The Australian Stock Horse - Its History And What It Has Become Now

     There are perhaps more than a hundred of breeds of horses and each and every one of those has a special function to the environment, the animal kingdom and, for some of those horses, to the society. You may be aware that several horses were bred and the outcomes are those new varieties of horses with positive traits enabling them to do or perform a handful of tasks. Take for example, the Australian Stock Horse, which is one type of stock horse. This particular horse breed is known to be pretty much suited for working with cattle and other livestock. The Australian Stock Horse is also noted for its strength, endurance and the so-called "cow sense".

The Origins

The Australian Stock Horse is a breed intended for the Australian environment because the first few horses that were imported to the said country weren't actually up for the conditions there. Yes, you read it right. History states that there was no horse to be found in the so-called Land Down Under so they have to import those animals from other countries. It was from those original horse breeds that arrived through importation that the origins of the Australian Stock Horse can be traced.

The Traits

As mentioned earlier, the Australian Stock Horse is known for its strength and endurance. In fact, if you have seen one, you may notice its broad yet strong back and well-muscled body. No wonder such types of horses are mostly considered working horses and are great help for Australian stockmen and in their daily activities. Other useful traits that the Australian Stock Horse possesses include agility, intelligence as well as good temperament. All these traits contribute to making the said breed of horse perfect for Australian conditions. You can see such horses being used to move cattle and other livestock in a ranch or similar place.

The Tasks & Competitions

It's not only in ranches wherein you can see the Australian Stock Horse. Because of their amazing traits, these horse breeds are also used in various competitions. Those competitive disciplines wherein the Australian Stock Horses participate in include stockman challenges, campdrafting, polo, endurance riding, general hacking, Pony Club activities and show jumping. For instance, if you are going to join your Australian Stock Horse in those competitions, you know better to really take care of the said animal and look after its overall wellbeing before and after the competitions.

To date, the Australian Stock Horse Society has registered or recorded about 170,000 Australian Stock Horses. This number is expected to increase over the years. With such horse breeds and their traits, one can say that they are some of the many multitasking horses ever to graze the land. If you have a ranch in Australia, it won't hurt to have this Australian Stock Horse or perhaps more of it.