Circus Lofts
Horseman Pouters
One of the Last True Dual Purpose Pigeon Breeds
The Horseman Thief Pouter is a relatively new breed to the US having been introduced in 2004 with four pairs of imports and has since been rapidly growing in popularity being exhibited in good numbers at all the major shows.
The origin of the Horseman Pouter is a mystery but many believe the breed was originally created as a cross between a Continental type Pouter and the now extinct breed known as the Horseman. The ancient Horseman is said to have looked somewhere between a Carrier and a Dragoon. It was a swift flying breed. The original cross was called the "Powting Horseman" which is how the name "Horseman Pouter" began. It is very possible that the birds came through Spain to Scotland in the 17th or 18th Century. The earliest reference that can be found is from Thomas Moore when he refers to the breed in 1735 when he says, “The Norwich Cropper appears to be a derivative of the "Powting Horseman." A quote from Jimmy Dolier's book, "Horseman Pouters," on page 80 says the Horseman is made up of one part Racing Homer with three parts Pouter. The actual word " Horseman" is the Scottish word for Highway Robber and the birds were originally used to catch food (in the form of other pigeons) for the table.
Horseman Pouters have an upright stance, upright and round globe with slightly long legs. They are not as extreme as most of the Pouter breeds, which gives them the streamlined look of the flying breed they were originally created to be. The standard calls for a bird around 10" high, so they are not a large breed. They make very good parents and rarely have any crop problems
Besides proper structure, the main focus in breeding is put on sex drive, intelligence, agility, flying ability, homing instinct and the ability and intent to seduce other pigeons, which results in a great temperament in the loft, show pen and in flying and clapping around outside in the yard and in the air. The Pouter breeds in general are very promiscuous and entertaining birds and the Horseman Pouter is much more so. This type of selective breeding makes for real characters in the loft, show pen and outside in the yard. There's never a dull moment with a Horseman around. Horseman really know how to put on a show, not only for other pigeons but for the show judges and their owners.
Horseman Pouters are truly one of the last dual purpose Pigeon breeds. They make excellent show birds standing truly royal and proud, blowing, strutting and showing a lot of fire in the show pens. There has been a growing amount of competition at the national shows each year with Horseman being among the most popular Pouters. It's great fun and a challenge breeding them to the show standard.
Horseman also come in a large array of beautiful colors. We have the three base colors of Blues, Ash Reds and Browns in the patterns Bar, Checker and T-Checker. Also the modifiers Dilute, Grizzle, Spread, White Grizzle, Indigo, Andalusian, Almond, Reduced, Dominate Opal, Recessive Red, Tortoiseshell and Powder.
Since the Horseman is made up of one part Racing Homer with three parts Pouter one top judge in the UK said he looks for a longer legged Homer look with an apple size globe. The body is also extended but not to the extreme. They should have the feel in the hand of a small racer, with tight, high quality feathering and strong muscles.
Being a true dual purpose breed if you like to fly your Horseman they are as entertaining as a kit of rollers. No, they don't roll, but what they do is let loose and express that fire and showmanship they are bred for in the air and on the ground! Around the yard they will clap, glide and show off by blowing. Many times they will take off in a kit and route out like Homers and all come back at once from seemingly nowhere clapping and blowing. It's quite a performance!
Countless Fanciers in Scotland fly Horseman Pouters in competition, with the aim of capturing other Flyers' birds. This has been common practice in the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh for many years. The sport has it's origins in Spain with different versions with essentially the same basic principles being practiced in cities around the world. The sport consists of the the cock or hen enticing a rival bird back to its home loft by a variety of strategies. Upon entering the loft, it is captured and becomes the property of the capturer. Seduction is the most common method. A hen in a particularly attractive condition seduces another person's amorous cock back to her loft or to his, depending on which one wins.
Today working and exhibition birds are probably Scotland’s national breed, with their popularity constantly growing with entries of 300 Horseman at some of the larger shows.
Here in the US they are one of the fastest growing breeds, soon to be a major factor. We already have a national club, The Horseman Pouter Club of North American formed in 2006. See www.horsemanpouter.com/HPCNA.html
And yes they are as purebred as any other Pouter breed. I was talking to one of the biggest names in Pouters and told him
that I kept Horseman and he said "oh those Silesian crosses.." What? I guess since they are new to the US there's a lot of misinformation going around.
I love them and think they will soon be the most popular Pouter breed in the US. They are great show birds with many
challenges. they come in a vast array of colors. They have great personalities that will endure themselves to
you. They are great for beginners and experts and are never are expensive (I may be the last one to spend big bucks on them).
Many of the breeders will distribute quality birds at a very reasonable price.
It's not going to cost you an arm and a leg to get competitive birds. They are great fliers that entertain you in the air as much as rollers with their puffing, clapping and show-boating.
To me they are the way a Pouter was created to be.
I encourage you pardner to take a ride with the Horseman, it'll be ride you won't soon forget!
Alan - www.horsemanpouters.com
Other Horseman Articles:
Pictured below are some of our breeders. None of these birds on this page are for sale. To see what we currently have up for sale go to our sale page.
One of our breeder cocks, #925, the 09 Lancaster National Champion. Lancaster was one of the best Horseman shows in American history. |
925 and his mate #611 a Silver Bar, produce some excellent offspring! |
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| 925 and 611 are currently paired for early 2012 breeding | |||||
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#954 Silver Bar cock |
Blonde hen #2168 |
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| 954 and 2168 are currently paired for early 2012 breeding | |||||
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Blue Bar cock #926 - One of my favorites. He is carries brown and dilute |
#948 Brown Bar hen. She is out of two imports, the Moran cock and the Boyd hen. |
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| 926 and 948 are currently paired for early 2012 breeding | |||||
Cock #711 was reserve National champion at Lancaster. |
#927 Blue Bar hen - one of my favorites |
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| 711 and 927 are currently paired for early 2012 breeding | |||||
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Lavender cock #1335
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 #54 Blue Bar Grizzle hen - reserve champ Pouter at Tucson with 52 Horseman on exhibit. |
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#438 - Spread Ash Red cock |
#723 is a Khaki Bar hen. She has the tightest feathers I have ever seen on a Horseman. They feel like a good Racer. |
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#743 - Red Check hen |
Grizzle cock #714 |
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#111 - Blue Bar cock |
Dark Grizzle cock #615 |
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#736 - Old Chocolate hen |
#3358 - Bronze Bar Grizzle cock. |
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#747 - Old Chocolate hen |
#4215 - Young Andalusian cock |
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#602 - Blue Bar Grizzle hen |
#822 - 2010 Red Bar cock |
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Tortoiseshell cock |
#829 - Young Blue Bar Grizzle cock |
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Recessive Red hen |
Recessive Red Grizzle cock |
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Young Qualmond cock |
White Grizzle cock |
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#602 a Blue Bar Grizzle old hen |
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A young Brown Bar Indigo |
A baby Spread Brown Indigo |
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Please look at the following videos from a big show in Scotland. These birds are how I aspire to breed in my Horseman in both type and personality. They were both bred by Pat Moran, one of the top breeders in the world. |
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This Horseman is as near to the ideal as any I have ever seen. She won the UK National Young Bird Show in Nottingham this year. |
In some shows in the UK there are 200-300 Horseman entered. This Brown Bar hen, bred and owned by Pat Moran did well in such a show. She won Champion Horseman and then Champion Pouter and kept going to take Best bird of the whole show over all other Pigeon breeds. |
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The following photos were taken by Graeme Boyd at Blackpool in the UK |
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Blue bar of Rixon & Harrison (BOB) |
Blue Cheq of Rixon & Harrison |
Black of Scott Morrison |
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| Nottingham UK - photos by Graeme Boyd | |||||
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UK Standard
Origin: Their history can be traced back with some degree of certainly to at least the 17th Century, possibly earlier. At one time a 'working thief pigeon' in and around areas of Old London. For the past 80 - 100 years, their stronghold has been based in and around the Glasgow region. Now considered by many to be a true Scottish breed. Believed to be an ancestor of the English Pouter. Overall Impression: Cheery and lively, responsive to chat. Dimensions Height 9" - 1 0" Length 1 2" - 1 3", tip of beak to end of tail. Head: Ova and neat, beak resting on crop. Eye: Red/orange/yellow. Beak: Dark in Selfs. Fleshy in Dilutes and Whites accepted. Medium Wattle. Neck: Crop rounded, well sprung from waist and to be in relation to body. Body: Strong, firm. Wings: Tight to body, slightly parted approximately %" from end to tai Feathers: Strong and hard in good flying condition. Legs: Strong appearance, free of feathers, proportionate to body. Colours: All colours accepted, including all Grizzles and Self-White. Faults: Too tall and too upright. Too low and too long. Bull eyes. Marked or odd eyes. Stained in solids. Small Wattle, Long Beak. Small Crop, overblown. Distorted and crop-bound. Skinny, Prominent keel. Too heavy and wide. Too long, crossed flights. Droopy wings. Dirty, dull and broken. Points: Height/Length: 10 Head/Eye: 5 Beak: 5 Crop/Neck: 20 Body: 10 Wings: 10 Feathers: 5 Legs: 5 Colour: 20 Nature: 10 Total: 100
American Standard ORIGIN:
The history of the Horseman Thief Pouter can be traced back
with some degree of certainty to the 17th century, possibly
earlier. At one time a ‘working thief pigeon’ in and around areas of
London. For the past 100 + years, their stronghold has been based in and
around Glasgow, Scotland. They are now considered to be a Scottish breed
by fanciers around the world. They were first imported into North America
in 2004. OVERALL
IMPRESSION: An alert and lively breed, responsive to human chat
as well as to other birds in the loft or judging pens. One could call a
good working Horseman ‘pushy’ for the way they keep cooing, bowing and
working at other birds or people. DESCRIPTION: LENGTH/STATION:
Not to be more than 12 to 13 inches long from the tip of beak to the end
of tail. The Horseman can be broken down into three parts. First part
being the head to the waist, which is at the top of the wing
butts/shoulder where the globe hits the body. Second part being from the
waist down to the vent area where the back of the thighs join the lower
body. Lastly from this vent area to the tip of the tail. In a well
balanced bird the first part will be slightly more than either parts two
or three, which should be roughly the same length. When stationing the
eyes should be roughly perpendicular to the end of the toe nails. Eyes
over any part of the toes or foot mean they are too erect. HEAD: Oval
and neat with a slight forehead rising from the wattle in a flowing line. EYES &
CERES: Eyes to be bright and vibrant with a noticeable shine. All
varieties to have the same red/orange colored eyes with the exception of
pure white birds [absolutely no color including on the beak] can have
either orange or bull eyes. Brown pattern birds have a ‘false pearl’
eye and shall not be cut points based on their eye color alone. The eye
ceres shall be small, smooth and fine in texture. BEAK &
WATTLE: Medium wattle size, to be smooth and without coarseness.
Medium beak length with color to match feather color (Black, Horn,
Fleshy). NECK, CROP
/GLOBE: Length of neck/crop/globe starting at the top of the shoulders
to be in proportion with the birds over all size. The crop/globe shall be
well sprung from the waist and be well balanced with the rest of the bird.
There should be enough back globe for an over all round crop/globe. The
crop/globe must be under complete control at all times, neither too small
nor too large, with the beak resting on the crop/globe. Birds close to the
ideal height will often times have a less distinct break at the waist.
While this is a fault it is minor in comparison to a bird that is
considerably taller even with a good break at the waist. BODY:
Body to be wedge shaped, smooth and hard in the hand, but not
overly large or wide. Back to be full but not round [AKA roach backed] to
avoid side boarding with the cover feathers over the back. Keel to be
straight and flow smoothly from the waist to the
hip/leg joint, without extending much past the edge of the wings on
a side view, carrying through in a smooth flowing line to the vent area. See
side view for proper look. Brunner Pouter size and shape and type are a
serious fault for being too small and thin. Norwich Cropper body size and
type is a serious fault. The Horseman must be handled by the judge in
order to feel the shape and condition of the body and keel. WINGS:
Held tight to the body with the flights resting on the tail and ending ½
to ¾ inch from the end of the tail. See side view drawing for better
understanding. Flight tips should not cross over each other. TAIL: Flows
smoothly from the body and is held tightly together roughly one and a half
feathers wide. FEATHER:
Hard and tight feathering, in good flying condition. Hock, thigh and vent
feathering can be slightly looser than the body feathering. LEGS:
Strong, straight and free of feathers below the hocks; set wide on the
body. See front view for better understanding. Thighs are visible with no
noticeable hinge at the body junction. Length must be balanced with the
over all bird. Legs that are too long or too short for the birds size are
faults. COLORS:
All known colors (normal and rare) are recognized, including Self White.
Any white markings, flights or pied markings are a fault. NATURE:
Alert and lively while performing constantly in the judging pen. They must
be responsive to the judge, as well as to other birds when being judged. FAULTS: MINOR:
Too tall in height; Too upright [perpendicular]; Stained beak; Very
small wattle; Small crop/globe that does not balance with the birds size;
Body too thin (Brunner body); Large or flat head; Very narrow leg set; No
waist (break of globe at waist); Worn feathers (sign of ‘working’ and
to be a slight deduction and not a serious fault); Colored or stained beak
or a few scattered colored feathers on Orange Eyed Whites. MAJOR: DISQUALIFICATIONS: POINTS: Head/Eye 5 Beak/Wattle 5 Neck/Crop/Globe 20 Body 10 Wings/Tail 10 Feathers 5 Legs 5 Color 20 Nature 10 TOTAL:
100 Band/Ring size:
8 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Finalized 8/22/09 jtp |
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