Iowa and South Dakota Are Among Leading States for Quarter Horses

South Dakota and Iowa are home to some of the biggest populations of America's most popular breeds of horses.

According to Cowgirl Magazine of the more than 2.4 million quarter horses in the country, more than 140,000 reside in the Mount Rushmore and the Hawkeye States.

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So what distinguishes a quarter horse from other horses?

According to Wikipedia:

The American Quarter Horse, or Quarter Horse, is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name is derived from its ability to outrun other horse breeds in races of a quarter mile or less; some have been clocked at speeds up to 44 mph (70.8 km/h).

The development of the Quarter Horse traces to the 1600s. The American Quarter Horse is well known both as a racehorse and for its performance in rodeos, horse shows, and as a working ranch horse.

According to the latest numbers from the American Quarter Horse Association, Texas is home to 17 percent of the country's quarter horses.

South Dakota is seventh. Iowa is tenth.

TOP STATES FOR REGISTERED QUARTER HORSES

Texas (414,808)
Oklahoma (162,513)
California (112,915)
Missouri (94,852)
Montana (86,978)
Colorado (80,811)
South Dakota (79,743)
Nebraska (79,271)
Kansas (71,906)
Iowa (63,612)

Minnesota is 21st overall with 45,769 registered quarter horses.

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