Briefly, the Hungarian breed came to the United States after World War II as spoils of war, confiscated from the Germans who had taken them from the Hungarians when the National Stud Farms were displaced to protect the breeding stock.

A number of Hungarian horses were later rescued along with the Lippizaners by General Patton. Selected Hungarians were then sent back to the United States to use in the Army Remount Breeding Program.

The breed continues to exist in the United States today thanks to the early efforts of the Army, two Hungarian Countesses, and two American families—Jim Edwards and the Cooksley family.

The Hungarian Horse Association of America was formed in 1966 to secure the continuation of the Hungarian breed. It is an association run by it's members rather than a third-party organization and is a corporation whose membership can express themselves by voting at the annual meeting.

Pedigree requirements determine which of the stud books a horse is eligible to be registered. The books are the Hungarian Felver Book, the Hungarian Sportlo Book, and the Hungarian Part-Breed (Jajta) Book. The North American Shagya Society is a separate registry recognized by HHAA.