The Appaloosa Horse

Brief Guide To This Historic Breed



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The Appaloosa Horse is best known for its wild and variable color coat patterns. It is also a very versatile breed competing in many horse disciplines. This breed is one of several known "stock breed" type horses.



The breed registry continues to grow in numbers as the association strives to preserve the breed history. Today appaloosas can be seen anywhere from the local fairgrounds to competing at the national and world level shows.



Breed History

The Appaloosa Horse breed may date farther back to more prehistoric times when spotted horses were drawn on cave paintings. The first Spanish horses were introduced in the 1500's and are thought to have contributed to this breed in the beginning. It wouldn't be until the 1700's, when the spotted horses first came to the northwest that they would be recognized in the United States.

The tribe of Nez Perce Indians helped with the recognition of this breed by using the horses in hunting. The Nez Perce war in 1877 resulted in a dispersal of these horses across the west where their colorful coat patterns caught the eye of the public.

The Appaloosa Horse Club was formed in 1938 to preserve the breed and in 1975 the Appaloosa was named the official horse of Idaho.




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Characteristics

appaloosa-horseThe Appaloosa is a color breed that is known for specific color characteristics. Included in these color characteristics are their coat pattern, mottled skin, white sclera, and striped hooves. There are endless varieties of coat color and pattern combinations. Base coat colors include bay, brown, black, buckskin, grulla, dun, palomino, cremello/perlino, chestnut, bay roan, blue roan, and red roan. Coat patterns that can be combined with these base coat colors are leopard, snowflake, blanket, marbleized, and frost.

Appaloosas range in size from 14.2 to over 16 hands tall.



Uses

Appaloosas are found in many disciplines from english to western. They are also used in breed racing and suited really well for distance trail riding. Due their docile nature, the usually make a wonderful family horse.








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