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Halter accustomed
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Equestrians who decide to buy an American Paint Horse are guaranteed to stand out from the crowd. The American Paint Horse Association is proud that its members “dare to be different”. Their eye-catching, athletic horses always draw plenty of attention as they compete across a range of activities. American Paints are not only beautiful to look at, but are also outstanding performers whose action is straight and true. Since the breed originated from working stock, it’s important that every registered horse can still exhibit the skills that made them so valued on ranches and cattle drives across the USA. Breeders who sell an American Paint Horse agree that their prized animals should always be able to perform the manoeuvres expected of a stock horse.
Horses with attractive coat colours like the American Paint have existed since ancient Egyptian times. The tomb of Menna, an important official who lived in the reign of King Amenhotep III (1400–1352 BCE), has an image of a pair of spectacular chestnut and white chariot horses. Beautiful and refined horses with Tobiano colouring appear in Persian miniatures centuries years later. Experts on the breed suggest that horses with paint colouring were brought by some of the early Spanish arrivals to North America. While some people, including the native Americans, revered and cherished the horses for their colour, intelligence and sensitivity, others found them unattractive and excluded them from events. This form of prejudice also existed in the UK historically. Recognition of their fantastic qualities came in 1962, when Rebecca Lockhart and other supporters of paint stock horses decided to celebrate them by creating the American Paint Stock Horse Association. Now combined with the American Paint Quarter Horse Association, the APHA has one of the biggest registries on the planet.
The APHA actively encourages its many international members and their talented horses to take part in activities as diverse as racing, showjumping and western classes. Foundation stallions include Painted Joe and Mr J Bar, while mares Calamity Jane and Crystal Eye were famed at cutting and racing respectively.
The primary consideration when planning to buy an American Paint Horse is that it is a colour breed, which means both colour and quality are usually essential for registration. Technically, the colour is pinto, which can be found in other types and breeds. Important bloodlines also mark Paint Horses out as a distinct breed. Only American Paint Horse and selected Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred lineages are permitted. Registered breeders who sell an American Paint Horse maintain these strict standards of both ancestry and coat colour patterns. Standing between 15 hands (60 inches/152.4cm) and 16 hands (64 inches/162.56cm) high, the modern American Paint Horse combines a refined appearance with intelligence and strength. Powerful hindquarters that instantly provide forward propulsion when required are also a feature. Coat colours should be a combination of a base colour, such as black, sorrel, chestnut, brown or bay, plus white, although the solid-coloured foals of two registered Paint parents can also be registered. The two basic coat patterns are tobiano, the most common, and overo. Tobiano horses often have solid-coloured heads with markings such as a blaze, snip, star or stripe, with dark colouring on their flanks, and white legs. Overo consists of dramatic splashes of white scattered across the coat, with dark legs. Tovero is a mixture of both, and there are subdivisions of overo colouring, such as sabino and splashed white.
Paint horses are majestic creatures known for the unique designs that grace their bodies. Although the patterns of white and dark colors across their hides can be visually stunning, they’re more than just a pretty face. The internal structure and morphological characteristics of paint horses make them one of a kind in the equine world. Although many people appreciate these distinctive features from afar, it’s important to recognize that inside every paint horse lies an intelligent being capable of feeling emotion and forming strong bonds with humans. On top of their excellent conformation and patterned coats, these majestic animals possess an admirable level of intelligence which has been put to use in competitive riding events such as dressage for centuries. Paint horses may look different on the outside, but when it comes down to it they are just like any other horse species – intelligent creatures capable of experiencing emotion on an incredibly deep level if properly trained or socialized with humans from early development stages onwards.
Their coats are usually black or bay with stunning patterns of white (known as ‘overo’) which may vary from individual to individual – even within the same litter. They also come in various shades including grullo (blue-gray) and dun (dark tan) though these colors are less common. Along with the colored markings which give them their name, paint horses feature broad foreheads with pronounced cheeks and large eyes. The muzzle is typically wide with full lips and robust nostrils. Paint horses have well-defined musculature that is toned rather than bulky; long, muscular necks; oblong chests; sloping shoulders; backs that are short yet cushiony; full deep hips; short pasterns (areas between the fetlock joint and hoof); pointed hocks; deep set tails; and powerful hindquarters. The amazing thing about this breed is that they combine athletic ability with good looks! With sound feet and legs as well as agility, endurance and speed on their side, it’s no wonder that owners of competing ponies choose paint horse breeds for events such as barrel racing or dressage.
Paint horses have a long and illustrious history that dates back hundreds of years. Said to be descended from spotted horses owned by the Aztec Indians, these unique creatures were first documented in colonial America in the 1600s. Impressed by their striking coloration – black and white or bay and white – settlers began breeding them for use in sport as well as everyday activities such as herding livestock. The naming of these animals as ‘paint’ horses came about in the late 1800s when breeders combined various horse breeds with mustangs specifically chosen for their distinctive coats. By 1900, it was common for western ranchers to own paint horses which they used for roping cattle and performing other ranching duties. In 1938, the American Paint Horse (APHA) breed registry was established with a mission to preserve, propagate and promote all-around performance traits and eye-catching coloration together within one breed. Since then, many organizations have been founded to support this equine species including the National Paint Horse Association (NPHA) and several world shows dedicated solely to paint horses where owners can showcase their beloved animals’ skills. Today, paint horses continue to demonstrate their athletic abilities but are also known as reliable companions that build strong bonds with humans due to their intelligence and willingness to learn new tasks quickly. Although some paints still perform ranching activities, many excel in events such as barrel racing or dressage at the highest level while others simply enjoy leisurely trail rides with their loving human companions!