MCCURDY PLANTATION HORSES

TREASURED OLD SOUTH ‘MCCURDY LICK’ TROTTER

Written by: Kym Rouse Holzwart

The McCurdy Plantation Horse was developed in the late 19th century by the McCurdy family in Lowndesboro, Alabama. Like other popular gaited horse breeds such as the Tennessee Walking Horse and the Racking Horse, this breed has its roots in the south and arose when landowners wanted comfortable, versatile, calm, dependable and durable horses that could carry them long distances over rough terrain and work the land.

During the 1860s, Lewis and W.D. McCurdy, who had adjoining plantations, operated as McCurdy Brothers in Lowndes County, breeding, training and racing Standardbreds, best known as a harness-racing breed.

While the McCurdys were known for raising outstanding trotters, they bred a gray Tennessee Walking Horse stallion named Doctor F-79—now considered as the foundation sire of the McCurdy Plantation Horse breed—to some of the finest plantation walking mares in central Alabama. The McCurdy brothers first focused on breeding Tennessee Walking Horses, but as their quality breeding program gained in popularity, they began to focus on raising horses with Doctor F-79 bloodlines, slowly producing the distinct breed that is now known as the McCurdy Plantation Horse. These early McCurdy horses were often ridden 20 to 30 miles a day to town or to oversee plantation work, were hitched to a buggy, wagon or plow, herded livestock and hunted or carried kids to school.

The versatile McCurdy Plantation Horse is typically gray, always dependable and durable over long distances and rough terrain.

With their stamina and endurance, McCurdy Plantation Horses, such as this gelding, Top Gun McCurdy, left, are perfect for distance events. Little John Lester, right, is a McCurdy Plantation Horse stallion that stands at Through the Pines Walking Horses in Georgia.

McCurdy Plantation Horses are known for a distinctive, single-footing gait (when only one foot hits the ground at a time), or the “McCurdy Lick.” Additional smooth, natural gaits include the flat walk, running walk, rack walking and the ambling stepping pace. The McCurdy Plantation Horse averages about 15 hands in height, are solid and stocky and known for their stamina and endurance. With full manes and tails, they are typically gray but can also be bay, black, sorrel or chestnut.

These days, McCurdy Plantation Horses are popular trail, pleasure and show horses. But they are still valued in cattle ranching for their natural cow-herding ability in working with livestock. They have calm, laid-back temperaments and make great family horses. In addition to being easy to train, McCurdy Plantation Horses are a pleasure to own and ride. Since the McCurdy Plantation Horse Registry was not established until 1993, the McCurdy Family registered their horses with the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ and Exhibitors’ Association, which was established in the 1930s. In fact, many McCurdy-bred horses are included in the foundation registry of the Tennessee Walking Horse. In addition to the registry, the McCurdy Plantation Horse Association was established in 1995 to preserve this historic bloodline as a distinct breed, promote the use and enjoyment of the McCurdy Plantation Horse, and to enhance the knowledge and appreciation of the McCurdy Plantation Horse as a treasured legacy of the Old South. The association also sponsors trail rides and participates in gaited horse events.

McCurdy Plantation Horses are very rare in Florida. If you are interested in buying one, the closest breeders are in Georgia and Alabama. To this day the McCurdy family still raises these horses in central Alabama. There are about 600 McCurdy Plantation Horses registered throughout the world and about a dozen recognized breeders throughout the U.S., including in Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas and Oregon. FCM