History of the American Paint Horse

Editor: bluepennylady

This guide will discuss the rich heritage of and means of identifying color patterns of the American paint horse.

Anytime the term Paint Horse is mentioned, one envisions an Indian in full headdress proudly mounted on a flashy brown and white spotted horse. That mental picture isnt too far from the truth.

In reality, the American Paint horse was first brought to the New World in 1519, by a Spanish conquistador of the name Hernando Cortes. He was looking for wealth and riches in the New World and brought the loud colored horses in order to explore the vast country. It wasnt long, as early as the 1800s, until spotted horses were found in the Western Plains herds.

The Comanche Indians were the first Indian tribe, as far as historians can tell, to capture and break the spotted horses. Known as being excellent horsemen, the Comanche horse of choice was almost exclusively the Paint Horse, as evidenced by the spotted horse drawings on buffalo robes and walls of their abodes.

Originally, the American Paint Horse was also known as a Pinto, Skewbald or Piebald. It wasnt until the late 1950's and early 1960's that an organization was formed to preserve the spotted horse, as well as develop guidelines for color requirements and breeding guidelines. Although the original organization has changed, the goal remains the same, to preserve the flashy colored spotted horse.

The American Paint Horse can be colored in a wide variety of patterns and color combinations. Deciding which color pattern a horse actual falls into can often be challenging. There are several color patterns, but for the sake of ease we will only look at three basic patterns: Tobiano, Overo and Tovero.

Tobiano A Tobiano patterned horse generally has dark color on one or both flanks. Usually all four legs are white, at least from the knees and hocks down. Spotting is distinct in ovals or rounds extending over the chest and down the neck, and can give the appearance of a shield. The tail is usually two colors. Head markings are like those of a non-spotted horse with a white blaze, snip or solid.

Overo Usually, white markings will be absent, crossing over the back from between the withers to the tail. One or all four legs are dark. White markings are generally irregular, scattered and splashy. Their head markings are generally distinctive being a bald-faced, apron-faced or bonnet. The tail is usually one color and the overo may be predominantly either dark or white.

Tovero The base of a Toveros ears displays dark pigmentation. The dark pigmentation can extend down around the eye and/or forehead. One or both of the eyes can be blue.

• Dark pigmentation around the mouth can extend up the side of the head and form spots.
• Flank spots vary in sizes and can form other spots across the barrel or over the loin.
• Chest spots vary in size and can extend up the neck as well.
• There are usually spots at the base of the tail.

A good horse is a good horse, regardless of color. But there is something breath-taking when watching a flashy colored Overo Paint Horse perform a reining pattern, work cattle, run barrels or simply ride a trail. The American Indian may no longer ride the majestic and beautifully marked Paint Horse across the plains; however it is a beautiful and living monument of our past.

Categories: Equestrian