See also:
Appaloosa Photos
| Appaloosa Horses for Sale
Description: The Appaloosa horse, although often
recognized for its colorful coat patterns is a breed of horse, and
not a color. In fact, not all Appaloosas have a colorful coat pattern
but can come in solid colors as well. Coat pattern or not, there is
much more to the Appaloosa than its color.
Appaloosas are
very versatile having great endurance and excellent dispositions. Although
they can be stubborn, most Appaloosas are extremely intelligent and
willing.
Some physical characteristics that are shared by most Appaloosas include
mottled skin, vertically striped hooves, a white sclera which encircles
the iris, and a short mane and tail. Most appaloosas also have strong
sturdy legs and hooves, and are generally very sure-footed.
History: The Appaloosa breed was originally bred in
the Inland northwest of America by the Nez Perce Indians. Before the
horse had been introduced to them, the Nez Perce were sedentary fishermen.
The horses changed The Nez Perce's culture forever. The horses enabled
them to hunt buffalo easily, and the Nez Perce soon became known throughout
the Northwest for their hunting skills and craftsmanship. These new
found skills allowed the Nez Perce to trade for goods and services.
The Nez Perce
became excellent horsemen as well as the only Native Americans known
to selectively breed their horses. The horses were bred to be strong,
fast, sure footed, and intelligent mounts. A short mane and tail was
bred into the horses so that they could not easily be caught in brush.
Meriwether Lewis wrote the following of the Nez Perce's horses, in his
diary on Feb. 15, 1806 :
"Their horses appear to be of an excellent race; they are lofty,
eligantly [sic] formed, active and durable…some of these horses
are pided with large spots of white irregularly scattered and intermixed
with black, brown, bey [sic] or some other dark color."
In the mid-1800s,
settlers came to the Nez Perce reservation. The Nez Perce War of 1877
began when some of the Nez Perce rebelled against treaties imposed by
the settlers.
When Chief Joseph surrendered in Montana in 1877, the Army confiscated
most of the horses. The horses were then indiscriminately bred, and
many of their unique traits were lost or severely diluted.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, because of its use in round ups and
rodeos, people became more interested in the Appaloosa breed.
The Appaloosa horse club was established in 1938 by a wheat farmer named
Claude Thompson, who realized the importance of preserving the Appaloosa
Breed.
The Appaloosa Horse club has since grown into one of the leading equine
breed registries. There are currently over 600,000 Appaloosa horses
registered with the ApHC.
The Nez Perce never referred to their horses as 'Appaloosas'. The name
Appaloosa comes either from the Palouse River, along which the horses
were abundant known to be abundant, or from the Palouse tribe, whose
main village was on the Palouse River. The Palouse River flows through
eastern Washington and north Idaho.
Settlers first referred to the horses as 'A Palouse Horse,' which was
soon shortened to 'Appalousey.' The name Appaloosa was made official
in 1938.
On March 25, 1975,
the Appaloosa was named Idaho's State horse.
Colors:
The Appaloosa Horse Club describes ffive basic coat patterns: Leopard
-- Large dark spots completely covering a white body, Snowflake -- a
dark body with light spots or speckles, Marble -- A light coat covered
in small dark speckles, Frost-- A dark coat covered in small light speckles,
and Blanket -- White on hips and/or loins. Darker spots may or may not
appear on the white blanket. However, some appaloosa's are 'solid,'
meaning that they do not have any coat pattern.
Height: 14.2hh upwards
Uses: Appaloosas are a light breed used for showing
and riding. Today they are used in a wide variety of sports, from rodeo
and trail riding, to jumping, showing, and endurance riding.
