Okeechobee
Originally Published December 23, 2021
On either side of Florida's meridian is the west coast of St. Pete, Clearwater, and the pre-Castro Cuban communities of Tampa and Ybor City; and the East coast, starting in Miami and spreading North through Palm Beach, Vero, Windsor and an infinite variety of gated, golf communities.
A delineation of more cultural significance is Lake Okeechobee, separating the world of South Florida, oriented to the Caribbean, South America, and Europe from a world that is essentially part of the American South. The people in this part of Florida are commonly known, both affectionately and jocularly, as Crackers.
The Crackers have a long history in Florida, starting as early as the late seventeenth century. Scots-Irish for the most part, they became the custodians of the horses and cattle left behind by the Spanish. By the time Spain forfeited Florida to Great Britain in 1763, they had managed to develop a unique breed known as the Cracker Horse, made famous in an illustration by Frederic Remington.
The Cracker Horse was bred from Iberian stock, and was a small-boned, light horse. Gaited, it could be ridden for hours in relative comfort, and at a significant pace . This made it well suited to the herding cattle that roamed freely throughout the flat landscape of Northern Florida. With the crack of a whip, and hence the name "Cracker" the cattle were herded to their fate, serving both the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War. It is a source of significant pride to be called a Cracker today, and most are at pains to describe a genealogical heritage, no matter how convoluted or tenuous.
The cattle business is now defined by large ranches, both dairy and beef, serving most of the East Coast. The Cracker Horse has been replaced by the Quarter Horse, a stockier breed. It is capable of of speed, though not long distances, and of cutting cattle, roping and reining, and is generally nonchalant in regard to bulls. Desirable characteristics of the breed include its gentle nature, versatility, beauty, speed, agility, and loyalty.
Bred from the Thoroughbred, the Quarter Horse derived its name in the late 17th century, having been raced successfully over quarter-mile courses, mostly in Rhode Island and Virginia. They are the Olympic sprinters of today , just as the Cracker Horse was the long-distance runner of its day.
It is not uncommon to see a stock trailer drive by in the middle of the day with Quarter Horses tacked up and sweaty, being transported to their next detail. Its a working life.
