Believed to have originated in the mid to late 1600s in the Virginia and Carolina colonies, the quarter horse got its name because it was used for racing on straight quarter-mile tracks. After continued development for the speed needed for such racing, the quarter horse appeared in southwestern United States on the frontier cattle ranches. It quickly distinguished itself for its quick starting, stopping, and turning. The American Quarter Horse Association was founded in 1940 to promote the breed and maintain a registry.