Spotted Horse Breeds

There is no argument that horses are beautiful.

This list of spotted horse breeds will introduce you to some of the most eye-catching horses in the world!

These animals come in a variety of colors and patterns, but what they all share in common is their coat pattern.

Spotting can be found on any horse breed-even those with solid coats!

The following list contains five popular breeds of spotted horses:

Over the past years, I have developed an affinity for spotted horses.

These horses are different from the other horses out there.

Something about them just makes them unique.

Spotted horses were loved and can be seen everywhere back in the Roman Empire.

Spotted Horse Breeds

Certain horse breeds have certain genes that help them develop spots on their coats.

The leopard complex gene is the gene responsible for the spots that show up in the coats of these horses.

These spots can have various colors—from roan color or gray color.

Appaloosas

First on this list is Appaloosa horses.

One easy way to spot these horses is by their coat patterns.

They may also have white blankets together with black spots.

A few spot leopard horses are mostly white but have a bit of color that sits on the flank, neck, and head.

The Appaloosa first arrived in the Americas when they were brought by Spaniards.

This explains why the body of the old types of Appaloosa reflected the body type of the traditional Spanish horses.

Bred by the Nez Perce, these horses gave the South Dakota Nez Perce warriors an edge at the legendary Nez Perce war.

After the Nez Perce War, the nez perce horse was allowed to settle in the Colvile Indian Reservation as they were residents of another country.

They have been bred with other breeds to produce other various colors of spotted horses like the Tiger horse, the Nez Perce horse, Pony of the Americas, etc.

The Appaloosa can be seen in every corner of the world and is the most popular one in the United States.

It is also loved for its amazing abilities for Western sports.

American Paint Horse

The American Paint Horse has a long and rich history.

The breed was born out of the need for versatile ranch horses that could be used for cattle-driving, as well as general riding and driving.

They possess a natural intelligence and an uncanny ability to learn quickly.

They are friendly with people but have been bred to be standoffish to other animals so they don’t get injured or spooked easily on the job.

They are also very athletic, making them excellent show horses in addition to their many other talents!

While the colorful coat pattern is essential to the identity of the breed, the American Paint Horse Association requires bloodline registration and a distinctive stock-horse body type for registry.

However, the American Paint Horse Association is the second-largest breed registry in the United States, attesting to their popularity.

Knabstrupper

The Knabstrupper horse is another spotted horse breed that comes with a fascinating history.

These horses were crossbred with other breeds, making them earn their progeny.

When their population dwindled, three Appaloosa horses were donated in order for them to reproduce.

While this horse is a native to Denmark, it has now spread to various places across the globe including Europe and North America.

Pony of the Americas

The Pony of the Americas. Back in the 1950s, a Shetland pony breeder and his neighbor decided to crossbreed their horses—a mare that had a mix of Arabian and Appaloosa and a Shetland stallion.

It produced a beautiful pony and decided to establish a new breed.

The foundation of this breed was called Black Hand. Horses from this breed have an average height of 11.5 hands to 14 hands.

They also have a coat just like an Appaloosa horse.

Miniature Horses

Miniature horses are spotted horses, too. Just like how large horses of the same breed have spots, they, too, can develop spots.

They can have a white-spotted blanket or a full leopard coat.

The Colorado Ranger

Bred from Colorado High Plains, is a ranch horse that has been loved for a long time now.

Although this breed wasn’t bred to develop spots, because most of its offspring developed beautiful patterns, the breeders decided to make the patterns their goal, too.

These are just some of the few horse breeds that have spots on their coats.