American Paint Horse

American Paint Horses have a long and historic past. It is believed they descended from horses first brought to the New World in the early 1500s by Spanish conquistadors. Early Paints then joined the wild herds of Western America. They soon captured the fancy of American Indians, who revered the Paint's peculiar patterns and strong conformation. Eventually, Paints used to forge the settlements and cattle farms of the West. Although their colorful coat pattern is the breed identity, modern Paints have strict bloodline requirements and a distinctive stock-type conformation. At present, Paints consistently ranked as one of the most popular horses in the world.

Size and Weight:

This approximates to 64 inches to the withers of the horse. Average height for horse breeds is 15.0 hands or 60 inches. Therefore, the American Paint is taller than most horse breeds. Weight: The American Paint weighs 1,150 pounds, which is 125 pounds heavier than the average horse breed.

Coat and Colors:

American Paint Horses are defined by their colorful coat patterns. Their white coats are combined with various markings of black, bay, brown, chestnut, dun, red dun,  sorrel, palomino, buckskin, Gray, blue roan, bay roan, red roan. These markings can be found anywhere on the body, in any size or shape. However, Paint Horse color combinations and patterns fall into three basic patterns - tobiano, overo, or tovero. A tobiano has a solid colored and possibly marked head, four at least partially white legs, and oftentimes a two-color tail. In addition, the white usually crosses the topline. An overo features bold head markings, scattered and irregular body patches, between one and four dark legs, and a usually singly coloured tail. The white usually does not cross the topline. A tovero is any combination of tobiano and overo patterns. It usually features varying-sized spots at the chest, flank, and tail base with dark pigmentation around the ears and mouth, as well as at least one blue eye.

Appearance:

Paint Horses built for versatility and maneuverability. As such, they are well balanced and well built with a broad chest, powerful backs, and a low centre of gravity. However, Paints also display a refined sense of beauty about the head and neck.

Temperament:

In addition to striking beauty and powerfulness, Paints are intelligent, calm, and willing. Because of this, most of these easily trained, handled, and kept. They are equally composed under saddle, in the competition ring, and on the riding trail, which makes them an ideal horse for most riders.

Unique Characteristics:

American Paint Horses are a unique combination of beauty, strength, and grace. When combined with their intelligence and willingness to please, it is easy to see why Paints are so popular the world over. Their versatility suits them for dressage, driving, jumping, ranch work, showing, and English, western, or trail riding.

History:

Around 500 A.D., during the invasion of the Roman Empire, several barbaric tribes brought spotted Oriental horses from Eurasia to Spain, where the spotted horses interbred with the native horse stock. The breed thrived in Spain, and began to resemble what commonly referred to as the standard Paint Horse markings. Records dating back to 700 A.D. show the spotted horses that have the standard tobiano and overo patterns. When Spanish Conquistadors came to the United States, they brought their own horses along. These horses believed to be the ancestors of the modern American Paint Horse.

The American Paint Horse -- while undeniably recognized by its colorful markings and patterns -- still has to conform to strict bloodline and physical conformation requirements. The standard-setting body (association) for this breed is the American Paint Horse Association (APHA). According to the set rules, a horse can qualify for registration as an American Paint Horse if its sire and dam are themselves registered with the APHA, the Jockey Club or the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA); this ensures the purity of its stock. Apart from satisfying bloodlines and ancestry requirements, the horse must also exhibit standard conformation and temperament.