Pintabian Horse Breed

Hotblood

Overview

The Pintabian is a graceful, animated horse that is known for its beauty, stamina, versatility and good disposition. Although Pintabians can also be registered as Pintos, they are more specifically referred to as an Arabian-type horse with spots. A Pintabian is a horse with tobiano markings and over 99 percent Arabian blood. One of the world's newest breeds of horse, the breed became officially recognized in 1992 when the Pintabian Horse Registry was established.

Physical Description

While its tobiano markings are one of its distinguishing characteristics, the Pintabian is not a "color breed." The Arabian does not have a spotted coat. In order to have a color pattern, there was a tobiano pinto, 7 generations ago that was crossed with an Arab. The tobiano color pattern is defined as non-symmetrical, with large irregular color spots. As each generation produced this spotted Arab, it was mated back to a 100% pure Arab to gain back the Arabian bloodlines until the "Pintabian" was produced. Because the tobiano gene is dominate, genetics experts have known that is was possible to breed this pattern into an Arabian to produce a relatively "pure" strain of tobiano horses with over 99% pure Arabian blood. Some of the conformation standards include a beautifully formed head that is wide between the eyes with a slightly concave profile. The eyes are bright, clear, and kind. The nostrils are large but the muzzle small. The back is short, strong and muscular, the chest broad and the shoulders long with good slope. The Pintabian stands between 14.2 and 15.2 hands high.

Origin

The desired tobiano coat of the Pintabian is a dominant gene, passed only by crossing horses possessing the gene. The tobiano has, over the years, been developed by crossing horses with the tobiano coat with purebred Arabian horses. This has resulted in horses of nearly 100 percent Arabian stock.

Interesting Facts

The Pintabian Registry requires that all registered Pintabians possess at least 99 percent Arabian blood. Although the Pintabian must be of Arabian type, it is closely associated with the Pinto because of the obvious coat similarities. The two types of coat of the Pinto are the overo and tobiano. Overo consists of irregular black and white patches all over the body. Tobiano consists of white and any other color except black.

Influences

Arabian

Sources:

Permission given by my dear friend, Cowboy Frank, to use his breeds section.
Oklahoma State University list of livestock breeds

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