Lena Rivera
The American Paint Horse is a breed of horse that combines the conformational characteristics of a western stock horse with a pinto spotting pattern of white and dark coat colours. The patterns of the Paint horses' coats are of three types: Tobiano, Overo, and Tovero. The pattern and colour of the coat are unique to each horse, and these markings are used to identify the horse. These markings are recorded in the horse's registration papers. One such marking is a star, which is a white spot on a horse's forehead, situated between the eyes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of marking | Star |
| Description | A white marking between or above the eyes |
| Size | Smallest type of face marking; can be quite small or large, but will never stretch fully between the eyes |
| Combination with other markings | May be combined with a stripe or blaze (in which case it must be significantly wider than the vertical marking to be designated separately), or with a snip |
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What You'll Learn
A star is a type of facial marking
The star is the smallest type of face marking and is the most commonly seen marking on a horse's face. It is often accompanied by other facial markings, such as a strip or a snip. A strip, or stripe, is quite narrow, only about one or two inches wide, and stays on top of the nasal bone. A snip is a small area of white, often pink, found on the nose between the nostrils.
The combination of these markings results in a horse's unique facial marking. These markings are important for identifying individual horses, and are recorded in registration papers, medical records, and breed registration records.
The American Paint Horse is a breed that combines the conformational characteristics of a western stock horse with a pinto spotting pattern of white and dark coat colours. The head of an American Paint Horse will usually be marked with a blaze, stripe, race, or star and snip.
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Facial markings are unique identifiers
The American Paint Horse is a breed that combines the conformational characteristics of a western stock horse with a pinto spotting pattern of white and dark coat colours. The American Paint Horse Association (APHA) breed registry is one of the largest in North America. The APHA considers the American Paint Horse to be a horse breed with distinct characteristics, not merely a colour breed. The colourful coat pattern is essential to the identity of the breed.
Horse markings typically refer to the presence of a light marking on an otherwise dark base colour coat. Every marking is different, and it is a reminder of each horse's unique personality. Markings such as bald face, star, and strip are present from birth and do not change throughout a horse's life. Horse markings are commonly used as a means of identification. Registration papers will detail each marking, either by text or by marking on a drawing of a horse. Facial markings are varying sizes of white, each with a specific name, depending on its size.
A star is the smallest type of face marking. It is a white marking found on the forehead between the eyes and is the most commonly seen marking on the horse's face. It can be quite small, similar to the size of a large coin, or large. A star will never be so wide that it stretches fully between the eyes. Sometimes a star can be in the shape of a half-moon, referred to as a crescent. A star may also be accompanied by a snip, which is a small area of white, often pink, found on the nose between the nostrils.
A bald face is a very wide blaze, extending to or past the eyes. Bald-faced horses are commonly found in the American Paint horse and in other breeds that have Pinto colouring. Some, but not all, bald-faced horses also have blue eyes. Horses with a lot of white on their noses may be more prone to sunburn.
The patterns of the Paint horses' coats are three types – Tobiano, Overo, and Tovero. The pattern and colour of the coat are unique for every horse, similar to fingerprints. The head markings of a Tobiano Paint will usually have the dark colour in one or both flanks. The Tobiano may either be predominantly dark or white. The Overo paint may be either predominantly dark or white. The Tovero pattern is a combination of the Tobiano and any of the Overo patterns.
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Markings are present at birth and remain unchanged
The American Paint Horse is a breed that combines the conformational characteristics of a western stock horse with a pinto spotting pattern of white and dark coat colours. The American Paint Horse Association (APHA) breed registry is one of the largest in North America. The registry allows some non-spotted animals to be registered as "Solid Paint Bred". The APHA considers the American Paint Horse to be a horse breed with distinct characteristics, not merely a colour breed.
The American Paint Horse Association was formed in 1965 by fans of colourful stock horses. To be eligible for the Regular Registry of the APHA, the horse must exhibit a "natural paint marking". This means either a predominant hair coat colour with at least one contrasting area of solid white hair of the required size with some underlying unpigmented skin present on the horse at birth. Alternatively, in the case of a predominantly white hair coat, at least one contrasting area of the required size of coloured hair with some underlying pigmented skin present on the horse at birth. Natural Paint markings usually must cover more than two inches and be located in certain designated areas of the body.
Markings on horses are usually distinctive white areas on an otherwise dark base coat colour. Most horses have some markings, and they help to identify the horse as a unique individual. Markings are present at birth and remain unchanged throughout the horse's life. Most markings have pink skin underneath most of the white hairs, though faint markings may occasionally have white hair with no underlying pink skin. Markings may appear to change slightly when a horse grows or sheds its winter coat, however, this difference is simply a factor of hair coat length; the underlying pattern does not change. On a grey horse, markings visible at birth may become hidden as the horse turns white with age, but markings can still be determined by trimming the horse's hair closely, then wetting down the coat to see where there is pink skin and black skin under the hair.
One of the most common types of facial marking is a star: a white mark between or above the eyes. If a stripe or blaze is also present, a star must be significantly wider than the vertical marking to be designated separately. A star was the distinctive marking of the famous horse Seabiscuit, a champion thoroughbred.
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Paint horses have specific coat patterns
The American Paint Horse is a breed that combines the conformational characteristics of a western stock horse with a pinto spotting pattern of white and dark coat colours. The breed is characterised by its colourful coat pattern, strict bloodline requirements, and distinctive stock-horse body type.
Paint horses have three types of coat patterns: Tobiano, Overo, and Tovero. The pattern and colour of the coat are unique to each horse, similar to human fingerprints. The American Paint Horse Association (APHA) provides a specific description of each pattern.
The Tobiano pattern can be predominantly dark or white, often with a two-coloured tail. The legs may be white, at least below the hocks and knees. The white markings are regular and distinct, often appearing as ovals or round patterns that extend down over the neck and chest, resembling a shield. The head markings are similar to those of solid-coloured horses, with the head being either solid or having a blaze, stripe, race, or star and snip.
The Overo pattern is also characterised by dark or white coats, with coloured tails. The head is a distinctive feature, with the face being bald, apron-faced, or bonnet-faced. The white markings are irregular and scattered, and unlike the Tobiano pattern, they rarely cross the back between the withers and tail. The lower legs are usually dark. The Overo pattern has three subtypes: Frame Overo, Splashed White Overo, and Sabino Overo.
The Tovero pattern is a combination of the Tobiano and any of the Overo patterns, resulting in a predominantly white coat with contrasting markings. The Tovero horse may appear to have different coat patterns on each side of its body.
In addition to these patterns, there are other terms used to describe coat colours and patterns in Paint horses. "Solid" refers to a horse that does not have any white markings constituting a recognised spotting pattern. "Colour" is an informal term for a horse with a spotting pattern, and "chrome" is a term of approval for a particularly flashy spotting pattern. The term "Pintaloosa" describes a horse that is a crossbreed between an American Paint and an Appaloosa.
The unique coat patterns and markings of Paint horses are not only aesthetically pleasing but also serve as a means of identification. Each horse has distinct markings that remain unchanged throughout its life, allowing owners and registries to accurately identify individual horses.
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Coat patterns are linked to bloodlines
The star on a Paint Horse's registration papers indicates that the horse has been identified as having a coat pattern that is characteristic of the breed. These patterns are linked to specific bloodlines, with different patterns being favoured and selectively bred for, due to their
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Frequently asked questions
A star is a white marking between or above the eyes of a horse. It is the smallest type of face marking and is the most commonly seen marking on a horse's face. It can vary in size, from being as small as a large coin to covering the entire forehead area. A star is often accompanied by other facial markings such as a strip or snip.
Horse markings are used to identify individual horses, as each marking is unique to each horse. Markings are present at birth and do not change over the course of the horse's life, making them a reliable form of identification. These markings are recorded in registration papers and medical records for identification purposes.
Other common facial markings on horses include the bald face, strip or stripe, snip, blaze, and medicine hat. Markings such as the bald face, star, and strip are commonly found on horses with Pinto colouring, such as the American Paint Horse.
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