The American Paint Horse originated in North America after Spanish explorer Hernando Cortés brought 17 horses with different coat patterns to the Up-to-date World in 1519. These spotted war horses were likely mixes of Barbary, Andalusian, and Arabian bloodlines. From this brief description, we can imagine that they must have had distinctive spots and bicolor coloring. In fact, many experts believe that explorer Hernando Cortés himself owned a particular chestnut and white stallion with which he explored northwest Mexico and that the current Paint breed may have descended from this striking horse. The Spanish term “pintado” or “pinto” was often used to describe a multi-colored or spotted horse. The ancestors of these horses eventually roamed the western plains and became coveted favorites of American Indians for their striking coats and endurance.
The American Paint Stock Horse Association (APSHA) was founded in 1962 to preserve the color and breed-typical conformation of these horses. In 1965, the APSHA merged with the American Paint Quarter Horse Association to form the American Paint Horse Association, which is now one of the largest breeding registries in North America and registers around 30,000 horses annually.
American Paint Horse. Photo by Bob Langrish
Each Paint Horse has a specific combination of white and another color of the equine spectrum. Horses with white spots combined with black, bay, chestnut, or sorrel are the most common. Horses with spot colors influenced by dilution genes, such as palomino, buckskin, cremello, perlino, pearl, and champagne, are less common. It is also possible to find Paint Horses with various shades of roan or various shades of dun, including grullo. Paint Horses can also carry the gray gene and have spots that eventually fade to white hair, although the pigmented skin remains beneath the once gloomy areas.
Spots can be any shape or size, except for leopard pattern (which is more characteristic of Appaloosas), and can be found anywhere on the Paint's body. Although Paints come in a variety of colors with different markings and different underlying genetics, they are classified into just four defined coat patterns: Overo (including Frame, Splash and Sabino), Tobiano and Tovero, and Solid.
Breeding Paints can sometimes display petite color traits, especially if they carry Sabino genes. Such traits include blue eyes, pink skin on the lips and nostrils, roan patches, and minimal roaning.
Colors and patterns from American Paint House
The most common coat colors of the American Paint Horse are black, brown, brown and chestnut, or chestnut with white spots or patches; occasionally one sees palomino, buckskin, cremello, perlino, pearl, champagne, roan, gray, or dun. The patterns are defined as follows:
Overo- predominantly gloomy or white with a solid back, legs are gloomy with regular stockings. The face is predominantly white (bald, apron-shaped or hood-shaped). Tail and mane are usually solid colored. Three main patterns of the Overo are sabino, frame and speckled white.
Overo includes Sabino- almost entirely solid colour, but with some white patches with irregular edges. The legs are white and the face has extensive white markings. The patches vary in size, from enormous areas of the body to petite patches. The basic colour of the Sabino's coat is not solid, but mixed with white hairs.
Certain patterns have their own names, the most notable being the “medicine hat,” a dark-colored patch on the horse's head. Horses distinguished by this marking usually have a predominantly white coat and sometimes a gloomy shield-like pattern across the chest. Native Americans believed that such markings offered special spiritual protection when riding into battle.
Tobiano – dark-white coat pattern, with solid gloomy over one or both flanks, white legs below the hocks and knees (or higher), gloomy head with regular facial patterns such as stars, blazes or stripes. The markings are velvety and round or oval. The tail or mane may be bicoloured.
Tovero- predominantly white, with the upper part of the head gloomy in colour. One or both eyes may be blue; chest and flanks gloomy in colour, sometimes the neck. Shadowy pigmentation around ears and muzzle, which may extend to forehead and/or eyes. Patches on the flanks of varying sizes, often accompanied by smaller patches extending over the rump and loin.
Solid – Some Paint Horses appear to be completely solid colored. There are plenty of solid colored Paint-bred horses. The lack of color and pattern does not mean that horse owners cannot register with the Canadian Paint Horse Association. Even if the foals do not have striking color patterns, the CPHA's wide range of programs is open to all CPHA-registered horses.
Are Paint Horses effortless to care for?
Yes. The Paint Horse is a relatively low-maintenance breed that is comfortable in most environments around the world. The breed thrives on pasture or in a stall or box. They tend to be slothful and generally require less exercise than other breeds to stay hearty. Like the Mustang, the Paint Horse's ancestors ran wild in the Americas and evolved into a hardy breed with straightforward dietary requirements. They eat grass or hay with minimal vitamin and mineral supplements. However, it is significant not to overfeed your Paint Horse as they are prone to obesity and the problems that come with it, particularly laminitis.
How massive is a Paint Horse?
The average Paint Horse is medium-sized at best, measuring between 14 hands (56 inches) and 16 hands (64 inches) on average. Horses of Thoroughbred descent are usually larger. Average weight is between 430 kg and 500 kg (950 lbs to 1,200 lbs). A registered Paint Horse should have the same build as a Quarter Horse, that is, muscular but not too ponderous or too enormous, with powerful hindquarters.
*Note: The terms “Paint” and “Pinto” are sometimes confused. A Pinto can be any breed or combination of breeds; an American Paint Horse must have registered American Quarter Horse, American Paint Horse or Thoroughbred parents. Therefore, Paint Horses can be registered as Pintos, but not all Pintos can be registered as Paints.
What are Paint Horses used for?
American Paint Horse. Photo by Bob Langrish
Paint Horses are a featherlight horse breed that are typically used as pleasure horses for riding lessons, trail rides, and ranch work. Due to the horse's stamina and temperament, Paint Horses are used in a variety of riding disciplines. Paint Horses are a common sight at rodeos, western shows where reining is the main focus, barrel racing, trail rides, and English riding on the flat and over fences.
They are found throughout Canada, especially in areas where Western pleasure riding, reining and other Western events are popular. Paints are also ridden in English hunting or show jumping competitions.
For more information, see:
American Paint Horse Association
