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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2nd Session of the 58th Legislature (2022)
HOUSE BILL 3261 By: Randleman
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to definitions and general
provisions; providing history of the American Quarter
Horse and Colonial Spanish Horse of O klahoma;
designating the American Quarter Horse and the
Colonial Spanish Horse of Oklahoma as the state
horses of Oklahoma; providing for noncodification;
providing for codification; and providing an
effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE O F THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law not to be
codified in the Oklahoma Statutes reads as follows:
The American Quarter Horse 's name is derived from its ability to
outrun other horse breeds in races of on e-quarter (1/4) mile or
less; some have been clocked a t speeds of up to fifty-five (55)
miles per hour. In addition, the American Quar ter Horse is known as
a quick and smart cow horse and is the most popular breed of horse
in the United States today. For nearly fifty (50) years, the
American Quarter Horse A ssociation has held its world championship
show in Oklahoma City. The Colonial Spanish Horse of Oklahoma has
deeply rich ties to the American Quarter Ho rse. The Colonial
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Spanish Horse was brought to A merica in the 1500s by the Spanis h
conquistadors. These were pure Spanish Mustangs, a relatively small
but tough breed of horse. After the introduction of these horses to
Native American tribes, the horses became essential to the tribes,
and they began to rely heavily on them for their travels during
times of war and hardship, as well as for hunting. In addition, the
Native American tribes utilized the Colonial Spanish Horse to
traverse the Trail of Tears. The Colonial Spanish Ho rse of Oklahoma
is the only native horse in the state and has the purest bloodline.
There is evidence that the Spanish Mustangs obtained from the Native
American tribes were crossed with the English c olonists' stock as
early as the year 1611. Over the next one hundred fifty (15 0)
years, the product of this breeding would come to be known a s the
American Quarter Horse. Currently, Oklahoma is fifth in the nation
in total horse members, behind only Texas, California, Florida, and
Ohio. Horses in Oklahoma a re used for diverse purp oses with forty-
four percent (44%) being privately owned, seventeen percent (17%)
used for showing, and seventeen percent (17%) for racing. The
predominant horse breed in Oklahoma is the American Quarter Horse.
The American Horse Council estimates about one hundred four thousand
(104,000) American Quarter Horses were in Oklahoma in 2017.
Oklahoma was listed second in the United States in total American
Quarter Horse numbers. For the reasons listed above, the American
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Quarter Horse and the Colonial Spani sh Horse of Oklahoma deserve to
be designated as the state horse s of Oklahoma.
SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 98.20 of Title 25, unless there
is created a duplication in nu mbering, reads as follows:
The American Quarter Horse and the Colonial Spanish Horse of
Oklahoma are hereby designated and adopted as the state horse s of
Oklahoma.
SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2022.
58-2-8607 JBH 01/19/22