Welcome to the
Mountain Pleasure Horse Association
The Mountain Pleasure Horse is the oldest gaited breed in North America. The MPH has been proven to be the parent breed of all North American gaited breeds including; Rocky Mountain, Tennessee Walking Horse, American Saddlebred and Kentucky Mountain Horses. We are a non-profit organization registered in the state of Kentucky and dedicated to the promotion, breeding and development of the Mountain Pleasure Horse. Our goal is first to preserve the bloodlines of the Mountain Pleasure Horse, then to build their population. We issue registration papers not to sell these horses, but to certify they meet the stringent criteria of the Mountain Pleasure Horse Association (MPHA) and to encourage the breeding of the rare and endangered Mountain Pleasure Horse.
About the Breed
The Disposition….
The disposition and trainability of the Mountain Pleasure Horse may be the most appreciated characteristic for novice horse owners. They are a very intelligent horse that loves attention. Veteran trainers of other breeds are amazed at how fast they learn. It is not uncommon to see two and three year olds effectively competing with older horses at area horse shows or on challenging trail rides. Once the Mountain Pleasure Horse has been trained, they remember their lessons well. The Mountain Pleasure Horse is waiting with its natural gait and willing disposition, whether you ride once a week or once a month.
The Gait...
The Mountain Pleasure Horses’s distinctive, easy riding gait, allows the sure-footed horse to cover a lot of ground with minimum effort for both the horse and rider. The gait is an evenly spaced, four beat lateral gait with moderate forward speed and extension without exaggerated knee and hock action. The horse moves out with a gait in which one can count four distinct hoof-beats that produce a cadence of near equal rhythm. The gait is natural. It is bred into these horses through generations of proper breeding. No action devices, aids or harsh training methods are necessary or allowed by the Mountain Pleasure Horse Association. The unique thing about the Mountain Pleasure Horse is its’ ability to travel long distances at this gait with a variance of speed. Fast or slow, the beat remains the same. The Mountain Pleasure Horse is also unique in its ability to adapt and learn. You will find these horses in many competitions from drill team, competitive obstacle, barrel racing and extreme cowboy races to the gracefulness of the show ring. However, their forte’ is their sure footed ride on the trails. Combined with their easy, no bounce gait, the Mountain Pleasure horse is the perfect horse for the young and the young at heart rider.