Carolina Marsh Tacky

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Carolina Marsh Tacky
Carolina Marsh Tacky at Hilton Head
Other namesMarsh Tacky
Country of originUnited States
Traits
Distinguishing featuresSmall, sure-footed horse with gentle disposition, adept at work in marshland.
Breed standards

The Carolina Marsh Tacky or Marsh Tacky is a

South Carolina coast by Spanish explorers, settlers and traders as early as the 16th century. The horses were used by the colonists during the American Revolution
, and by settlers for farm work, herding cattle and hunting throughout the breed's history.

The breed is considered to be critically endangered by both the

closed stud book
was created.

On June 11, 2010, a bill was signed into law that made the Carolina Marsh Tacky the official

South Carolina.[2]

Characteristics

The Marsh Tacky generally stands between 14 and 14.2 

ambling gait, most similar to the marcha batida of the Brazilian Mangalarga Marchador, another breed with Spanish heritage, although also compared to the fox trot of the Missouri Fox Trotter. However, the Marsh Tacky's gait shows a period of quadrupedal support where all four feet are planted and diagonal foot pairings, whereas the Fox Trotter shows tripedal support and the Mangalarga Marchador lacks the diagonal foot pairings.[5]

The Marsh Tacky is known by owners for its stamina and ability to work in water and swamps without panicking. They tend to be

sure-footed, sturdy, smart, and able to survive in challenging coastal environments, as well as being easy keepers. Their small size and gentle nature made them the historically preferred mount for children and women, but they were also used as working animals due to their abilities in the field. Today, they are used in endurance riding, as well as continuing their traditional work assisting humans with hunting wild game and herding cattle.[6]

Marsh Tackies have the same ancestral bloodlines as Florida Cracker Horses and North Carolina Banker horses. However, DNA testing has proved that the Marsh Tackies' relative isolation has made them a separate breed with unique characteristics.[7]

History

A mounted beach patrol on Hilton Head Island during World War II

The Carolina Marsh Tacky developed from

Hilton Head beaches. This tradition was revived in 2009 during the Gullah Cultural Festival, and the races will be continued at the festival in future years.[4]

In 2007, the Carolina Marsh Tacky Association was formed. The association was developed through the efforts of the

closed registry on August 18, 2010, and is maintained by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy Pedigree Registry. Although closed, outside horses can be registered upon proof of origin, visual inspection and DNA confirmation of parentage.[9]

In 2015, a complete, articulated horse skeleton believed to be a Marsh Tacky was unearthed at an archaeological dig in St. Augustine, Florida.[10] The approximately 200-year-old skeleton was found on the site which once housed the Spanish Dragoon Barracks.

Conservation

North Carolina Banker horses, a breed with a similar history to the Marsh Tacky.

In the lowcountry region of coastal Georgia and South Carolina, the Carolina Marsh Tacky was the most common horse for most of the breed's history. As the automobile became more common during the 20th century, breed numbers declined, and the Marsh Tacky was thought to have gone extinct during the 1980s and 1990s.[6] Today, there are 276 living animals recognized by the breed registry, including 153 mares and 123 stallions and geldings.[9]

The Equus Survival Trust considers the breed to be at critical/nearly extinct levels, meaning that there are fewer than 100 breeding mares in existence.[11] The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy considers the Marsh Tacky (which they consider a strain of the Colonial Spanish horse) to be at critical levels, meaning that there are fewer than 200 annual registrations in the United States and an estimated global population of less than 2,000.[12] Representatives of the ALBC state that the breed numbers will have to increase to an estimated 1,000 members to ensure permanent survival.[7]

On June 11, 2010, a bill was signed into law that made the Carolina Marsh Tacky the official

critically endangered horse breeds
from extinction.

In 2006, the ALBC began investigating the Marsh Tacky to see if it was truly a descendant of Spanish stock, and during the organization's initial field investigations it was found that many surviving members of the breed fit the physical type of Colonial Spanish stock.

DNA markers the breed carries, and map the breed's genetic place among all other horse breeds worldwide. Sixty horses were tested in the effort.[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Conservation Priority List". The Livestock Conservancy. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  2. ^ "State Heritage Horse". Carolina Marsh Tacky Association. Retrieved 2011-02-04.
  3. ^ a b "Marsh Tacky Breed Standard". Carolina Marsh Tacky Association. Retrieved 2009-10-02.
  4. ^ a b c d Beranger, Jeannette. "The Marsh Tacky Horse — Yesterday and Today". Carolina Marsh Tacky Association. Retrieved 2009-10-02.
  5. ^ Nicodemus, Molly; Beranger, Jeannette (January–February 2010). "Exciting Research on the Gait of Colonial Spanish Horses". American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. Retrieved 2011-02-04.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Beranger, Jeannette. "ALBC Works with Owners and Others to Conserve the Critically Endangered Marsh Tacky Horse". American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. Retrieved 2009-10-02.
  7. ^ a b The Associated Press (April 15, 2008). "Carolina Horsemen Trying to Save Rare Breed". The Horse. Retrieved 2009-10-02.
  8. ^ "About Us". Carolina Marsh Tacky Association. Retrieved 2009-10-02.
  9. ^ a b "The Marsh Tacky Registry Update Spring 2011". Carolina Marsh Tacky Horse Registry. Retrieved 2012-01-23.
  10. ^ Entire horse skeleton found in archaeological dig
  11. ^ "Equine Conservation List" (PDF). Equine Survival Trust. Retrieved 2009-10-02.
  12. ^ "Conservation Priority Equine Breeds 2009" (PDF). American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. Retrieved 2009-10-02.
  13. ^ Hampton, Jeff (3 June 2010). "Wild horses set to become North Carolina state horse". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  14. ^ "Endangered Marsh Tacky Horses DNA Tested for Conservation Effort". The Horse. May 23, 2007. Retrieved 2009-02-17.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Carolina Marsh Tacky.

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