Paint Horse

From: Horse Breeds

Paint Horse
This is a lovely looking horse who has a coat which is colored with light and dark, for example a piebald or a skewbald.

Height
Any height.

Colour
A mixture of white and a solid colour such black, dun, sorrel, palomino, grey, roan, brown, black and chestnut being the most common. There are different terms for the different colour patterns:

• Tobiano
  White across the back going from the withers to the dock. The head is a base colour often with white face markings. The flanks are dark in colour, and the chest is a dark color which forms a shield like shape in appearance. The tail often contains two colours.
• Overo
  No white between the withers and the dock. The head is mainly white with a few dark patches and frequently the horse will have a blue eye. The legs are usually dark. The white pattern is irregular and scattered all over. The tail is usually all the same colour.
• Sabino
  White markings that have roan edges to them. There are often spots found on the belly and the legs are white.
• Tovero
  Similar colorations to both the tobiano and the overo, with differences such as a blue eyes on either a dark or white face. Mouth has a dark patches around it. The chest spot can vary in size not necessarily forming a shield. Tail is usually in two colours.

History
In 1519 spanish explorers brought paint horses into the New World. By the 1800's the lands were filled with many horses including paint horses who became prized by the American Indian who liked their striking colours and who often drew paintings showing their favoritism for the breed.

The paint horse has stock type conformation such as that needed for ranch work. To become registered a Paint horse must be have a sire or dam who are with the American Paint Horse Association, the jockey club or the American Quarter Horse Association. Either the sire or dam must be registered with the APHA to qualify.

The American Paint Horse Association
In 1965 the american paint stock horse association allowed the american paint quarter horse association to join it to form the American Paint Horse Association.