Paint Horse

The paint horse has a long American history even though they actually were introduced to America by Spanish explorers. In the year 1519 these explorers brought the paint horse with them when they came to America, which was then known as the New World. These horses were distinguished by the spots that covered their bodies and they were most commonly known as the Pinto back in these early days. This amazing breed of horse multiplied and covered the land in wild herds where many of them were caught and used as riding horses by the American Indians in the 1800's.

By the 1900's these horses were well-known for their unique patterns. One group of horse enthusiasts who were determined to preserve this special breed dedicated themselves to separating this breed from all the rest. They formed the American Paint Stock Horse Association in the 1960's and named this breed of horse the Paint Horse. They are identified by the 3 special patterns that only the paint horse will have.

In order for a particular breed of horse to be classified as the Paint horse, they must have one parent that is already registered as a paint horse and fall under one of the particular color pattern that is associated with this breed. These patterns are called the overo, tobiano and tovero patterns. The overo pattern has a prominent color of white or a dark color combined with a white head, one color for the tail and four dark colored legs. The tobiano has oval or round spots located across the neck and chest, a two-toned colored tail and four white legs. The tovero pattern consists of a combination of the other two. The dark colors can be black, brown or gray.

The reason this breed was given the name paint horse probably has something to do with the fact that the colors resemble splashes of color scattered across the horse's body similar to the way a painter would splash paint onto a canvas. These horses make great companions and they perform well in competitions. They can be seen quite often in rodeos and horse races but they are also associated with show horses. The paint horse is a highly intelligent, friendly and easily trained creature. Due to their gentle nature, they are often used by groups that provide horse rides to children and trail riding. They are the main breed of horse that is most associated with the history of America.