Marsh Tackies

A survivor of failed colonies and Spanish shipwrecks, the Marsh Tacky is the South Carolina State Heritage Horse. The breed is critically endangered, with only about five hundred Marsh Tackies alive today.

Feral Marsh Tackies found refuge in Lowcountry marshes, living and thriving in the isolation of the Sea Islands. Over 500 years of adaptation has made the Marsh Tacky ideal at navigating the swamps, briars and pluff mud of the Lowcountry.

With thicker mains, tails and hides, they have better protection from biting flies and mosquitoes, snake bites, dense briars and thorns. Their thick hooves are solid, preventing many feet issues and they do not require horseshoes. They are innate problem solvers. While other breeds would panic when stuck in mud, Marsh Tackies learned to free themselves from pluff mud by lying down and rolling on their side. They learn quickly and have the ability to retain what they’ve learned, even when not repeated consistently. Due to this remarkable trait, Marsh Tackies could be released back to their herd and allowed to forage when their work was done and be rounded up again when needed.

Marsh Tackies have a proud place in the history of the settlement and development of South Carolina. During the American Revolution, the horses were used by U.S. General Francis “Swampfox” Marion and many colonists against the British. The mounts used by the British cavalry were larger, heavier European breeds, impressive, but no match for the Marsh Tackies in their native Lowcountry with its swamps full of dense briars, deadfalls and boggy terrain.

 After the Civil War, the plucky, little horses were popular with rich and poor alike. They were the breed of choice for members of the Gullah community. With a reputation for adaptability, intelligence, capacity to remain calm in a tense situation and gentle nature, the Marsh Tacky could be found at almost every home and farm. Their name, Marsh Tacky, stemmed from this popularity - the English word “tacky” meaning common or cheap.

During World War II, the U.S. Coast Guard, using Marsh Tackies, trained Beach Patrols on Hilton Head Island to monitor the beaches and watch for Nazi U-boats.

Today, thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Carolina Marsh Tacky Association, the Daufuskie Marsh Tacky Society and devoted Marsh Tacky owners, the breed is making a comeback.