Traveler |
|
| Breed | Unknown, but a foundation sire for the Quarter Horse |
|---|---|
| Discipline | Racing |
| Sire | unknown |
| Grandsire | unknown |
| Dam | unknown |
| Maternal grandsire | unknown |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | about 1880 |
| Country | United States |
| Color | Roan |
| Breeder | unknown |
| Honors | |
| Honors | |
| American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame | |
Mystery surrounds Traveler (died 1912), as his breeding is completely unknown.[1] He appeared in Texas in the mid-1880s and eventually ended up as a match racehorse and stallion.[2] Some stories have him part of a contractor's work string doing grading work on a railroad being constructed in Eastland County, Texas.[3] Whether or not this story is true, the first recorded owner of Traveler was a man named Brown Seay.[4]
He was a light sorrel horse, with light amounts of roaning on his flanks. Markings were a snip, and a streak on the face. Standing around 15 hands high, he was leggy but well muscled, although George Clegg said the horse was the shortest backed horse he'd ever seen.[4] He was also owned by the Shely brothers, who bred most of his most famous offspring. While owned by Seay, Traveler was match raced extensively in Texas.[5]
He died in 1912.[2] He sired such influential Quarter Horses as Little Joe, King (later named Possum), Jim Ned, Judge Thomas, Texas Chief, and Captain Joe.[1] Other descendants included Joe Reed II, Hard Twist, Silver King, Tonto Bars Hank, and Tonto Bars Gill.[6]
He was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Association's (or AQHA) AQHA Hall of Fame.[7]