Paint The American Paint Horse, a registered breed, can be traced back to the two-colour horses introduced by the Spanish explorers five hundred years ago. Some of these horses escaped, joining the wild herds of horses roaming the Great Plains. They were greatly sought after for their beauty by cowboy and Native American alike. Over time, breeders have improved the colouring and strength of this horse, and today its stamina, natural intelligence and willing disposition make it ideal for pleasure riding, showing, ranching, racing, rodeoing, and trail riding. Each horse has a unique combination of white and any one of the colours black, bay, brown, chestnut, dun, sorrel, palomino, gray or roan. There are three types, depending on the pattern: Tobiano: ... its head may be a solid colour, or have a blaze or star. Usually all four of the tobiano's legs are white, at least below the knees. Their spots are regular and distinctly oval or round, and cover the neck and chest, looking like a shield. Usually a tobiano will have dark flanks, but may be white. The tail is quite often two colors. Overo: ... it is usually dark or white, but the white doesn't cross the back. One or more legs are dark, and there are bold white markings on the face and head. The markings overall are scattered and irregular. The horse's tail is usually one color. Tovero: ... these horses have characteristics of both the tobiano and overo patterns. There are over 250,000 American Paint horses worldwide. The Breeds