The Nokota Horse

The Rockin' Bar H Nokota Horses present the first Nakota stallion in the Western United States. This rare 11 year old is the first to be available for public breeding.

Nokota horses once ran wild in the Little Missouri Badlands, located in southwestern North Dakota. The earliest horses to occupy the Northern Plains were Indian horses.

The Nokota history has been traced back to the buffalo and war horses confiscated by the U.S. government from Chief Sitting Bull of the Sioux Indians when they surrendered at Fort Buford, North Dakota in 1881. Approximately 350 head were sold to local post traders who in turn sold 250 head, including all mares, to the French nobleman, the Marquis DeMores, who established the town on Medora, gateway to what is now Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Many were war horses and had been in the battle of Little Big Horn for they carried the scars from the rifles of General Custer's troops. The Marquis intended to breed horses on a large scale with these Sioux mares as the foundation stock.

In the summer of 1884, 60 of the DeMores mares were purchased by A.C. Huidekoper, who owned the HT Ranch which was the earliest large scale ranch in North Dakota. Mr. Huidekoper had purchased racing Thoroughbred stallions and Percheron stallions from Kentucky. One of the Thoroughbred stallions was the famous sire Lexington. This extreme cross was to produce long-winded, fast, strong saddle horses & he called this mix "American Horses".

After the death of the Marquis DeMores in 1896, some of his herd was rounded up & sold. The remaining horses were left in what is now Theodore Roosevelt National Park & became known as "wild horse country". These horses are the foundation stock for the Nokota horse.

Horsemen Frank and Leo Kuntz from Linton, North Dakota are primarily responsible for saving the Nokota. The brothers bought a few horses from a 1978 Park Service roundup in Medora, North Dakota and immediately recognized that the horses were a breed unto themselves. Through their efforts of much research, including blood typing, and determination to preserve this historic Indian horse, the Nokota was recognized as a registered breed in 1991.

The Nokota comes in three types. The traditional Nokotas resemble the Andalusian strain of Spanish horses brought to this continent by the Spaniards. They have large, kind eyes, broad foreheads, and thick manes and tails. They possess keen intelligence and a calm but curious disposition. Their heads are straight or slightly concave in profile. They are large-boned with thick hoof walls, rarely needing to be shod. The traditional Nokota stands 14.2 to 15.3 hands.

The Huidekoper Ranch type has been crossed with horses that have native blood, crossed with Thoroughbred. Some Percheron blood is also present in a few Ranch types. This was the common practice to produce the larger ranch horses that were the preferred ranch horse of the Northern Plains. The Huidekoper Ranch strain will stand anywhere from 15 to 17 hands.

The Nokota has been crossed with a line of ponies that were good barrel and pole racing ponies. They range from 12 to 14 hands. The Nokota Pony registry is inactive with less than 35 ponies registered.

As described by the artist Frederick Remington in 1888, these Indian horses are more square on the quarters than most breeds. This gives then an uncanny jumping ability. They have unusual strength and endurance, making them ideal mountain and trail horses. Being descendants of the buffalo and war horses gives them a natural instinct when it comes to cattle, remaining calm, and watching the cow. Most exhibit the smooth "Indian shuffle", a trait that was prized by Indians and cowboys.

The color of the Nokotas as described by many who saw the horses in the 1800's is still the same. Blue and red roans, greys and blacks are most common. Blood bays and overos are also a part of the color pattern. Some have blue eyes, many still have "bald faces".

The Nokota is the last remaining strain of the northern prairie horse, and the last known strain of war and buffalo horses. J. Frank Dobie, foremost scholar of early Western horses, summed it up thus, "It is almost unbelievable how much the Indians can accomplish with their horses, what burdens they carry, and what great distances they cover in a short time..." Never stabled, washed, curried, shod, doctored or fed, he starved through the winter, but when the grass came in he filled out, and with ears up and eyes lighted, was ready for any ride. Adversity brought out his values.

The Nokota is a historic horse that fits every use of today's horse people. For more information on the Nokota, please contact: Dale & Holly Offermann, Rockin' Bar H Nokota Horses, 10506 SR 530 NE, Arlington, Washington 98223, 360-435-5222, rockinbarh@earthlink.net, http://home.earthlink.net/~rockinbarh

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