There are so many different types of pinto Arabian that it is a mind boggling set of math to breed some of these mares every year. Great pinto horses come from a ton of great places, and a ton of great breeds, so the variety is staggering in discipline as well. If finding the spotted horse of your dreams becomes a goal of yours in the near future, take some time to learn about the different types of pinto out there, and make very sure you are ready to be owned by one!Aside from that, I give you this final warning:
You will buy one, and it will then own your soul. I have no clue why, only that black and white mares are the very worst divas in this regard, but I swear if you open up their skulls, the brain is spotted inside. It isn’t a bloodline issue, it has to be on the gene for spots. Solid siblings do not seem to be this way, even full siblings raised together. They can open any gate, are way too intelligent for their own good, and will take sick pleasure in destroying the things you and other horses have the unmitigated nerve to claim is yours. I have had mine army crawl under semi trucks delivering our gravel, rip wiper blades off of that same semi, climb ladders three rings and two and a half hooves up to reach apples in trees, fist fight their peers over a naked Barbie doll stolen from the earth in the back yard, refuse to relinquish their prize when you go to take it away, attempt to climb into the cab of my Tacoma pickup, attempt to climb into the bed of my same Tacoma, steal, without shame, blankets, hammers, saddles, and good Lord knows what else, and drop head and charge coyote packs circling their owner in a field. Males not so much as females, but pinto Arabian horses are in every way a unique personality, and putting up with them takes a good sense of humor to say the least.
Good luck.
Colors Allowed and General Appearance
There are in fact three true patterns of pinto Arabian. The overo is a random, splashy pattern of lacey markings that almost never breaks white across the back or chest, often the horse bears a solid mane and tail, and though it may have a completely white ribcage and neck, may actually have four dark legs as well. Some may have blue eyes, or even one blue one dark eye, or an eye that is both! Tobiano is almost an opposite pattern, consisting of smooth large ribbons of patches that cover various parts of the body and almost always the legs. They seem to throw similar patterns down family lines, and though no two are identical, you can tell most relatives with some ease. They have dark eyes and usually a lot of face markings. Tovero horses have both patterns, and though most of the time tobiano seems to be the dominate pattern visually, there are differences to be seen. Capable of having blue eyes, they will also have ragged lacey patterns around their large tobiano blotches. Some are what might be called “medicine hat”, a white horse with only color on its ears.
Pinto Arabian History
Like palomino and buckskin versions of the same, large programs of pinto Arabians have been more of a novelty for big purebred breeders than anything else in the past. Now, things are different, with higher percentages and better bloodlines for colored animals than ever before. Still, there are no pure bred pinto Arabian horses, and anyone claiming to own one is outright lying about it. Most likely they have a sabino animal with enough white to be called “pinto”. It is not true pinto, and just as a birthmark would, will not necessarily pass to the animal’s foals. Several programs have tried in recent years to create purebred Arabian pinto horses, and all of the ones I have ever seen have ended tragically with a mostly white animal not living to see sexual maturity, and I personally feel promoting such defects is irresponsible at best.
Similar Breeds of Horse
Again as with buckskins, pinto Arabians are a color first, though you will find a home in several other breeds should you need a horse without Arabian blood. The Paint Horse registry honors both tobiano and overo patterns, and are the true cowboy pony of the old Wild West. If the rampant lameness plaguing the Paint industry currently is a turn off to you, try the American Saddle bred Horse. These have been working plantations since before Wyatt Earp was a gleam in his father’s eye. If neither appeals to you, perhaps the Tennessee Walker breed is more your style. I have seen some amazing patterns on these guys too, and their owners say that once you go Walker you never go back!
Note the sunburn in the mare's pink skin, peeling into her coat as it heals.
Care of the Pinto Arabian Horse
If you are lucky enough to have high percentage Arabian pinto horses, odds are good they have great feet regardless of hoof color. I have found that the lower percentages that tail back to Paint horses have poorer feet. I don’t have this issue in horses trailing back to other registries, so I feel it has far less to do with the whole “white hoof” issue than it does the issues also crippling modern Paint horses. The biggest issues I have with my pinto horses are specifically the sunburns on noses, eyebrows, and bottoms, no surprise, if they have pink skin there. Odd thing, some of them burn more than others, and some of them burn some years and not others. I am really not sure why as they all receive the same care. I also have noticed that my tobiano horses are quicker to get mud fever if the little wretches decide to beauty bathe in the back muck pond, but it is only in very extreme winters that are really warm here in Western Washington, areas that don’t typically freeze and thus provide an ideal environment for bacterial growth.
Like all Domestic Horses, the genus for the Pinto Arabian is Equus Caballus.
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