Sanford signing in Marsh Tackies as South Carolina's State Heritage Horse

Image by Carolina Marsh Tacky Association Scrlett the tacky.

Though the bill was already passed, on July 28th Gov. Mark Sanford will publicly sign legislation that makes the Marsh Tacky bread South Carolina's State Heritage Horse.

What's a Marsh Tacky you ask? They're a bread of horse that trace their roots back to the Spanish in the 1500s and are known for being calm and sturdy when working in watery environments like the Lowcountry.

But with the advent of cars the need to use horses like the Tackies dwindled, pushing the breed to near extinction.

You can learn more about the bread at the Marsh Tack Association website or on our Marsh Tacky topic page.