Florida State Horse Bills-Bad News For Paso Owners

[SQUEAKS]

A little BAD NEWS for Paso Fino owners.

As many of you know by now both the Florida Senate and House have bills in place to designate the Official Florida State Horse as the (Florida Cracker Horse) over the Paso Fino. I was advised by legislative assistants there didn't seem to be much objection from Paso Fino owners.

The Senate Bill is SB230

The House Bill is HB131

You can find the wording of the bills by going to the Florida legislature website and enter bill numbers.

I am not sure this has passed yet, but Paso owners might want to contact your representative or senator if you want the bill reviewed to make the Paso Fino the official Florida State Horse.

It is supposed to go into effect July 1, 2008 according to the bills and in viewing the votes only 6 legislators voted on it and all 6 were in favor.
This bill can be forced to be reviewed or repealed. But you have to contact your legislators and express your opinions. The bill doesn't go to Department of Agriculture until 3/19/08 according to what was listed so we have 2 days to express our opinion.

Here is link for Florida folks who want more info

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Welcome/index.cfm?CFID=40747848&CFTOKEN=31822342

Bob:(

[Mellifluous]

In my mind, the Florida Cracker seems like a better choice for the state horse. Plus they could really use the publicity as a breed. They are paso fino cousins in a way.

[SQUEAKS]

Just got off phone with Dept of Bill Information for legislature and they advised the bills HB131 and SB230 had not passed as of this time. They will notify me when they do.:v:

If you want the Paso Fino as the "Official State Horse Of Florida" call your elected officials and let them know as soon as you can..

Bob

[SQUEAKS]

Mel

You can correct me if I am wrong but the horse called the Florida Cracker Horse and the Georgia Cracker Horse were given that identification many years after the introduction of the Paso Fino to the Americas.

The name was derived from the cowboys who carried large bull whips and the cracking sound made by the whips when they were working cattle in Florida and South Georgia. So while they have been designated as Cracker Horses they were not recognized as a breed until the middle of the 20th century. They were still the same as Pasos a breed genetically from the spanish jennet, the barb and the andulusian. If I am correct cracker horses weren't in Florida before Paso Finos. The breed didn't start showing up until 1525 about 30 years after Pasos were here.

As a Paso owner, yes I would like to see the Paso Fino chosen as our state horse because they were Florida's first horse. JMO

Bob:biggrin:

[SQUEAKS]

As of today at 3:10 PM here is where the bills stand now.

HB 131 Now in Economic Expansion & Infrastructure Council Thursday, March 13, 2008 1:19 PM Economic Expansion & Infrastructure Council

SB 230
03/14/08 SENATE On Committee agenda-- Agriculture, 03/19/08, 1:00 pm, 37

You still have time to call your elected officials if you want the Paso Fino as the "State Horse of Florida".


Bob:biggrin:

[Cindy]

I agree with you Mel. The Paso Fino was not developed in Florida. It was imported to Florida. The Cracker was developed there from what I know.

[SQUEAKS]

Here is a good link for info on the Florida Cracker Horse....Check it out.

http://www.floridacrackerhorses.com/

Hope this helps
Bob:v:

[motorgypsy]

I own and love both breeds and live in Florida. I vote for the Florida Cracker horse. They have much more history in Florida, were used in roundups for many years before WWII and the importation of the larger beef cattle. They are totally amazing, gaited, paso fino cousins.

I love my paso finos dearly but I think having two counties who have them as their official horse already (Puerto Rico - Paso fino and Colombia - I think would be the criollo which includes the paso fino Colombiano) is enough recognition. Floridians developed the Cracker horses for the needs of Florida. The same cannot be said of the paso fino. There are related breeds in Ga, SC, NC and VA but they are not the same. All are Spanish origin. The Cracker horse came over with the conquistadors and went feral then when some were killed and the horses escaped. They have been allowed to run feral only to be captured for roundup and turned loose again for many years. They are an amazing breed. They desperately need recognition and the publicity to help maintain the few breeding herds as Florida almost lost this breed - and it is a breed with a registry, identified characterisitcs and DNA studies done verifying the link to Spanish horses and paso finos.

So please send your vote for the Florida Cracker Horse as the official horse of Florida.

Our wonderful Florida Cracker horse - Ayer's SloughP
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v99/motorgypsy/sloughpjtaila.jpg