Let?s do a survey. Who knows what a Pinto is? Your friend who maybe isn?t as into horses as you are might say: ?beans you buy at the supermarket.? Your dad or grandpa might say: ?a car from the ?70s.?
Well,?they?re both right. But the best Pinto of all is a horse. A Pinto is a type of horse. Not exactly a breed of horse, Pintos come in all shapes and sizes. From the tallest horses to the shortest ponies–and miniatures, too–most equines can be part of the Pinto family as long as they have the Pinto coat pattern.
Flashy Coat
Pintos are known for their color, not their breeding. Popular breeds that have the colorful Pinto coat patterns include Arabians, Saddlebreds, Mustangs, Tennessee Walkers–and Paints, of course. And many others too, but solid-colored horses need not apply.
Paint or Pinto?
A common question. The word ?Pinto?means spotted or patterned. Simply put, a Pinto is a horse, pony or miniature that has colored markings. They can be of any breed. A Paint is a specific breed of horse with coat patterns. So, all Paints are Pintos, but not all Pintos are Paints. Make sense?
One of a Kind
A Pinto stands out in a crowd with its flashy coat, and no two are exactly alike!
Colorful Camouflage
Spots, stripes or splashes of color on an animal?s coat is nature?s way of protecting it. It’s camouflage from predators. The first horses, Eohippus, of 60 million years ago, probably had blotched coats as a defense against predators.
Cowboys and Indians
Native American Indians favored horses with unusual coloring. They?d even paint their horses if they needed a little extra splash. The Pinto was important to their way of life, and pretty popular with cowboys, too. And their colorful markings made it is easy for their riders to quickly find their horses in the herd.
Pets and Performers
With horses from many breeds, Pintos excel in many sports. They?re competitive performers and perfect family pets, too. Whatever it is they?re doing, they always look good doing it.
Learn more about Pintos from the Pinto Horse Association of?America.
