OklahomaHorses Magazine January 2024

16 OklahomaHorses • January / February 2024 N ow an acclaimed Native American film, television, and stage star, Wes Studi comes from humble beginnings. He was born and raised in Nofire Hollow in rural northeastern Oklahoma. But Santa Fe, New Mexico, is now home for Studi and his family. That’s where he met neighbors who refueled his expertise with and his lifelong love of horses. Studi’s neighbors owned a farm for tiger horses near Santa Fe. Already an accomplished rider as well as an actor, Studi made his mark again, as a professional horse trainer, taming and training tiger horses. “These majestic spotted horses, similar to the Appaloosa, have the same conformation as the Chinese horses you see in Chinese restaurants, with crested necks and shortened tails,” Studi was quoted as saying in writer Wendy Wilkinson’s article “Steady at the Gait” in the August 2015 issue of Cowboys & Indians Magazine. “They’re big and sturdy — anywhere from 15 to 16 hands — and are built to have a smooth and very comfortable gait.” Tracing Tiger Horses Apparently the breed genetically dates to approximately A.D. 618 when it originated in China during the T’Ang Dynasty. Historians define the T’Ang Dynasty, or T’Ang Empire, as an imperial dynasty that ruled China from the seventh to tenth centuries. With an interregnum from 690 to 705, the dynasty is considered a golden age and one of the greatest dynasties in Chinese history. Ancient Chinese artists depicted tiger horses, often with images of silk saddle blankets and colorful tassels hanging from the blankets. At one point, people imported the horses to Europe. Then the breed’s rise in popularity coincided with the European colonization of America. Historians believe the breed might have arrived in America from Spain about 300 years ago. Beautifully spotted and similar to Appaloosas in appearance, tiger horses display exotic coat patterns. The difference between Appaloosas and tiger horses is the gait. Tiger horses have a four-beat, evenly timed gait that is referred to as a running walk. And they keep at least one foot on the ground. The horses walk at a fast speed and thus cover a lot of distance. Tiger horses are athletic with a great deal of stamina. They weigh 700 to 1,500 pounds and have an approximate life expectancy of 20 years. The breed is considered generally healthy, with no special medical issues. Because they exhibit a controlled temperament, tiger horses are known for their wonderful dispositions and are people-loving family horses. They are coveted as companion pets and are considered great for beginning riders and trail riding. People who compete in dressage find the breed a great fit. With excellent distance-riding abilities, tiger horses are also great in the show ring. Historically, they were popular with ladies and gentlemen of royal courts because of their smooth and comfortable riding traits. The American tiger horse has been officially recognized as a breed with its own U.S. registry only since 2011. Acting with Honor Circling back to Studi and his love of horses, Studi’s father worked as a ranch hand on a large Oklahoma ranch. So as a boy, Studi began to work around horses in the 1950s. He went on cattle drives and helped with branding. His upbringing was the catalyst for a love of horses that remains integral to his life. Of Cherokee ancestry, Studi learned English when he entered school at age five. He graduated from Chilocco Indian School and then joined the U.S. Army. Studi is a Vietnam veteran who returned home and launched into Native American politics. He then moved on to other pursuits, training horses in Tulsa. And he Actor Wes Studi has roots in the Oklahoma horse world. Photo by Jen Boyer. Core Values Wes Studi Has Ties to the Oklahoma Horse World by Carol Mowdy Bond