Breeds of Horses

Colors of Horses

Bay Bay horses run from light reddish or tan shades to dark brown and mahogany/auburn shades. Bay horses always have black points (legs, muzzle, mane and tail, and the tips of their ears are black). Many bay horses have black legs that are covered by white markings.

Gray Gray horses have black skin with white or gray hair. Many horse people will call a gray horse "white", but if their skin is dark, they are gray! Gray horses are born dark, sometimes black or brown, and their hair coat turns lighter as they grow older.

Sorrel Sorrel, (also known as “chestn ut"), is reddish brown. The points (mane, tail, legs and ears) are the same color as the horse's body (other than white markings). Sorrels range from light yellowish brown to a golden- reddish or dark liver color. All sorrels have shades of red in their coats.

Black Black horses have pure black coats with no signs of brown or any other color. Many horse-people mistake dark bays or liver chestnuts for black. If you can see any other color (with the exception of white markings) on the horse's coat in the winter, he is not a true black. The reason I say "in the winter" is because the sun tends to lighten a dark horse's coat in the summer, and the exception is when the hair has been sun-burnt.

Dun Dun horses have a sandy/yellow to reddish/brown coat. Their legs are usually darker than their body and sometimes have faint "zebra" stripes on them. Dun horses always have a "dorsal" stripe, which is a dark stripe down the middle of their back. Many dun colored horses also have face masking, which makes the horse's nose and sometimes the rest of the face a darker color than the horse's body.

Breeds of Horses Light Breeds Breeds with color requirements Draft Horses Pony Breeds Miniature Horses Other Breeds

Light Breeds

American Quarter Horse Range in height from 14.2 to 16.0 hands. Weight from 1,000 to 1,250 lbs. Originated in America during colonial era for short distance racing. Very fast!!! Most popular breed of horse – 2.8 million registered horses in Uses: recreation, work, racing, showing, rodeo, hunter/jumper, and cutting.

American Quarter Horse Fastest in quarter mile (20 seconds). Quiet disposition, heavily muscled, versatile Always a solid color with white never extending above the knees and hocks and no white posterior to a line extending from the ear to the muscle. Horses may be registered as ½ Quarter horse and ½ Thoroghbred.

Arabian Light-muscled, light-boned, and hot blooded. Came from desert areas of the Far East (Egypt), but was developed in its current form in Arabia. Characteristics: speed, stamina (endurance), spirit, beauty, energetic, alert. Dished face, longer and arched neck, high tail setting, larger foot for travel on sand, can be bay, chestnut, brown, gray, or black in color. Uses: recreation, showing, some racing, endurance, and competitive trail rides.

Thoroughbred Originated in England, have Arabian background, first arrived in America in Foundation stock for the Quarter Horse, Morgan, and Standardbred breeds Height range 15:2 to 17.0 hands and 900 to 1,200 lbs. Known for their speed (1:30 to 1:40 min. for a mile) endurance, and very expensive. Uses: racing, hunters, jumpers, dressage, and polo.

Morgan Developed in New England states in 1789 (Vermont) All Morgan's can trace their ancestry to one horse, Justin Morgan (Thoroughbred x Arabian); similar to Arabian in appearance except that they have are not as heavily muscled. Height: 14.1 to 15.1 hands Weight: 1,000 to 1,200 lbs. Uses: recreation and showing Developed as a general purpose horse for New England farms. Two types – English Pleasure and Stock.

Standardbred Originated in America but traces to horses imported from England Height: 14.2 to 16.2 hands Weight: 850 to 1,150 lbs. Includes both trotters (2-beat diagonal gait) and pacers (2-beat lateral gait). To be registered must be able to trot a mile in 2:30 min. or less. Pace a mile in 2:25 min. or less. Uses: sulky racing and endurance or fitness events.

American Saddlebred/American Saddle Horse Developed in Kentucky as a plantation horse. Height: 15 to 16 hands Weight: 1,000 to 1,200 lbs. Used primarily for recreation and showing. Two types: 3-gaited (walk, trot, and canter gaits) shown with a clipped mane and tail 5-gaited (walk, trot, canter, slow gait, and rack gaits) shown with a full mane and tail.

Tennessee Walking Horse Originated in Middle Tennessee Valley as a plantation riding horse. Height: 15 to 16 hands Weight: 1,000 to 1,200 lbs. Distinctive characteristic – ability to do the running walk. Known for easy riding and easy moving. Uses: recreation and showing

Breed Registries with Color Requirements

American Paint Horse Same type of pedigree as Quarter Horse Quarter Horse with too much white can be registered if they have enough the white to meet Paint requirements. Must have one spot above the legs larger than a silver dollar. Used for racing, work, recreation, showing

American Paint Horse Three basic color patterns: Overo – colored with irregular (jagged) white spots, white spots do not cross the back, at least one leg is colored, face is often white. Tobiano – white with regular, oval shaped colored spots, white crosses the back, white legs. Usually have white mane and tail. Tovero – combination of tobiano and overo.

Tobiano

Overo

Tovero

American Pinto Similar color requirements to the American Paint Horse Can be any breed type (i.e. Miniature, Arabian, stock type)

Appaloosa Strong Quarter Horse bloodlines Developed by the Nez Perce Indians in Idaho and Washington. Used for recreation, work, racing, and showing Noted for endurance and sure footedness

Appaloosa Three color characteristics: Eyes are encircled with white. White Sclera Skin is mottled, with an irregular spotting of black and white Hooves are black and white striped vertically.

Color Patterns of Appaloosa Blanket Leopard

Palomino Oldest color breed Golden in color with white mane and tail Must have 15% or fewer dark hairs in the mane and tail Can be registered with other breed associations (AQHA)

Buckskin Hair coat of some shad of yellow (gold to nearly brown) with black or brown points. Eligible for registry if these colors: Buckskin – no line down the back Dun – black or red legs, mane and tail, line down the back Grulla- mouse color Red dun

Draft Breeds 1,500 to 2,000 pounds 14.2 to 17.2 hands Large bones, thick, heavy body, calm Developed in Northern Europe as a war horses for carrying knights in armor.

Percheron Originated in France Predominately black and gray or a combination of black and gray. No feathering on legs

Clydesdale (Budweiser Horse) Originated in Scotland Feathered legs Very animated and flashy Extensive white face and leg markings Sorrel or bay color

Belgian Originated in Belgium Most massive of the draft horses, known for size and strength Sorrels and roans with flaxen mane and tail.

Shire Originated in England Tallest of the draft breeds Usually black but can be bay or brown

Suffolk Originated in England Chestnut color – only draft breed to be true to color

Pony Breeds Less than 14.2 hands Less than 800 pounds