The Doc Bar Heritage
March 31, 2010
The influence of Doc Bar through his progeny and their offspring is carried on.
According to trainer Shorty Freeman, you can’t measure the size of a horse’s heart in hands.
By Cathy Dixon in The American Quarter Horse Journal
Unquestionably, Doc Bar was more than just another pretty horse. His conformation, passed on to his offspring, allowed them to be the performers they were and are. To view the Doc Bar future, let’s take a look at Doc O’Lena, one of his foals.
Doc O’Lena
Shorty Freeman, after riding Doc O’Lena to his National Cutting Horse Association Futurity championship said, “Doc O’Lena is a carbon copy of his mama (Poco Lena). He works just like she did. I don’t believe I have ever ridden a better cutting horse, let alone a 3-year-old.”
The National Cutting Horse Association Futurity became a proving ground, of corts, for the family of Doc Bar. In addition to his own sons and daughters, Doc Bar’s grand-get and great grand-get have been unbelievably well represented in the NCHA world championship standings. Read and learn more in AQHA’s report, The Doc Bar Bloodline.
Nine years after that big Futurity win, Shorty said his comment was still true, “Doc O’Lena is an exception to the rule, a horse that rarely comes along.”
To have earned such a reputation, Doc O’Lena was small, about 14.3 hands, 1,200 pounds, but according to Shorty, you can’t measure the size of a horse’s heart in hands, and anyway, it doesn’t take a big horse to cut well.
At that time, Doc O’Lena was the only horse to have ever won a Futurity and also sire a Futurity winner, Lenaette (1975 NCHA Futurity). Doc O’Lena also placed third in the NCHA Maturity.
In addition to Lenaette, Doc O’Lena sired Leantoo, the 1974 NCHA Futurity non-pro champion and non-pro co-champion of the 1975 Maturity; Lena’s Bonita, the 1976 NCHA Maturity winner; Montana Doc, the 1976 NCHA Futurity 10th-place finalist, and fifth-place finisher in the semifinals; and Fox Easter, who sold for $30,000 at the National Western Mile-High Select Performance Horse Sale.
Doc O’Lena was bred by Dr. and Mrs. Stephen Jensen of Paicines, California. Trainer Shorty Freeman exercised his option to buy Doc O’Lena only a month after he began training the horse.
AQHA’s report, The Doc Bar Bloodline and shows how he and his get have impacted the American Quarter Horse industry. From athletic World Champions to special friends and Silver Spur winners, Doc Bar’s mark is everywhere. Get your copy today!
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April 1st, 2010 at 1:37 pm
So nice to read about one of the great horses in the history of our breed. Poco Lena always has a special place in my heart and her son obviously inherited her greatness. And what a lovely quote from Mr. Freeman about the size of a horse’s heart having nothing to do with their body size. It often seems that nowadays,there is an obsession with huge horses and those of us with smaller horses know how true that quote is!
April 6th, 2010 at 6:29 pm
I own the highest living % Doc Bar stallion alive today, he is Three Doc Bar and he is 44% Doc Bar and 22% poco Tivio. this stallion is faultless in his conformation. He has a hugh heart and the stamina of a marathoner plus he is super smart. He is ROM reiner, does barrels and ropes plus he has alot of cow sense. Very poerful built. I have seen him explore with speed. In an age of small boned cutting horses, this stallion has alot of bone and would share it with 100% of his foals. This stallion is more prepotent for breeding than an own son of Doc Bar. He has 4 matched sets of chromosones and produces a hybrid rating of plus 6.2 in 100% of his hybrid foals, which is 300% higher than 98% of the national average for all quarterhorses.
A truely great athlete and breeding animal.
April 7th, 2010 at 7:21 am
I have 6 horses on my farm and all 6 go back to the Doc Bar/Poco Lena cross, 1/2 thru Doc O’Lena and 1/2 thru Dry Doc. Only 1 of the 6 is over 15 hands and I like it that way! They are smart, agile, and dependable. And it’s alot easier to get in the saddle when they are smaller!! Lol!
Love my cutting bred quarter horses!
April 7th, 2010 at 9:09 am
When buying a horse, I always look for Doc Bar, I won’t buy a horse without Doc Bar in their background. Best horse I’ve ever owned had Doc Bar on his papers and goes back to him 3 times in a 5 generation pedigree. This horse is extremely athletic, quick, smart, very cowy and has a great personality and temperment. I use him for roping and team penning. Doc Bar is a wonderful producer of performance all-around horses!
April 7th, 2010 at 10:14 am
After realizing my gelding Tamaricas Scooter (Rico), whose dam is an own daughter of Dry Doc, was such an amazing horse I aquired his full sister DrySan Tamarica (Tammy), and bred her to Sixes Pick, a Doc O’Lena line stud. Such amazingly athletic, smart horses so full of “try”; I consider myself very lucky to have them in my life. A good Peppy San Badger line cross doesn’t hurt either (!).
April 7th, 2010 at 11:36 am
I have a Supertown Romance -a great-grandson of Doc O’Lena on the top, and Great-Grandson of Zippo Pat Bar on the bottom. At 15.3 hh, he’s considered a smaller horse in our sport – we attempt dressage. I call him my Blue Collar Warmblood, and he holds his own against the 17 hh horses. He loves to work and will try just about anything I throw at him. He will be 17 on Friday, and has gotten bigger and stronger each year I’ve known him. I didn’t know much about the bloodlines before purchasing him, and went on his conformation, training, overall personality, and my love of the quarterhorse. Had I known, I would have questioned my sanity in having a cutting/racing horse try dressage, but the power from behind is incredible, and his trot is huge when he decides it’s time to work. I wouldn’t trade him for any horse, any breed, any size.
April 8th, 2010 at 6:29 am
Its great to see the article on Doc Bar. We are currently on foal watch waiting for our part at continuing these great bloodlines. In fact, I hadn’t planned on breeding this mare (Peppys Sassy Olena) when we first got her, but researching her bloodlines (Peppy San on top and Doc Olena (Doc Bar) on the bottom) we couldn’t resist the opportunity. We bred her to Steady Tradition, a son of Smart Little Lena, another great prodigy of the Doc Bar line. Thanks again for the article, the timing is perfect and our foal another generation of the Doc Bar bloodlines.
April 8th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
they sure make geat charro horses
April 8th, 2010 at 1:43 pm
they sure make great charro horses
April 29th, 2010 at 11:36 am
I have Doc Bars Can Do which is for roping she is a great horse now 26 yrs old yet still fiery as ever
May 5th, 2010 at 4:21 pm
I think that the DOC BAR horse is the best horse around. This is the only blood line that I have on my place. If you want a calm very nice horse then this is the best of the breed.
Nice article
August 17th, 2010 at 8:58 pm
I have Doc Bar Heartache a 19 year old gelding and a 4th generation Doc Bar. He’s an amazing horse and since I bought him from this day forward I will always buy a Doc Bar horse I’m looking at one know thats a Doc Bar off spring.