More About the Author
The Story of a Book
The story of "The Complete Book of the Appaloosa" is as unique as its content. In early 1970, a young lady of 21, that had represented the state of South Carolina as Ms. Appaloosa contestant, in a horse-crazy moment, decided to document the history of her favorite horse. A learning disability of dyslexia did not deter this young lady, as she began to interview old cowboys, breeders, and horsemen collecting oral history of the Colorado horses, equine ancestors behind her beloved Roberds-bred mare. An old cassette recorder borrowed from a friend, and a "box full" of "Big Chief" notebooks, a supply of pens and pencils, and Ms. Haddle set out on her quest to track down the "oldest point of reference"[1] to document history. There was no laptop computer, no typewriter, only a naive passionate desire to collect and write down every pertinent fact of spotted horse history.
What at once became apparent, was that all the horse history, in America, in Colorado, within the Appaloosa breed, was so woven together as fabric of fact that it could not be separated. Horses did not drop out of the sky with unknown pedigree, someone knows the facts if you dig deep enough. Since registries in the USA, stock horse registries, ApHC, AQHA, NQHB, APHA are relatively new in terms of history, it became imperative to consider equine history as a whole, a complex package that was completed with animals from the tip of South America to the tip of the Yukon Territory. What facts are there is that a whole complex group of equine ancestors and stories richer than fiction, created the foundation horses of each respective "breed" registry.
The first collection of historic stories, first person accounts, old photographs, became "The Complete Book of the Appaloosa." A name chosen by circumstance not by design. In early 1971, author Jan Haddle, paid a neighbor to proof read the series of "chief notebooks," to transcribe the hand written scribbles into one clean typed copy done in Chicago Manual of literary Style. As all young people believe the world is one of great opportunity, the author, Jan, picked up a copy of writers guidelines from a local library, looked up a list of internationally recognized publishers, picked the first one under "A"- A. S. Barnes of New Jersey and London, and sent the one original manuscript, unsolicited, with no literary agent representing it, with a letter asking if they would like to publish it. Astonishingly, a response by "return mail" included a contract for consideration of the Author and an offer of cash advance! The rest is history as they referred immediately to the manuscript as "The Complete Book of the Appaloosa" and the name stuck.
The original book was printed initially as 5000 copies! A small run by most standards, released in 1976 to brisk sales and great interest. Barely a year later, as the book was up for consideration of reprint, the publisher filed for complete bankruptcy. Most copies were sold or accounted for, the copyright was assigned back to the author, and the dream was gone. A short career writing freelance for magazines followed, then, discouraged at trying to find another publisher, author Jan, packed away the pictures, stories, three copies of the original book, and let the dream die.
In 1999, Jan, learned computer, Jan learned internet, and was brought back into the real world of technology with the astonishing news that her out of print book was selling well, when it was available, in the rare book market, for over $200 a copy! On the www. Jan began to meet many people with more questions, wanting answers and given more information behind the original stories of the Appaloosas. Encouraged by each email, first from Lori Munro, then by waves of others from around the world, it became a fact that a reprint was needed and a new book needed to explore beyond the narrow focus of the Appaloosa book.
The fact is shared equine ancestors were common, name changes were common, and many horses of different types, some called early on "Thoroughbred" some called "Standardbreds"- and some just called "horse," were to be winnowed out to become American breeds. As one old breeder stated "Horses were necessity before the invention of the Model T, the John Deer Tractor, the SUV. Everyone raised "types" to fill a niche. Not breeds, but "types;" fancy pairs of buggy horses, ox strong drafties, fancy saddle horses for ladies, quick horses for cowboys, sturdy mounts for the army, types, not breeds. Since the first registry to exist in the U.S. was the General Studbook (the Thoroughbred) people clamored to make their horses "fit" the studbook to add value to their stock, but the English rules were too strict and there was no ready supply of affordable "blue blooded" horses. So the North and South Americans looked for ways to add value to the greatest asset they had- the free roaming horse of the Americas."
Where did they come from? The North American Plains, most every wild place of North and South America at the turn of the 19th century was populated with horses, buffalo and wild game. Horses of every color, size and type, with common ancestors. It is believed that horses became extinct[2] at the last ice age and that all horses of the Americas were imported. Imported as mounts of the conquistadors, imported as cattle drover mounts in New Spain, imported to pack fur trappers in the Yukon, imported to Virginia as coursers. Just as America is the melting pot of immigrant persons, so is the story of the horse of the Americas about the melting pot of the worlds equines.
The stories, historic facts or oral history, are being compiled now to complete many pedigree gaps of horses back to pre-1900. The new book, titled "Palouse, horse of the America," was chosen to honor the first native Peoples of the Americas who were regarded as "stock breeders.[3]" The scope of the new collection covers the woven frontier histories of the American Thoroughbred, the American Morgan horse, the American Standardbred, the American Arabian, the South American Criollo, The Canadian Horse, and the Colonial Spanish horse. What do they all have in common? The answers will astound the student of Western American history. The stories will delight anyone who appreciates a good read, as tales of outlaws, native Peoples, cowboys, and equine entreprenuers become documented with bibliography fact.
Jan Haddle Davis remains active as a horse breeder today. Her small herd includes ApHC, and AQHA horses of popular lines as well as some that are considered "heritage" bred relative to the history contained in The Complete Book of the Appaloosa.
Her daughter, Son In law, and 2 grand children share equal enthusiasm for the horses and horse industry.
