| Broken colored horses are associated in the | | | | horse" or "pinto" may be uncertain as to what |
| popular imagination with the old American | | | | the terms actually mean and what all the fuss |
| west. In particular, they are associated | | | | is about. In general, paint horses are |
| with Native Americans, with whom they were a | | | | bi-colored horses, having a coat that is a |
| popular choice, as the pattern of broken | | | | mixture of white patches and patches of |
| colors made the horses hard to see, either | | | | another colour. This should not be confused |
| during a hunt or during war. | | | | with the color known as roan, where |
| | | | individual white hairs are interspersed with |
| Broken colored horses - also known as pintos | | | | either chestnut (red roan) or black/grey |
| - continue to be popular today, both in the | | | | (blue roan). |
| American west and around the world. However, | | | | |
| even though "pinto" is the Spanish word for | | | | A horse with black and white patches is often |
| "paint", pinto horses are not quite the same | | | | referred to as a "piebald" and a horse with |
| thing as paint horses. | | | | patches of white and another color is known |
| | | | as a "skewbald." The most common patch |
| To be registered with the American Paint | | | | colors in skewbalds are brown and chestnut, |
| Horse Association (APHA), a horse must not | | | | but patches of palomino (gold) and buckskin |
| only have the classic broken-colored coat, it | | | | are also possible. |
| must also have either the sire or the dam | | | | |
| registered as an American Paint Horse and | | | | Among paint horses, further distinctions are |
| have Quarter Horse or Thoroughbred blood | | | | made, tobiano and overo being the main ones. |
| somewhere in its background, Quarter Horse | | | | A horse classified has a tobiano is |
| for preference. | | | | predominantly dark on the belly and neck with |
| | | | the white markings being smaller, while an |
| Thus, while all paint horses are pintos, not | | | | overo is the reverse. Paint horses are often |
| every pinto is a paint horse - for example, a | | | | bred for the beauty of their markings. |
| chestnut-and-white Shetland pony, while it | | | | |
| certainly fits the description of a pinto, is | | | | Why choose a paint horse? As they have |
| not a paint horse. The same is also true, for | | | | Quarter Horse ancestry, paint horses can take |
| obvious reasons, for parti-colored donkeys | | | | on a number of working roles with ease. They |
| and mules. | | | | make excellent mounts for stock work, |
| | | | combining beauty with practicality, and |
| Appaloosa horses, while they were also | | | | perform well on the rodeo circuit in cutting |
| developed by Native American tribes for a | | | | competitions and barrel racing. |
| similar purpose, are not classified as | | | | |
| pintos, even though an Appaloosa can do much | | | | Paint horses also make good trail horses or |
| of the work that a paint can. The Appaloosa | | | | general hacks. They also do well in the show |
| spots and "blanket pattern" are unique to | | | | ring, their distinctive coats making them |
| that breed alone. The same applies to other | | | | particularly eye-catching. And, of course, |
| spotted breeds. | | | | many are kept as companion animals by those |
| | | | who admire the beauty and history of the |
| Those not familiar with the term "paint | | | | breed. |