Animals

The wonderful Appaloosa horse was the result of selective breeding by the Nez Perce Indians of Idaho, Northeast Oregon, and Southeast Washington. They based the breed on Spanish stock. The word “Appaloosa” came from the Palouse River, which runs through the area. These spotted horses were mentioned in Lewis and Clark’s journal from their 1806 expedition.

The breed almost died out after the U.S. calvary slaughtered the Indian’s horses after chasing the tribe into the Bear Paw mountains of Montana. In 1938, a group of concerned horse people in Moscow, Idaho began a registry, the Appaloosa Horse Club, to save the breed. It now has the third largest registry in the world.

Probably the Appaloosa’s most distinguishing feature is its spotted coat, which can be found in various patterns. The more common patterns are a dark body color with light spots (snowflake), and a white body with dark spots (leopard).

Appaloosa horses are known for four identifiable characteristics: coat pattern, mottled skin, white sclera and striped hooves. With coat patterns, countless numbers of color and pattern combinations exist. Base coat colors include bay, brown, black, buckskin, grulla, dun, palomino, cremello/perlino, chestnut, bay roan, blue roan and red roan. Appaloosa coat patterns include leopard, snowflake, blanket, marbleized and frost. Appaloosas range from 14.2 to 16 hands high.

Appaloosas are known for their quiet temperament. They are versatile, able jumpers, and do well in Western events and three day eventing. They make good trail and long distance riders.