North America's most popular breed is the American Quarter Horse. Quarter Horses are one of the earliest American horse breeds. Quarter Horses, originally bred for quarter-mile races, make great western and ranch horses.
Thoroughbreds are North America's second-most-popular horse breed. Thoroughbreds are swift, athletic horses. U.S. Thoroughbred racing generates tens of thousands annually. After racing, many Thoroughbreds become successful riding horses.
Similar to the Quarter Horse, the American Paint Horse is one of North America's fastest-growing horse breeds. In the 2015 USDA census, 6.8% of horses were American Paint Horses.
American Miniature The tiniest horse breed is the world's. These horses look like full-size horses but are only 34 inches tall at the withers. According to the USDA census, 5.1% of horses were miniature.
Draft horses are huge horse breeds used for plowing, farming, and transporting heavy cargo. Draft horses make up 4.7% of the USDA census-listed U.S. equines.
Tennessee Walking Horses are prominent North American gaited horses. Smooth ambling gaits make gaited breeds easy to ride. Tennessee Walking Horses run in a four-beat pattern.
A total of 4.1% of horses were categorized as grade horses by their owners, according to the census conducted by the USDA. Grade horses are horses that do not have a proven pedigree or purebred origin.