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.

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 1990. 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 1730. 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 Breeds1,500 to 2,000 pounds

14.2 to 17.2 handsLarge 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 BreedsLess than 14.2 hands

Less than 800 pounds