National Show Horses
Ht. 14.3-16.2
Color: A variety of colors, including the traditional bay, gray, chestnut and black of the Arabian, with Saddlebred ancestry adding a broader range of color, most notably, pinto and palomino
Established as a breed in 1981, the National Show Horse (NSH) combines the beauty, refinement and stamina of Arabian with the size and animated motion of the American Saddlebred to produce a flashy, high-stepping horse for the show ring. The horses are valued for their elevated movement, athletic ability and brilliant presence.
The National Show Horse breeders strive to produce an athletic horse that retains size, beauty and refinement. Traits to look for include balance and power from the hindquarters flowing into an elevated front end, the front legs showing both flexion and extension. The neck should be long and shapely but without a pronounced crest. The horse's head should be small, short and refined with large eyes and small, well placed ears and a straight or slightly concave profile. They have a high set tail that is natural and flowing. At rest or in motion, the horse must exhibit a natural presence and, when animated, extreme brilliance.
Registered animals today may be the offspring of registered NSH parents or may be a combination between an American Saddlebred, Arabian, and a National Show Horse. Although any combination of these three breeds may be used, there must be at least 25% Arabian blood in the horse to be registered, up to 99% Arabian blood.
The breed is usually used for saddle seat riding. They are horses with high-stepping action and can be trained to move with a very elevated front end. Some can be trained to be five-gaited, adding the slow gait and rack to the traditional gaits of the walk, trot and canter. A versatile breed, they can also be used for show jumping, endurance, dressage, or western riding.
However, founders of the NSHR were not satisfied just to create a new breed. They also wanted to create a new atmosphere in the show ring that reflects the excitement created by the horses themselves. New concepts and formats for the shows have been combined with a prize money system to create new enthusiasm for spectators and exhibitors.
