Paint, Pinto and the Tobiano Pattern

March 99 answered by Lisa Bates of  Bates Paint Horses

Many people see a spotted horse and ask, "Is that a Paint, or a pinto?" Often they are confused about the meaning of these terms, as well as the pattern on the horse itself.

Tobiano (toe-bee-ah’-no) is a pattern that appears as rounded spots of colour on a white horse. The spots often originate at the flanks. Tobianos will most often have dark heads and a coloured shield down the neck and chest. The face will often be marked like a solid coloured horse with a star or stripe. They will usually also have white legs. Compare this pattern with overo (oh-vair’-oh) which appears as a solid coloured horse with white patches on its belly or sides. This can be as extreme as the horse looking white, with colour "drizzled" down its spine so it spills part way down its sides. Overos often have bald or apron markings on their faces.

Genetically speaking, tobiano is know to be a dominant trait, meaning that if a horse carries one or two copies of the gene, it will show the colour pattern. If you breed a horse that carries one copy of the gene to a solid horse, 50% of the resulting foals will be tobiano. If you breed a horse that carries two copies of the gene to a solid horse, 100% of the foals will be tobiano. If you breed a horse with one gene to another horse with one gene, 75% of the foals will be tobiano. This way it is possible to guarantee a tobiano foal if your mare or stallion is homozygous (carries 2 copies).

Paint Horses are registered with the American Paint Horse Association (APHA) in Texas. Paints must have pedigrees from registered Paint, Quarter Horse or Thoroughbred parents. If it isn't registered with APHA, it isn't a Paint.

Pinto horses are coloured with either the tobiano or overo pattern. They can be from a number of different breeds. They are registered with the Pinto Horse Association of America (PtHA) in Texas. This registry accepts horses and ponies based on the colour pattern and "type" of horse. "Pinto" is also the generic term for any horse with these patterns. Colour on a horse makes a splashy addition to a well built, talented animal. Consider buying or breeding coloured horses for any event.

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