AIHR — the American Indian Horse Registry — was established in 1961 for the purpose of collecting, recording and preserving the pedigrees of American Indian Horses. The Registry is currently housed near Lockhart, Texas together with a collection of Western and Indian Americana and a library pertaining to the history of the American Indian Horse.
This is Barney (Born To Run, AIHR O-1928) with artist Liz Austin and her grandson Javon in the Native American costume class at the 2014 AIHR National in Marshall, TX.
The American Indian Horse has gone by many names: call him cow pony or buffalo horse; mustang or Indian pony; cayuse or Spanish pony — basically they are all the same animal. Virtually every color known to the horse appears in this breed; he is sometimes appaloosa spotted, sometimes paint and sometimes solid colored with every variation imaginable occurring. He is well made, has excellent feet and legs and has as much savvy as any horse that ever lived. Height ranges from 13 to 16 hands; weight 700 to 1000 pounds with a few individuals over or under. You might have an Indian Horse in your backyard. We hope you’ll use our website to learn more about the five classifications of horse registration within AIHR.
Membership is open to any owner of an American Indian Horse and to any person interested in the American Indian Horse. Members receive The American Indian Horse News, issued quarterly, and qualify for lower registration rates. They are also eligible for the various awards programs sponsored by AIHR.
Be sure to read through our Spotlight series for individual stories about these unique horses and the people who love them!