4 Nez Perce / Wallowa Appaloosa Horses

What?

The Nez Perce had a centuries-long reputation for excellent horsemanship and selective breeding that created powerful, elegant, thrifty animals - the forerunners of the modern Appaloosa. During the 19th century, the Nez Perce or Palouse breed, as it was often known, was lost through extensive outcrossing, and the Appaloosa as we know it today has become a much broader, rounder horse suited to saddle paces but lacking the qualities Nimíipuu horsemen had spent years establishing.

In 1995, the Nez Perce Horse Registry Program began in Lapwai, Idaho, with the aim not only of recreating the traditional Nez Perce horse from old foundation Appaloosa lines (the Wallowa bloodline in particular being thought to date back to Chief Joseph's herd, and to represent the traditional, hardier Appaloosa type), but also to reintroduce a pivotal element of tribal culture, pride, and knowledge.

The program began by crossing foundation Appaloosas with Akhal-Teke horses - an ancient breed from Turkmenistan, noted for its endurance, clean lines and high intelligence, along with a pronounced metallic 'bloom' to its coat - and the typical Nez Perce horse exhibits many of those qualities, along with traditional Appaloosa colouring.

Particular features of the Appaloosa, aside from its characteristic spotted coat - which can be anything from an all-over (or leopard) spotting to a 'blanket' of white with spots the colour of the horse's base coat, or a 'snowcap' of white markings - include mottled skin, a sclera that is visibly white even when the horse is not rolling its eyes, and sometimes blue eyes, sparse mane and tail growth, and striped hooves.

[Sources: nezpercehorseinfo.com, Nez Perce Horse Registry, The Nez Perce Horse by Ike Boone, Nez Perce Appaloosas, and Nez Perce Tribe.]

The Horses

So, this mainly came about as an exercise in genetics. After making a batch of Akhal-Teke horses for my game, and a couple of Appaloosas, I started wondering how their offspring would turn out. All these horses were 'bred' in CAP and were then tweaked mercilessly until their colouring behaved.

They are intended to represent some examples of Nez Perce horses, both as Akhal-Teke crosses and Wallowa Appaloosas; powerful animals, yet hardy and clean-limbed, harking back to the tall, elegant animals the tribe was once renowned for - and is now making known again.


Lara is a leopard spotted Nez Perce Appaloosa. She has blue eyes, and - like many pale-coloured horses - a sensitive pink muzzle, which always seems to be poking into things, looking for treats... as long as she doesn't have to work too hard for them. A dedicated sim could get Lara motivated to train - though this pretty girl is not really the sharpest tool in the shed.

Gender: Female
Age: Adult
Traits: Lazy / Brave / Clueless


Light bay mare Nala is the daughter of my Akhal-Teke stallion Orion and an Appaloosa dam. She has all the Akhal-Teke sleekness in her build, and that metallic bloom to her coat, but with a lot of Appaloosa in her head, and some heavier, rounder lines. Lovely temperament even if, like her sire, she enjoys the sound of her own voice...

Gender: Female
Age: Adult
Traits: Obedient / Genius / Noisy


Annie is one of my Wallowa Appaloosas, based on horses currently registered with breeders on Nez Perce land around Lapwai. She shows all of the striking Appaloosa colouration, and she is rounder and broader than the other horses here, but not as wide or soft as most modern Appaloosas (or EA's default, which to my mind kind of resembles a Thelwell pony).

Gender: Female
Age: Adult
Traits: Neat / Friendly / Noisy


The only stallion of the group, Strider is a Nez Perce Horse demonstrating both traditional Appaloosa spots and an Akhal-Teke bloom to his coat, with the sharp, clean build of his forebears, and the powerful shoulders (within CAP's limitations. sigh.) of Appaloosa breeding. He would make a fabulous competition horse for the right sim.

Gender: Male
Age: Adult
Traits: Neat / Noisy / Agile


Compatibility:

Obviously, you will need the Pets expansion installed.

Installation:

TS3 pets are people too! Extract the .sim files from the .rar and place in your SavedSims folder.