in the 1800’s on country roads, village main streets, and prominent city avenues. The pastime had gone well into the nineteenth century before Americans began to call it a sport.

The Standardbred breed representing both Trotters and Pacers, received its most important infusion of blood in 1788. In that year a grey Thoroughbred named Messenger arrived in America from England to become the patriarch of the family of trotting horses.

Messenger stood at stud for 20yrs he sired at least 600 foals, most of which were relatively large. He produced runners and trotters, the latter known for their great trotting action, speed and gameness.

While the thoroughbred is credited with refinement and increased size in the Standardbred, the thoroughbred is a galloper and could not have originated the trotting and pacing excellence of the Standardbred. Credit should be given to those Canadian horses known for those gaits.

Harness racing received another boost with the birth of Hambletonian, a descendant of Messenger. Foaled in 1849, Hambletonian quickly proved himself to be histories greatest progenitor of both speed and gait. All but a few of today’s pacers and trotters trace back to him.