Seth and Lakita, early Winter of 2002

Regardless of exactly how they came to be, the Nokota horses obviously stand as a breed apart. Genetic testing classifies them as "extremely divergent from all major groups of domestic breeds” (Cothran 1991), but the first glance is even more telling. Of course, the characteristic colorations are most obvious, even from afar, as black, blue roan, and grey are by far the three most common Nokota coat colors. Meanwhile, closer observation reveals great diversity even within each of these three colors, as they are actually results of complex interactions between dozens of color genes. For example, the grey gene or genes slowly mask other colors with age, and grey horses are actually born and carry the genes for another color, often blue roan or black in the case of a Nokota. But the transition of individual hairs from this base color to grey can progress very quickly so that every month the horse is obviously lighter, or slowly over the course of decades, and may or may not result in tick marks of various hues, dapples, and uneven greying across the body. There are also a few bay, seal brown, and even occasionally sorrel Nokotas, and their color genes can likewise combine with the roan gene to form a spectrum of shades of red roan, from mahogany to strawberry. Further adding to the distinctive color possibilities of the Nokota horses is a smattering of additional uncommon color genes, including those that manifest as a mealy ( light colored) muzzle, rabianco (silver) mane and tail, odd but distinct fine stripes parallel to the ribs on some roans, dun markings, occasional medicine marks, and of course, overo and sabino markings.

The overo and sabino genes have been misunderstood for centuries, and this has led to a host of misrepresentations of the Native American and early frontier horses. There are a number of "paint" genes, including splash, overo, sabino, and tobiano, but each one of these is very distinct and the result of entirely different genes. The tobiano gene is dominant, meaning simply that if inherited from only one parent it will still manifest and be passed on to 50% of the offspring. Tobiano is often the most colorful “paint” coloration, but it is typically misrepresented as the "Indian paint", which could not be further from the truth, or at least on the Great Plains . The tobiano gene appears to have originated in the old world and then come to the Americas relatively recently, and I challenge anyone to find a picture of a tobiano on the early northern plains. What you will find in historic pictures are overo and sabino horses. The genes responsible for these two patterns of white, unlike tobiano, are recessive. Therefore, horses that are heterozygous (carry only one overo or sabino gene from one of the two parents, as opposed to one from each parent) will not exhibit the coloration. But even if a horse has inherited two overo genes, the degree of expression is still extremely variable. Some may only have a blue eye or a tiny speck of white somewhere on the body. Conversely, a very small number of horses will demonstrate the maximum expression, the legendary medicine hat . The overo and sabino genes are similar and far from fully understood, but the overo gene more commonly manifests itself in crisp, well defined white markings, like the frame overo Grandpa Smoke, while sabino markings are more reminiscent of snowflakes and result in splotchy patterns, especially on the legs and undersides of the horse. Both also seem to manifest, unlike other paint genes, in blue eyes and white markings on both the legs and the face.

Grandpa Smoke, a tiger dun overo stallion

Grandpa Smoke is also a prime example of another commonly misunderstood but important color gene in the Nokota herd, the dun factor. The dun factor gene combines with other color genes to modify their expression and change the base color of the horse. It also causes the telltale "dorsal stripe" on the spine of its possessors, and it may even manifest in breathtaking "tiger stripes" on the legs and withers. But beware, this simple dominant gene is not the end all to be all that it is often touted as. It is associated with historic and even "primitive" horses, but it is now en vogue and, like tobiano, commonly misrepresented. Since the dun factor gene is dominant and so obvious, it is incredibly easy to breed for, and many have bred the dun factor gene into horses which are the antithesis of historic or primitive. The dun factor gene has existed in the Nokota herd for decades, but always at relatively low proportions, and today persists in only two, albeit prolific, lines: the massive Grey Butte line and the more Traditional Painted Lady line.

Although colors can be fairly easily bred for, other Nokota traits are even more unique. Most striking among these is the low tail set and angular build, especially the sloping shoulders and hindquarters. From behind Nokota horses are exceptionally and unmistakably square, something that even Frederick Remington was struck by and used to identify the northern plains horse, or cayuse, over a century ago. Couple this with robust legs and feet, a short and powerful back and neck, prominent withers, and lots of slope to the pasterns and hooves and you have the solution to extremely broken badlands topography: a surefooted, longwinded, and sturdy traveler who will eagerly jump any obstacle. The brutal North Dakota winter, characterized by unforgiving wind chills and months of snow cover which can be topped with an even crueler glaze of ice, has similarly driven the Nokota to evolve both an incredibly dense and long winter coat and feathering on the legs that protect them while pawing in search of nourishment.

But you will need to personally spend time with a Nokota horse to realize many of their most appealing characteristics. The large kind eyes do not lie; they truly are extremely social and kind creatures. Cooperation was a requisite of survival, and their social structure is extremely complex and actually dominated by the mares, not the stallion. Yet, this amiability is not exclusive to only horses. The nomadic Lakotas commonly kept their best ponies as close as possible at all times, even in the teepee, and the Nokota horses today will likewise readily form very strong bonds with humans, bonds which can prove invaluable. One cannot overestimate the value of your mount looking out for you.

Bull Butte, October 2004

The Nokota horses are now divided into three types to facilitate their preservation: National Park Traditional (NPT), National Park Ranch (NPR), and National Park Cross (NPC). The crosses are fully registered as Nokota horses, but they have an influx of outside bloodlines mixed with those from the Park, often of older types characteristic to the area, like reservation horses. The NPC Nokotas were especially important when the numbers of Traditional and Ranch horses were even lower than now, and they serve two purposes: 1. to increase the genetic diversity within the breed and thus improve its long term viability, and to 2. mix the best advantages of various horses in the quest to create the optimal performance horses. Many NPC Nokotas are taller, more refined, and even better suited to some of today's competitions, even though they are often 7/8ths or more foundation. They are analogous to a typical Quarter Horse, a mixture of foundation and other breeding often custom bred for a specific use, but nonetheless fully Quarter Horse.