American
Paint
& Pinto Horse History
Decorated
by nature, the origins of the Paint Horse in North America
can be traced back to the two-toned horses introduced
by the Spanish explorers, descendants of horses from North Africa
and Asia Minor. Inevitably, some of these colorful equines escaped
to create the wild herds of horses roaming the Great Plains.
Captured and gentled, they raced alongside the vast herds of
buffalo and traveled hundreds of miles on cattle drives. Cherished
by the finest horsemen of the Western frontier, both Native Americans
and cowboys sought the hardy horses loudly splashed with color.
Over
time, breeders gradually improved the conformation and
athletic ability of the rugged descendants of wild Paints
and cow ponies. Each generation passed its unusual and
unique coat patterns and coloring to the next, creating
the American Paint Horse. Today, the stock-type conformation,
natural intelligence and willing disposition make the American
Paint Horse an ideal partner for pleasure riding, showing,
ranching, racing, rodeoing, trail riding, or just as a
gentle friend for the kids.
The
terms "Paint" and "Pinto" are often
confused when referring to a horse with a light and dark
coat pattern. In fact, they have different meanings. The
Pinto Horse Association is a color registry, and Pintos
can be any breed. Paints are APHA-registered horses that
can prove parentage from one of the three approved registries
AQHA, TB and APHA, as well as meet a minimum color requirement.
While a loud-colored horse could be double-registered if
it met the breed standards specified by each registry,
the two registries are independent.
For registration
and breeding purposes, American Paint Horses are categorized
by their specific color patterns.
The
tobiano pattern (pronounced: tow be yah' no) is distinguished
by head markings like those of a solid-colored horse; their
heads may be completely solid, or have a blaze, strip,
star or snip. Generally, all four of the tobiano's legs
are white, at least below the hocks and knees. Their spots
are regular and distinctly oval or round and extend down
the neck and chest, giving the appearance of a shield.
Usually a tobiano will have the dark color on one or both
flanks - although a tobiano may be either predominantly
dark or white. The tail is often two colors.
The overo
pattern (pronounced: oh vair' oh) may also be either predominantly
dark or white. But typically, the white on an overo will
not cross the back of the horse between its withers and
its tail. Generally, one or all four legs will be dark.
Also notable is that overos have bold white head markings
such as a bald face. Overos generally have irregular, scattered
markings. The horse's tail is usually one color.
However,
not all coat patterns fit neatly into these two categories.
For this reason, a number of years ago the APHA expanded its
classifications to include "tovero" (pronounced:
tow vair' oh) to describe horses that have characteristics
of both the tobiano and overo patterns.
The American
Paint Stock Horse Association was formed in 1962 by horsemen
and women who loved the abilities of the Western stock-type
horse, but also treasured the unusual color patterns of
the American Paint. The organization has grown from a registry
of 3,800 horses at its foundation to more than a quarter
of a million horses worldwide today. The number continues
to grow with more than 25,000 foals registered last year,
making the APHA the third largest equine registry in the
United States based on the number of foals registered annually. |
