The Paint Horse

Each Paint Horse has a minimum color requirement on his/her body to be registered with
the Paint Horse Association. The colors on their body may be any color an equine can have,
and the horse must have a certain amount of white showing also: black, bay, brown, chest-
nut, dun, grullo, sorrel, palomino, buckskin, gray or roan.


Markings can be any shape or size, and located virtually anywhere on the Paint's body, and
the Paint's 'coloring' does not always have to be visible to the naked eye, as long as their
parents are registered with either the QHR, PHA, or TBR.


Although Paints come in a variety of colors with different markings, there are only three
specific coat patterns: overo, tobiano and tovero.


1) The Tobiano



The Tobiano is a color pattern in which the horse's face is usually like that of a solid-colored
horse having a solid face or that markings of a star, stripe, blaze or a snip. Generally all four
legs will be white, at least below the hocks and knees and the horse will usually have the
dark color on one or both of his flanks. The spots are regular and distinct as ovals or round
patterns that extend down over the neck and chest, giving the appearance of a shield...they
also look as if someone poured white paint over their back. The tobiano can be either mostly
dark or white.

2) The Overo



The Overo marking is a very unique and beautifully designed type of pattern. They look
rather 'marbled' compared to the other coat patterns and the 'Medicine Hat Horse' is usually
an Overo. The white usually will not cross the back of the horse between its withers and tail.
Generally, at least one leg, and often all four legs, will be the dark color. Head-markings are
often bald-faced, apron-faced, or bonnet-faced, like the 'Medicine Hat'. Generally, the white
is irregular, rather scattered or splashy, and it is often referred to as calico. The tail is usually
one color. An overo horse may be either predominantly dark or white. It looks as though
the white paint splashes up the horse's side from underneath his tummy.

3) The Tovero



The Tovero pattern is one in which both characteristics of the Tobiano and Overo are shown
on the horse.

What Stock your Paint is.... There is a Regular Registry in which the Paints that contain
visible coloring are registered in. There is also the Breeding Stock Registry which includes
the Paints that meet all the bloodline requirements but lack the Paint coloring. Whether
they're registered in the Regular Registry or the Breeding Stock Registry, the two different
type of horses are still real Paints if they can prove PHA, QHR, or TBR parentage.

*This information was retrieved from a very helpful site that distinguishes between the Paint and the Pinto. Go here to help you understand a little more about the color patterns and other helpful information.