Appaloosa Horse Breeds | The Equinest

Appaloosa Breeds Although I say this about almost every horse color out there, I think appaloosa is one of my favorites. Their sheer stubbornness and overall strength of character can only be matched by their glorious spotted coats.

Spot of Another Color

Although often attributed to horses of the Native tribes in the wild wild west, appaloosa genetics have a much longer and even more distinguished lineage. Long before their arrival in the Americas on Spanish, Portuguese or French vessels, spotted equines were prized on the Iberian peninsula. Not only were they rare, but they were thought to be ancestors to spotted Asian animals found on ancient Chinese art.

What’s in a Name?

Although the spotted horses we call appys are older than you might expect, the name appaloosa does come from the wild west. The name comes from the Palouse River which runs through Nez Perce territory – a tribe quite famous for their knowledge of spotted horseflesh.

Some claim that there are spotted horses indigenous to Britain – however odds are they were imported at some point or another.

Leopard Appaloosa

Spotted Story

In the end most of the appaloosa breeds are color breeds, which means that their bloodlines may contain a variety of different genetics as long as they possess & display the leopard complex.