quarter horse

quarter horse Word Origin noun

1. one of a breed of strong horses developed in the U.S. for short-distance races, usually a quarter of a mile.
2. a horse of this breed used in herding livestock.

Origin of quarter horse An Americanism dating back to 1825–35 British Dictionary definitions for quarter horse quarter horse noun

1. a small powerful breed of horse, originally bred for sprinting in quarter-mile races in Virginia in the late 18th century