Northern Colorado welcomes home mountain horses

By Marty Metzger
North Forty News

Oral tradition says that, back in the late 1800s, a gaited colt was brought to eastern Kentucky's Appalachian Mountains from the Rocky Mountain region. Rural Kentuckians bred their mares of Spanish or European ancestry to him.

Word spread that this "Rocky Mountain horse" stamped his progeny with his characteristics; many also carried his flashy color (liver chestnut with flaxen mane and tail). They were easy-gaited, sure-footed and even-tempered. Soon, these newcomers became the mounts of choice for long-distance travelers like preachers, doctors and mail carriers.

Similarly, the hard-working horses plowed fields, pulled wagons and worked livestock. Most were owned by folks of modest means who could only afford to provide them basic care. The horses endured harsh weather with little shelter and often subsisted on meager rations. Therefore, only the hardiest survived, creating a superior animal.

One of its most prominent advocates was Sam Tuttle, whose reputation as a top breeder spanned the first seven decades of the 20th century. Tuttle's primary breeding stallion for his 40-horse herd was named Tobe. Even in a declining horse market, Tobe's foals were in demand.

Tuttle's stud was no prima donna. He served as a trail horse in the early 1960s at a riding concession Tuttle managed in Natural Bridge State Park, Powell County, Kentucky. The gentle, well-mannered, smooth-gaited stallion greatly impressed his riders and owners of his get alike. Tobe was long-lived, to age 37, and was still a fertile breeder at 34.

An association was formed in 1986 to preserve and promote the breed. The Rocky Mountain Horse Association standardized their type, conformation, height and color. They display a four-beat, ambling gait; acceptable colors are liver chestnut with flaxen mane and tail, bay, black, buckskin, chestnut, cremello, gray, palomino and roan. Allowed white markings are limited – no bald faces or stockings above hocks or knees.

While the majority of registered animals are in Kentucky, the breed has come home to the Rocky Mountains, thanks to area breeders who gladly welcome them back.

Bill and Ellyn Prescott were once Mustang owners. But when Bill developed a back condition, the Berthoud couple sought out information on easy-gaited breeds. Research led them to the Rocky Mountain Horse. The Prescotts bought some from a Kentucky breeder, then began their own Rocky breeding program 10 years ago.

Ellyn Prescott admits the local market is limited. But her Mountain High Rockies sells six to 10 per year to older riders, those with back problems who appreciate the smooth gait, and others who simply want a Rocky. Locals use them mostly on trails or for pleasure, but Prescott touts the breed as being adept at working cattle and jumping, for riding in parades and for use as sure-footed mountain and endurance horses.

Rocky Mountain Horses have gentle, even temperaments, Prescott declared.

"People come out to see them and the herd surrounds and greets them," she said. "This breed loves being with people; it's part of their disposition. And, they're very good with kids."

But for all their steadiness and calm demeanor, Rockies can move along at a speedy clip. Once in their four-beat gait, Prescott said, they can easily out-distance others breeds that trot.

"Quarter Horses have to lope to keep up," she claimed. "My husband has been clocked at 18 mph on our stallion, Menifee Mountain Gambler."

Prescott and other Colorado devotees promote the Rocky through breed demonstrations at Westernaires events and at the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo in Denver.

Meanwhile, in north Fort Collins, Myra Monfort fell in love with the breed in 2005 on a trip to Kentucky. She wanted to bring them to Colorado and did so first with an in-foal mare and her weanling. And she wanted John Iozzia to manage a Rocky breeding farm for her. (Iozzia's brother is married to Monfort's daughter.)

Iozzia, 58, had been involved since his teens with the racing industry as an exercise rider, jockey and trainer for large Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse tracks and farms across the country. He'd worked with industry elites such as D. Wayne Lukas, Woody Stevens, Shug McGaughey and Charlie Wittingham. Iozzia had taught Monfort to ride and found her a registered Paint gelding "Smoke," now 17. Impressed, Monfort offered Iozzia full managerial control of her proposed breeding operation.

But he was in the midst of implementing retirement plans. He'd bought 12 running Quarter Horses in Julisco, Mexico, and was about to move there to enjoy the slower-paced lifestyle and moderate temperatures. Instead, he accepted Monfort's challenge and has since turned 12.5 acres of Highway 1 dirt into a premier horse facility, which he said is built for safety and suitable for any equine discipline.

Monfort's Highland Farms campaigns World Grand Champion stallion, MCF's Papa Rock, and three other Rockies at shows in North Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee. Iozzia said that the Rocky Mountain Horse, the Mountain Pleasure Horse and Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse are basically all the same breed represented by separate associations with individual registration criteria.

Iozzia lamented, as did Prescott, that despite Mountain Horses' popularity back East, local interest is meager.

"No one here knows what a Mountain Horse is," he noted.

Promotional funding for big breeds, like Quarter Horses, and stubborn breed loyalty are tough to overcome. But Iozzia's allegiance to Mountain Horses is now six years strong and equally stubborn.

"These Mountain Horses are the best horses for the general public," he insisted. "They're kind, extremely hardy, not flighty and the safest breed I know of. They're very forgiving, love people and not accident prone, like other horses. It's an extremely willing breed that doesn't resist training."

Iozzia added, "These are gentle souls, even breeding stallions. Tie them in the aisle and a mare in heat walks by, they don't even look up. I'd recommend a Mountain Horse to anyone who wants a sane horse for general riding."

Several resources provide complete information about Mountain Horse registries and contacts: The Rocky Mountain Horse Association, Olivet, Ky., 606-724-2354 or www.rmhorse.com; www.mountainpleasurehorse.org; www.kmsh.com; www.unitedmountainhorse.org; www.highlandhorses.com; www.mountainhighrockies.com.

Welcome home, Rocky Mountain Horse!