The Paint Horse
The Paint Horse or Calico is descended from the piebald horses (two colors, one white) brought to America by the Conquistadores. The Paint is defined more by its color than by its morphology and is therefore recognized as a breed only in the United States. Most Paint Horses have the morphology of the Quarter Horse from which they derive.
In fact, a Paint Horse is very often a Quarter Horse whose coat (often “Pinto”) prevents him from entering the official Studbook. The term Pinto does not designate a breed but only 2 groups of coats (overo, tobiano). Despite this, the Pinto Horse Association of America (PtHA), founded in 1947, recognizes four types of horse:
- Saddle type, with the same conformation as the American Saddle;
- Hunter type, with Thoroughbred ancestry.
- Stock Horse type (ranch horse), with Quarter Horse predominating;
- Pleasure type, with conformation close to that of the Arabian and Morgan.
A Paint Horse can be registered with the Pintos. Conversely, the American Paint Horse Association, a merger of the American Paint Quarter Horse Association and the American Paint Stock Horse Association, which only accepts horses from crosses between Paints, Quarter Horses, and Thoroughbreds, does not recognize the Pinto.
Caractère et aptitudes du cheval
Balanced, calm, powerful, enduring, fast and agile. Gaits are supple and free.
Utilisations du cheval
Versatile saddle horse, appreciated for trail riding, equestrian tourism, and western riding.
Morphologie du cheval
Short, fine head. Straight profile. Broad forehead. Fine muzzle. Large ears. Body compact, stocky, solidly built. Short, fine neck. Pronounced withers. Deep chest. Short, muscular back. Powerful hindquarters. Long croup. Strong, well-muscled limbs. Short, sparsely furnished tail. Coat: two main groups:
- Pie overo: predominantly white head, often colored limbs; large horizontal axis of white patches. Contour of white patches irregular. Single-colored tail.
- Pie tobiano: predominantly colored head, often white limbs; large vertical axis of white patches (white crossing the horse’s back); clear contour of patches. Two-tone tail. The Paint also has the tovero type, a mixture of the two. The tovero is not recognized in the Pinto. Size: 1.45 to 1.60 m.
