RANCH- BREDS AND SHOW HORSES
Grey Badger II (1941, 14:2 hands) was by Midnight Jr. by Midnight, a grandson of both Peter McCue and Billy the Tough; out of Grey Annie by Billy the Tough by A.D. Reed by Peter McCue. Grey Annie was out of a mare by Casey Jones, also by Peter McCue so this horse is “double bred” to more than one ancestor. Grey Badger II sired Grey Badger III (1947). Like King P-234, the Badgers exemplify Quarter Horse “type,” but unlike Peter McCue and many of his get, they are stout-bodied with legs of iron, and they are built for all-around ranch use. Note the shapely but slightly shorter neck, the deep muzzle which almost guarantees correct eruption and occlusion of the teeth, and more substantial fore and hind limbs. Badger-breds have tons of “cow” while Grey Badger II was also a speedy racehorse and sired some successful racehorses. Grey Badger II is an AQHA Hall of Fame horse and the maternal great grandsire of Peppy San Badger, the all-time great cutting horse bred by the King Ranch.
Doc Bar (1956, 14:2 hands) was by Lightning Bar by Three Bars, a Thoroughbred of the Touchstone branch of the Eclipse family; out of Dandy Doll, a granddaughter of My Texas Dandy. Dandy Doll’s dam was Bar Maid F, tracing in sire line to Thoroughbreds of the Himyar line, and her tail-female also goes to Thoroughbred. The Doc Bar dynasty produced numerous champions in reining including Topsail Cody (1977, 14:1 hands, by Joe Cody of the King Ranch Old Sorrel line). Doc Bar’s influence in cutting and reining has lasted for decades.
Although Doc Bar himself is three-quarters Thoroughbred and shows no Arabian characteristics, this author can personally attest that many of his get and grand-get show Arabian traits in both conformation and behavior. This came about during the 1960s when a hardship clause in AQHA rules allowed mares to be registered by inspection, so that no matter what their actual bloodlines, they could receive Quarter Horse papers. Many American Arabians that came
from *Indraff breeding had “cow” and could turn around very fast, something well proven by Harold Brite who trained many of them for reining and beat Quarter Horses in open competition so often that he was ultimately officially invited not to come back.
The “Quarab” or Quarter Horse-Arabian cross is today the most common of all “grade” crossbreds in the United States, and in this author’s opinion not only one of the most beautiful strains but also very useful for beginner riders because Quarabs combine the placid Quarter Horse temperament with the sound feet and endurance capabilities of the Arabian. Doc Bar-bred Quarter Horses tend to be rather small, some standing below 14 hands, and thus are not suitable for general ranch work. Doc Bar himself is well-conformed and has an exceptionally beautiful head. Doc Bar remains a leading sire of AQHA champions, National Reining Horse Association champions and Arena Register of Merit winners and has rightly earned his place in the AQHA Hall of Fame.