The Narragansett Pacer was one of the first recorded horse breeds developed in the United States. It emerged in the 18th century (1700s), and was theorized to have been bred from a mix of English and Spanish breeds, although the exact cross is unknown. The Pacer was associated with, and bred in, the state of Rhode Island and the area of New England; as horse breeding shifted to Kentucky and Tennessee in the late 1700s, it became extinct by the 20th century.
Narragansett Pacer horses were owned and ridden by many famous people of the American Revolutionary War era, including President George Washington, Paul Revere, and others. The last known purebred Pacer is thought to have died around 1880, though the breed disappeared earlier from pedigrees in the late 1700s or early 1800s.
The Pacer was known as a sure-footed, dependable breed, although not flashy or always good-looking. Pacers were used for racing and general riding. They provided the foundation for several other American breeds, including the Morgan and the Standardbred; and, through the Morgan, the American Saddlebred and Tennessee Walking Horse as well. Narragansett Pacers also served as Canadian horse foundation stock; and, through unnamed Canadian horse and Morgan horse stallions, also influenced the Chincoteague Pony of Virginia.
More recently, the Narragansett Pacer was also shown to have likely influenced the Paso Fino in a 2022 genetic study.
History
The Narragansett Pacer had a major influence on many American gaited horse breeds. It was especially associated with the state of Rhode Island in the early 18th century (1700s), but became extinct by the late 19th century. It was known as one of the first breeds of horse developed in America. The origin of the breed is unknown, but it was probably developed from a cross between English "ambling" horses and Spanish breeds. The horses developed from this cross were known for their smoothness and sure-footedness over poor terrain.
The English horses which contributed to the Narragansett Pacer may have been members of the Irish Hobby breed; another possible ancestor is the Galloway pony. A 2022 genetic study of the Paso Fino of Puerto Rico, thought to be descended from the Narragansett Pacer, also showed similarities to the New Forest Pony, which has shared ancestry with the Celtic-type Asturcón and Pottok ponies.
A popular tradition linking the ancestry of the New Forest pony to Spanish horses said to have swum ashore from wrecked ships at the time of the Spanish Armada has, according to the New Forest National Park Authority, "long been accepted as a myth", however, the offspring of New Forest mares, probably bred at the Royal Stud in Lyndhurst, were exported in 1507 for use in the Renaissance wars involving France and Spain, which lasted until 1559. The Royal Stud at Lyndhurst was also said to stand Spanish stallions at the time; and, like Pacers, the ponies were raced.
In the early 1700s, Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor William Robinson began the serious development of the breed with a stallion named "Old Snip", speculated to be either an Irish Hobby or an Andalusian (Iberian horse), and considered to be the father of the breed. As such, the Narragansett Pacer may be related to other gaited horse breeds descended from the Colonial Spanish horse, such as the Paso Fino and the Florida Cracker Horse, the later of which is supported by the 2022 genetic study. However, the study also noted that DMRT3, the allele that causes a pacing gait in horses, was "not common" in Iberian horses, theorizing that the gene came from "non-Iberian breeds".
In 1768, George Washington owned and raced a Narragansett Pacer, and Edmund Burke asked an American friend for a pair in 1772. Paul Revere possibly rode a Pacer during his 1775 ride to warn the Americans of the British attack. Scots-Irish judge and Patriot sympathizer George Grant McCurdy of Old Lyme, Connecticut also owned a Narragansett Pacer mare ("McCurdy mare"), whom McCurdy bred to the English Thoroughbred stallion "McCurdy's Young Wildair" to produce the "Samuel Burt mare", an ancestor of Tennessee Walking Horse founder Black Allan. The Narragansett Pacer would prove to be immensely popular in the 18th century, and dominated early horse races in Colonial America.