Mickey Hambright specializes in North and South Carolina farms, land and homes - servicing the real estate needs of home buyers and home sellers in search of real estate, homes for sale, condos, investment properties, horse ranches, equestrian properties, stable properties, commercial real estate, new construction, new homes, land, lots, mountain view properties, farms and recreational property in these nearby communities and more!
Home, Equestrian and Recreational Property Ownership Deep in the Heart of Horse Country For many decades, local natives have taken enormous pride in the majesty of their horses, set against the brilliant greens, blues and colorful foliage of the Blue Ridge topography. Mighty warriors when required to defend their families, homes and culture, these early residents were also adept and adaptable agrarians. They knew and cherished their land and capably used it to breed and prepare their steeds for both peace and war. When European settlers moved into these lands they, too, found them perfect for producing champions of all breeds, capable of handling the most challenging military, exploratory, domestic and labor-intensive tasks of their times. As a result, the equestrian industry grew and flourished throughout the region.
Today's residents of these Blue Ridge Mountain communities - perhaps your future neighbors and friends - see equestrian activities and livelihoods as an essential and central part of their quality of life. Most folks around here, whether in cities or rural areas, are as comfortable in a saddle as they are in an office chair or couch - and, chances are, most of them would rather be in that saddle right now!
The act of getting on a horse for the first time goes by many names, including backing, breaking, mounting, and, simply, riding. There are many techniques for introducing the young horse to a rider or to a harness and cart for driving, but the end goal of all methods is to have the horse calmly and quietly allow a rider on its back or behind it in a cart and to respond to basic commands to go forward, change gaits and speed, stop, turn and back up.
Ideally, a young horse will have no fear of humans and view being ridden as simply one more new lesson. A properly handled young horse that has had adequate ground work will seldom buck, rear, or run away when it is ridden, even for the very first time.
Horses that have never been taught to be ridden can learn at any age, though it may take somewhat longer to teach an older horse. An older horse that is used to humans is easier to put under saddle than a completely wild horse caught off the open range.
Once basic skills under saddle are mastered, the horse is usually ready to go on to more specialized training for a particular discipline or set of disciplines.
Carolina horse breeding and equestrian enthusiasts boast nearly every breed of horse known to the western world. Here is a brief summary of a few of the more popular breeds you'll find in this region:
Tennessee Walker
The Tennessee Walker (or, Tennessee Walking Horse) is a gentle and comfortable riding horse. The breed was originally bred in the Southern United States to carry the owners of plantations around their lands. Their unique four-beat "running walk" is especially comfortable to ride, making the breed a well-suited trail companion. The breed is rarely seen in any of the sport horse disciplines; however, they are good for trail riding because of their smooth gaits, stamina and easy temper, and are also seen in Western riding disciplines and in harness.
The Tennessee Walker has a reputation for having a very good disposition. It is a calm and easygoing breed, typically easy to train. While the horses are famous for flashy movement, they are quite hardy, popular for trail and pleasure riding as well as show.
Missouri Fox Trotting Horse
The Missouri Fox Trotter is an American breed of horse with a unique lateral gait. It was bred in the Ozark Mountain foothills, and used by settlers who valued its smoothness. The breed is best known for its unique gait, known as the fox trot, in which the horse appears to walk with its front legs and trot with its hind. Because the hind end has a sliding motion rather than a two-beat trot, the gait is incredibly easy to sit. It is accompanied by an up and down head nodding. The horses, unlike many other gaited breeds, do not have high-stepping action, but rather a very smooth, comfortable ride. The fox trot can be maintained for great stretches of time, reaching speeds up to 10 mph. The Fox Trotter also performs the flat-footed walk and the regular canter. The horses have a willing and gentle disposition, and are very surefooted.
American Saddlebred
The American Saddlebred, formerly known as the American Saddle Horse, is a breed of horse that was developed in Kentucky by plantation owners. Today, they are used almost exclusively for saddleseat riding in the show ring, although their uphill build has also begun to draw dressage enthusiasts to the breed. They are also used as barrel racers, hunters, jumpers, and parade mounts. Many film and television horses were Saddlebreds, such as "Mr. Ed," Flicka and one of the horses used in National Velvet. Saddlebreds played themselves in the film classic "Gone with the Wind," and many early action movies, like the original "Zorro," featured Saddlebreds because of their dramatic good looks.
American Quarter Horse
The American Quarter Horse is a breed of horse originally bred for sprinting short distances, typically races of a quarter mile or less. The Quarter Horse is the most popular breed in the United States, and is the largest breed society in the world, with over 3.2 million Quarter Horses registered worldwide. It is commonly believed to be the world's fastest horse over short distances, and has been clocked at 63 mph. The compact body of the Quarter Horse is well-suited to the intricate and speedy maneuvers required in calf roping, reining, cutting, working cow horse, barrel racing and other western riding events, especially those involving live cattle. The versatile Quarter Horse is also shown in English disciplines, driving, and many other equestrian activities.
Morgan
The Morgan is one of the first horse breeds developed in the United States. The breed excels in many disciplines and is known for its versatility. The Morgan is compact and refined in build, with strong limbs, an expressive face, large eyes, well-defined withers, laid back shoulders and a well arched neck. There is officially one Breed Standard for Morgan type regardless of the discipline or bloodline of the individual horse. Registered Morgans come in a variety of colors although they are most commonly bay, black, and chestnut. Less common colors include gray, palomino, roan, cremello, perlino, smoky cream, smoky black, silver dapple, sabino, frame and splash overo, dun, and buckskin. In the post-Civil
War era, Morgans were also used in the Pony Express and as mounts for the cavalry in the western United States. The only survivor of the Custer regiment from The Battle of Little Bighorn was the Morgan-Mustang mixed-breed horse, Comanche.
Paso Fino
The rise of the Paso Fino in the United States began in the 1950s and 1960s, and today, the Paso Fino Horse Association oversees and regulates registered Paso Finos there.
The Paso Fino is a mix of the Barb, Spanish Jennet, and Andalusian horse, bred by Spanish land owners in Puerto Rico and Colombia to be used in the plantations because of their endurance and the comfortable ride they provided. The Puerto Rican Paso Fino has several different body types from quite small and refined to very large and powerful. The Colombian Paso Fino is also found in varying body types. The action of the two strains is somewhat different with the Pure Puerto Rican Paso fino prized for it's fine or delicate step while the Colombian Paso fino tends to have more of a piston-like action. All Pasos share their heritage with the American Mustangs, which are also descendants of Spanish horses. The two strains, as well as paso finos from Cuba and other tropical countries, have been interbred frequently to produce today's American Paso Fino show horse. These horses are versatile and can be used for trail riding, endurance riding, or in the show ring. This is a lively horse that has a natural drive and willingness, known colloquially as "brio," and generally a nice disposition. For more information on activities in and around Carolina Horse Country, visit:
Carolina Horse Country real estate includes a wide variety of homes for sale, condos for sale,
horse farm and water access properties (waterfront, bay or lake view), active adult communities, hobby and equine farms and executive properties. Regardless of your present home or property concerns - whether you are buying or selling a home, condo, land or other property - Mickey Hambright has the expertise to guide you through the process painlessly and profitably.
Sellers who have been in the area for a while know our reputation for knowledgeable advice, enthusiastic service, creative marketing and professional networking. We mine every source for suitable properties so you can feel at ease that your search will produce the right kind of
solution for you.
For buyers new to the area, Mickey Hambright will provide the specialized services you deserve: a strong work ethic, personal real estate expertise to help define your needs, help with selecting and securing standard financing for your purchase, special technology, constant communication throughout the transaction, and more. Our company has gained a proud reputation for providing superior benefits to our home-buying clients as we help them complete their search, from existing homes for sale, properties for sale, lots, vacant land, new construction, 55-plus and retirement communities, hunting and breeding land, investment properties, waterfront, golf and recreational properties, all the way to luxury villas, estates and executive homes.
So when you're ready to buy or sell real estate in or around Carolina Horse Country, please let Mickey Hambright help you purchase the home or property of your dreams. Contact Mickey Hambright today!
Local communities have similar real estate characteristics and may also be of interest to you in your home search. Please feel free to ask Mickey Hambright
about homes for sale, horse and equine farms, horse properties, stables, pasture lands, mountain view prop erties, waterside properties and other real estate listings for nearby communities, such as Tuxedo, North Carolina, Hendersonville, North Carolina, Campobello, South Carolina, Gowensville, South Carolina and more.
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Exquisite Breeds Are at Home in The Carolinas
The Carolinas' Finest Horse and Equestrian Country
This region, encompassing parts of both North and South Carolina, is known throughout the world for beautiful, scenic countrysides, quiet and quaint lifestyles and abundant, exhilarating horse and equestrian activities. Lush settings, ample grazing and running space, suitable terrain and vegetation, high-acreage ranch and farm/farmette properties, plentiful nearby sources of water and foliage - all of these natural elements combine to provide western North Carolina residents and property owners with superb opportunities for breeding, racing, training and showing some of the finest equine breeds in all of North America. Whether your passion is thoroughbreds, saddlebreds, or any number of breeds, events or activities, western Carolina is your home field.
About Carolina Horse Country
The age that horses are first ridden varies
considerably by breed and discipline. Many Thoroughbred race horses have small,
light riders on their backs as early as the fall of their yearling year. Most
stock horse breeds, such as the American Quarter Horse, are ridden at the age of
two. Most horses used in harness have a cart first put behind them at age two,
and even some horses not ridden until age three will be trained to pull a light
cart at two, in order to learn better discipline and to help develop stronger
muscles with less stress. The vast majority of horses across disciplines and
throughout the world are first put under saddle at the age of three. However,
some slower-maturing breeds are not ridden until the age of four.
Popular Breeds
Western Carolina Horse Country Homes and Real Estate
Because of these special qualities, you would expect real estate in Carolina Horse Country to move quickly. Charming first-time or senior homes, executive estates, recreational properties for active lives and special view properties of all styles and sizes can be found within or near this community.
Specializing in North and South Carolina Homes, Horse Farms, Land and Estate Properties!