The Stock Horse, an Australian beauty

By SAMANTHA TAYLOR

THEIR coats polished to a high gloss and their tails like woven silk the old cattle-working breed made a breathtaking display of elegance and prestige. Standing on the sidelines of an Australian Stock Horse (ASH) show it is clear to see the attraction of bearing witness to this incredible display of horsemanship and raw skill, it’s mesmerising.

In the dry, hot rural showgrounds of Gunning the number of people walking around with Akubra’s and moleskins makes me think of an old western. The air scented with the smell of freshly slashed grass, manure and hay is not unpleasant in the rural setting. All the people smile as and say G’day as they ride their horses into the show ring.

It’s not like watching horses on TV, these horses are much more lifelike, they are big and have presence. They are nimble; they turn on a dime and gallop after cows, and they don’t even flick an ear when their rider cracks a gunshot-sounding whip from their back!

Winner of the Working ASH Class, Lauren Vest, believes the shows are the best part about owning her ASH mare, Lucy. “It’s not necessarily the competition or the win; it’s the atmosphere, the great people and knowing my training has paid off enough to get me here.” Lauren has ridden ASH’s for years and says they are her favourite breed of horse.

The ASH evolved in response to a demand for horses to work cattle in the late 1800’s. The only pre-requisite was that the animal had the strength, intelligence and natural ability to work cattle. The Australian Stock Horse Society was established in 1971 which gave the breed recognition and registration services. There are now around 170,000 registered ASH’s in Australia.

The breed is most highly regarded for its ability to work stock, however the popularity for the breed as show horses has increased in recent years because of its success in the show ring among some of its more expensive and more highly regarded European counterparts such as the Warmblood. A notable achievement is that of Erica Taylor who competed successfully on her ASH Crown Law in the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. The breed also receives international recognition, due to a tribute in the 2000 Olympic Games and also because of the success of international breeding programs. Other recognition can be attributed to an ASH named Cadabra. In 2009 and 2010 Cadabra was campaigned throughout America and Canada, enjoying success and endorsing the breed away from home.

But will the popularity of the breed continue to grow or will it wane? Chairman of the Australian Stock Horse Society, Joy Poole, believes that demand for the breed will continue to grow in response to an increasingly technologically bound society. Poole believes that horse riding offers the solution to modern day living claustrophobia. She says “The beauty of having a horse is that it is a seven day a week pleasure.”

Poole, who rides an ASH named Phoenix has been involved with the breed for many years and now owns her own ASH stud. She has successfully competed in the sport Polocrosse and says “the ASH has all the qualities you needed to be successful at the game; they are intelligent, very quick, very clever and have great temperaments.”

Despite all it’s success in the show ring the ASH faces an identity crisis. All the qualities representative of the ASH are evident in another breed, the Quarter Horse (QH). A small, sturdy and agile animal the QH is performing on par with the ASH at what they both do best- working cattle. Attempts to breed the perfect horse means the ASH is facing a dilution of the heritage bloodlines that the breed is based on. Considering the success of the QH, inter pedigree breeding could be an asset to the bloodlines or that the integrity of the ASH breed is lost.

Losing the identity of one of Australia’s icons would be a crisis but I believe the ASH will continue to shine. With the creak of leather and the crack of a whip it is clear the Australian Stock Horse performs well under pressure. I think this hearty breed will be around for a long time yet.