The American Paint Horse has a history unlike any other breed in the world. Once disregarded by some for its bold markings, that very characteristic makes each Paint Horse a one-of-a-kind favourite with thousands of proud APHA members today. In fact, the American Paint Horse Association is the world’s second-largest equine breed association. The American Paint Horse’s combination of colour and stock horse conformation is not the breed’s only noteworthy attributes—Paints are also valued for their temperaments, versatility and athletic ability.

While the colourful coat pattern is essential to the identity of the breed, American Paint Horses have strict bloodline requirements and a distinctive stock-horse body type. To be eligible for registry, a Paint’s sire and dam must be registered with the American Paint Horse Association, the American Quarter Horse Association, or the Jockey Club (Thoroughbreds). To be eligible for the Regular Registry, the horse must also exhibit a minimum amount of white hair over unpigmented skin.

Each Paint Horse has a particular combination of white and any color of the equine spectrum: black, bay, brown, roan, buckskin, dun, gray, grullo, perlino, smoky cream, chestnut, cremello, palomino, red dun, sorrel, or champagne. Markings can be any shape or size, and located virtually anywhere on the Paint’s body. Paints’ coat patterns are also varied—Paint Horses are either overo, tobiano, tovero or solid. These colors, markings and patterns, combined with stock-type conformation, athletic ability and agreeable disposition, make the American Paint Horse an investment in quality.

The American Paint Horse Association was founded in 1962. With only a few hundred horses registered by the end of that year, the association now boasts more than one million Paint Horses and records new registrations at the rate of about 15,000 per year.