By exploring all things equine, from prehistoric origins to the present, The Hawaiian Horse illuminates the contributions of the horse to transportation, freight service, and agronomy in industries of ranching, sugar, pineapple, taro, rice, and coffee production in Hawai‘i. Comprehensive and deliberate, the book shows the evolution of the equine species—horse, mule, and donkey—as beasts of burden, for recreational pleasure, or as highly regarded competitive mounts. Beginning with the colorful introduction of the species, with its conquistador roots, and a history of the vaquero in Hawaiian cowboy culture, the authors take the reader on a journey through time, encountering along the way Hawaiian royalty, elegant pā‘ū riders in flowing gowns, horse racing, polo, rodeo, and the military's influence during both world wars. Novice and experienced equestrians will marvel at the development of the distinctive Hawaiian saddle, described with explicit detail and illustration of its artistry, production, and utility. Early equine import and export defied sheer practicality when repeatedly confronted with issues of fundamental humane care. Pioneers of this effort were determined to succeed, and succeed they did, establishing the horse as a symbol of status. As the horse gained favor with Hawaiians, the animal’s numbers grew to the point of overpopulation, with mounts seeking homes in mountains and valleys—eventually becoming wild and establishing “mustang” status similar to wild horse overpopulation in the Americas. Hawai‘i’s sugar industry, credited with progressive enrichment of horse quality through importation of genetic excellence, served as a model for major ranches such as Parker, Baldwin, Rice, Greenwell, and Dillingham, as they too, imported quality sires and mares. Two men stand out in this endeavor—A. W. Carter of Parker Ranch and Dr. J. C. FitzGerald of Maui. Two equestriennes also rise to the top for their fine work and contributions—Amy Rich, Hawai‘i’s quintessential horsemanship instructor, and Maui humanitarian, Haku Baldwin. Unique in their perspective, the authors’ depth of knowledge makes this volume a fitting tribute to the Hawaiian horse and the people involved in its advancement, elevating the noble animal to the stature it rightfully deserves in the history of Hawai‘i.

The courage of the little gray horse shows Keola's father that his son has made a good choice for his first horse.

The triumphant true story of the native Hawaiian cowboys who crossed the Pacific to shock America at the 1908 world rodeo championships Oregon Book Award winner * An NPR Best Book of the Year * Pacific Northwest Book Award finalist * A Reading the West Book Awards finalist "Groundbreaking. … A must-read. ... An essential addition." —True West In August 1908, three unknown riders arrived in Cheyenne, Wyoming, their hats adorned with wildflowers, to compete in the world’s greatest rodeo. Steer-roping virtuoso Ikua Purdy and his cousins Jack Low and Archie Ka’au’a had travelled 4,200 miles from Hawaii, of all places, to test themselves against the toughest riders in the West. Dismissed by whites, who considered themselves the only true cowboys, the native Hawaiians would astonish the country, returning home champions—and American legends. An unforgettable human drama set against the rough-knuckled frontier, David Wolman and Julian Smith’s Aloha Rodeo unspools the fascinating and little-known true story of the Hawaiian cowboys, or paniolo, whose 1908 adventure upended the conventional history of the American West. What few understood when the three paniolo rode into Cheyenne is that the Hawaiians were no underdogs. They were the product of a deeply engrained cattle culture that was twice as old as that of the Great Plains, for Hawaiians had been chasing cattle over the islands’ rugged volcanic slopes and through thick tropical forests since the late 1700s. Tracing the life story of Purdy and his cousins, Wolman and Smith delve into the dual histories of ranching and cowboys in the islands, and the meteoric rise and sudden fall of Cheyenne, “Holy City of the Cow.” At the turn of the twentieth century, larger-than-life personalities like “Buffalo Bill” Cody and Theodore Roosevelt capitalized on a national obsession with the Wild West and helped transform Cheyenne’s annual Frontier Days celebration into an unparalleled rodeo spectacle, the “Daddy of ‘em All.” The hopes of all Hawaii rode on the three riders’ shoulders during those dusty days in August 1908. The U.S. had forcibly annexed the islands just a decade earlier. The young Hawaiians brought the pride of a people struggling to preserve their cultural identity and anxious about their future under the rule of overlords an ocean away. In Cheyenne, they didn’t just astound the locals; they also overturned simplistic thinking about cattle country, the binary narrative of “cowboys versus Indians,” and the very concept of the Wild West. Blending sport and history, while exploring questions of identity, imperialism, and race, Aloha Rodeo spotlights an overlooked and riveting chapter in the saga of the American West.

In the year 1803, when the first horse is brought to the Hawaiian Islands as a gift for the king, ten-year-old Kalia wants to ride it more than anything in the world.