Canadian Pacer

A historic gaited strain of eastern Canada and the northeastern United States, the Canadian Pacer was valued in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries for a fast, smooth lateral pace. It is usually described as arising from Canadian Horse stock influenced by the Narragansett Pacer and other early North American saddle and harness horses. These horses were practical road animals, able to cover rough routes and frozen roads quickly before railways and automobiles changed transportation.

The Canadian Pacer is not generally available as a living pure breed today; the name appears mostly in old pedigrees, breed histories, and discussions of gaited horse ancestry. It is often cited as an influence behind the Standardbred and some American saddle and gaited breeds. For historians and breeders, the useful work is documentation: tracing family lines, preserving records, and separating verified ancestry from romantic claims. Modern horses advertised with Canadian Pacer influence should be judged as individuals for gait, soundness, training, and care needs.

Colors: Amber Champagne, Bay, Bay Dun, Bay Roan, Black, Blanket Appaloosa, Blue Roan, Brown, Buckskin, Champagne, Chestnut, Classic Champagne, Cremello, Dun, Dun Roan, Fewspot Appaloosa, Flaxen Chestnut, Frame Overo, Gold Champagne, Gray, Grey, Grullo, Leopard Appaloosa, Liver Chestnut, Overo, Palomino, Perlino, Piebald, Pinto, Rabicano, Red Dun, Red Roan, Roan, Sabino, Seal Bay, Silver Dapple, Skewbald, Smoky Black, Smoky Cream, Snowcap Appaloosa, Sorrel, Splash White, Tobiano, Tovero, Varnish Roan, White