The McCurdy Plantation Horse (also known as 'McCurdy Walker' and 'McCurdy') is an American gaited saddle horse breed.

Doctor F-79 and the McCurdy Plantation Horse:
The development of the McCurdy Plantation Horse began in Alabama in 1860, by the two McCurdy brothers, who sought to develop a comfortable saddle horse that can also work on the farm. To achieve this, they bought a grey Tennessee Walker stallion called Doctor F-79, and crossed it with local mares. By selectively breeding the offspring, they generated a line of gaited horses which became known as McCurdys.

Originally, McCurdys were registered as Tennessee Walking Horses. However, because they were bred in relative isolation for decades, they were eventually officially recognized as their own breed in the mid-1990s.

And all-around gaited horse:
McCurdys had good endurance as well as the strength required for light farm work, and served as all-around horses. In addition, they also had cow-sense, and were used for herding and working cattle.

The most famous asset of this breed though, was its four-beat lateral ambling gait known as 'McCurdy lick', as well as its ability to perform the running-walk, rack, and stepping-pace.

The McCurdy Plantation Horse today:
Nowadays, McCurdy horses are bred in a pure manner, although there is an appendix registry for four types of crossbred McCurdy horses (see the 'Appendix McCurdy Plantation Horse' for more information.)

McCurdy horses are primarily used for trail riding, including endurance riding, though some still serve as cattle horses.

Conformation:
Similar to other gaited saddle breeds, McCurdy Plantation Horses have short backs, broad bodies, and their eartips are sometimes curved inwards. That said, they are much heavier than most other gaited breeds, and they sometimes carry their neck in a low manner which is similar to other working breeds.

The mane is thin, usually medium in length although it can also be shorter. The tail also has fine hair but can grow long.

Performance metrics:
The following are the: range, average, (SD), and MOE of performance metrics of ordered McCurdy Plantation Horses in Horse Isle (not bred ones). In rare cases, horses might have metrics outside of the range. Breeders can produce horses that are beyond this range.

Speed: 14.9-16.6, 15.8 (0.3), 0.06.
Sprint: 58-71, 65 (3), 0.58.

Accel: 0.97-1.20, 1.09 (0.05), 0.01.
Decel: 0.95-1.11, 1.02 (0.03), 0.01.

Jump: 5.01-5.23, 5.12 (0.05), 0.01.
Pull: 2.44-3.17, 2.78 (0.15), 0.03.

Turning: 54.82-66.30, 60.85 (2.72), 0.53.
Reverse: 2.5-3.1, 2.9 (0.1), 0.03.

Stamina: 48.18-53.80, 50.77 (1.17), 0.23.
Reaction: 0.69-0.80, 0.75 (0.02), 0.00.

Coats & Height:
Colors: usually grey, but can also be bay, black, brown, and chestnut.

Additionals: flaxen, roan, sooty, dark mane & tail. The coat is always solid.

Markings note: in 2021, the McCurdy Plantation Horse registry passed a law prohibiting the breeding of McCurdy horses who have "pinto-like" markings, namely blazes and stockings. In Horse Isle, however, McCurdy horses can have such markings because the breed was created before this law was declared.

Height: 14.2hh to 16hh.