Did you know the Marsh Tacky is South Carolina's official State Heritage Horse? This Lowcountry breed became rare after the introduction of the automobile to the South Carolina coast, but historically these horses were used for everything from plowing to transportation and were extremely common, particularly in the Gullah community.  ("Tacky" is an old British word meaning "common", by the way; it's not implying the horses have poor fashion sense and bad taste in home decor.)

Tackies, like many other American horse breeds, are descended from Spanish horses left by explorers and settlers.  Feral herds were once common in the Lowcountry but are now extinct.  The horses are small (13 to 15 hands) and compact, and many have an extra gait known as the Swamp Fox Trot.  They are known as "easy keepers", requiring less food than other horses, and are very sure-footed even in wet or boggy conditions.  Today they are frequently used in hog and deer hunting, as trail horses, and famously in beach races at the annual Gullah Cultural Festival on Hilton Head.

Dedicated breeders have grown the population of Tackies from a historical low of fewer than 150 to a growing (yet still endangered) population of 276.

This formerly obscure horse is having a bit of a renaissance at the moment - there's a Marsh Tacky cover model on American Spirit magazine this month!  Inside is an article about the history of the Marsh Tackies, with information on their role in the Revolutionary War and connection with Francis Marion.

There have been other magazine articles about these little horses over the years.  Charleston's February 2011 issue and Sandlapper's Summer 1997 issue both have brief articles about the horse's history and qualities.  Sandlapper also featured a lengthier article in their Winter 2010/2011 issue about the struggle of the Carolina Marsh Tacky Association to preserve and popularize the breed (available online here.)

To find out more about the Marsh Tacky, visit the Carolina Marsh Tacky Association's website or take a look at some of these articles!

Peter, Courtney.  "Living Links to the Revolution: South Carolina's Marsh Tacky Horses." American Spirit. May/June 2012, p. 26-27.

Allen, Margaret E. "A Rare Breed." Charleston. February 2011, p. 27-28.

Pinckney, Roger. "Small Horse, Big Heart." Sandlapper. Summer 1997, p. 54-55.

"Horses as Heroes." Sandlapper. Winter 2010/2011, p. 6-9.