Learn: Horse Breeds, Colors and Markings

Appaloosa

The "Dalmatian" of horses. White spots on the body and and sometimes with white rims around the eyes. They excel in racing, endurance, jumping, dressing, etc.

Paint

This horse looks like paint has been splattered onto it. Can have a color combination of white and any color on the equine color wheel. They are a versitile horse breed.

Thoroughbred

The average height of today's Thoroughbred is a little over 16 hands. Four slender legs must carry more than 1,000 pounds of body weight over extended distances, traveling at speeds of 35-40 miles per hour. The withers should be high and well-defined, leading to an evenly curved back. The shoulder should be deep, well-muscled and sloped along the same parallel as that on which the head is carried.

Quarter Horse

These are are short and stocky, with heavy muscular development; short, wide heads; and deep, broad chests. Their colors are variable, but all are solid. The height of mature animals varies from 14.3 to 16 hands and their weight varies from 950 to 1,200 pounds.

Arabian

This breeds head has a characteristic dished profile with a prominent eye, large nostrils and small teacup muzzle. His gracefully arched neck rises out of a long sloping shoulder and broad chest. A short, strong back and high trail carriage complete the picture. These horses come in grey, chestnut, bay and roan and an occasional solid black. Although some individuals will vary, most are between 14.2 and 15.2 hands in height and weigh between 800 and 1,000 pounds.

Bay (Color)

These color horses run from light reddish or tan shades to dark brown and mahogany/auburn shades. These color horses always have black points (legs, muzzle, mane and tail, and the tips of their ears are black).

Chestnut (Color)

This color (also known as "sorrel"), is reddish brown. The points (mane, tail, legs and ears) are the same color as the horse's body (other than white markings).

Palomino (Color)

These horses have gold-colored coat with a white or light cream colored mane and tail. The coat can range from a light off-white shade to a deep shade of gold

Buckskin (Color)

This color horses are a light-to-dark sandy yellow or tan color with all black points. These horses are very similar to duns, however, they do not have a dorsal stripe or other "primitive" markings that are shown in the dun color.

Tobiano (Color)

This is a dominant color pattern, and is most common. It generally has four white legs, at least below the hocks and knees. The dark color of the pattern is usually covering one or both flanks and the spots are regular and distinct. Generally, face markings are just like a solid-colored horse (solid, blaze, strip, star or snip) and body color may be either predominantly dark or white. The mane and tail is usually mixed of two colors.

Overo (Color)

On an this colored horse, the white will not usually cross the back of the horse between the withers and tail. It is desirable for all four legs to be dark, or at least one. Face markings are usually bald-faced, apron-faced or bonnet-faced. The white color throughout the horses body is generally irregular or sometimes 'jagged' instead of forming smooth lines between the colors.

Tovero (Color)

This color pattern most commonly comes from crossing a Tobiano horse with an Overo colored horse. In most cases, the result will be a mix of the two color patterns.

Snowflake (Color/Marking)

Large spots all over (light spots on a dark base coat).

Blanket (Color/Marking)

White on hips and loins with or without spots.

Horse Star (Face Marking)

Star, Snip (Face Marking)

Elongated Star and snip (Face Marking)

Blaze (Face Marking)

Bald (Face Marking)

Star Strip Snip Connected (Face Marking)

Sock (Foot Marking)

A marking which extends around the leg from the coronet half way up the cannon bone or halfway to the knee of the foreleg or halfway to the hock on the back leg.

Stallion

intact male horse

Stocking (marking)

A full marking almost to the knee on the foreleg and almost to the hock on the hind leg. It is an extended sock

Gelding

castrated male horse

Mare

mature female horse

Foal

young horse of either sex

Leopard (Color/Marking)

Large spots all over (dark spots on a light base coat).

Colt

young uncastrated male horse under the age of 4

Filly

A young female horse under four years old.

Dun

Body color yellowish or gold; mane and tail are black or brown; has dorsal stripe and usually zebra stripes on legs, and transverse stripe over withers

Black

black

Cremello

Light (or pink) skin over the body, white or cream-colored hair and blue eyes.

Dappled Grey

Gray variegated with spots or patches of a different (fades to flea bitten with age)

Fleabitten Grey

Having a white or gray coat flecked with a darker color (Can look almost white as the flecks fade with age)

Blue Roan

More or less uniform mixture of white with black hairs over a large portion of the body, but usually darker on head and lower legs; can have a few red hairs in mixture

Red Roan

More or less uniform mixture of white with red hairs on a large portion of the body, but usually darker on head and lower legs; can have red or flaxen mane and/or tail

Strawberry Roan

Sorrel or chestnut horse with white hairs intermixed and pinkish in color

Bay Roan

Brown body with a black mane & tail with has white hairs mixed in all over