Title: That special breed
Description: THAT SPECIAL BREED: THE AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE

by Lyn Jank, 1977

This book was published in a limited edition of one thousand copies.  The book I read was autographed copy #199, received via interlibrary loan from the Agricultural Library of the University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY.  The large format book covers 357 pages with 153 photographs and illustrations and 23 pages of pedigrees.  The evolution of the American Quarter Horse from its colonial origins to its current popular status is presented through ten historical periods.  Each period is uniformly presented in three or four brief chapters; one of which sets a context for the period.

Dawn (1611-1751) briefly covers the crossing of the horse into the Americas and sets the context for the Colonial Quarter of a Mile Running Horse.  

Early Morning (1752-1839) discusses the Arabian foundation of the Thoroughbred and the early Thoroughbred influence on the quarter horse emphasizing Janus and Sir Archie.

Mid Morning (1840-1865) focuses on the "Gone To Texas" movement, the brush country environment that demanded the quarter horse attributes, and the rise of Copper Bottom, Steel Dust, Shiloh, and the Billy horses.

High Noon (1866-1910) moves the quarter horse throughout the west due to cattle drives with the subsequent emergence of strains based on Cold Deck, Roan Dick, Lock's Rondo, Traveler, Sykes Rondo, Old Fred, Peter McCue, the Blake family, Joe Bailey.  The era is concluded with a chapter on the Bonnie Joe, Beggar Boy, Joe Blair, Joe Reed family.

Afternoon (1912-1944) discusses the rodeo setting; the horses of notable breeders Milo Burlingham, Joe and Walter Hancock, Will and Dow Shely, George Clegg, Ott Adams, and William Anson; and the desire of these and other breeders to resist the government remount program and establish a quarter horse registry.

Sunset (1945-1951) describes the early schism in the AQHA due to differences of opinion regarding registration requirements; the Ace of Diamonds story; the development of sanctioned Quarter Horse racing; and the dominance of King, Leo, Three Bars, and Poco Bueno as sires. 

Dusk  (1952-1976) sets the context with the quarter horse becoming popularized as "everybody's" horse; pictures of 1976 Honor Roll champions; a detailed write up of the 1975 All American futurity;  and brief pedigrees of the families of supreme champions.

Night (1976-1977) typifies the era by interviews of "rodeo cowboy" L.M. Patterson; "Ohio cowboy" Dale Wilkerson; "running horse man" Walter Merrick; "performance man" Morgan Freeman; and "businessman" C.T. Fuller.

Another Dawn (1977- ) presents various tables, pedigrees, and pictures compiled through 1976 from the AQHA including champion quarter running horses, all time leading sires and maternal grandsires, performance and halter sires, dams of race ROM qualifiers, leading dams of AQHA champions, and foundation pedigrees.

This book supplements quarter horse chronicles presented by other authors, such as Robert Denhardt, Paul Laune, Barbara Muse, and Nelson Nye.  Readers familiar with Ms. Jank's "Because They Are So Bred" series on famous quarter horses and owners will recognize overlap between her articles and this book.  While the early eras present basic information, as the reader progresses from era to era the book becomes more "up close and personal" with her personal style becoming more evident.  The value of her book to me was the treatment of quarter horses from the late sixties and early seventies; a void not addressed in other quarter horse books.
Subjects: Quarter horse