Big Sky Mountain Horses   |   home About Us   |   Horses   |   Products   |   Other Related Sites Stallions Mares Horses For Sale Horses Sold Characteristics of Rocky Mountain Horses                            Photo of "Mocha" and "Sage" by Cindy Benfield     History of Rocky Mountain Horses Tradition has it that around the turn of the  century a young horse appeared in eastern Kentucky that gave rise to a line of horses that have been prized and treasured in this part of the country ever since.  The basic characteristics are of a medium-sized horse of gentle temperament with an easy four beat gait. This gait made it the horse of choice on the farms and the rugged foothills of the Appalachians.  It was a horse for all seasons.  It could pull the plows in the small fields, work cattle, be ridden bareback by four children to the fishing hole, or to town comfortably on Saturday.  They even performed well hitched to the buggy Sunday morning to go to church.   Fancy barns and stalls were not necessary.  Because of its cold blooded nature, it tolerated the winters in Kentucky with a minimum of shelter.  For these reasons, in small groups, the breed was preserved, sustained and gradually increased in this area. Naturally, out crossing with the local horses did occur but the basic characteristics of a strong genetic line have continued.