Horse Breeds

White horses are solid white with pink muzzles and light-colored hooves. Don’t confuse white horses with gray horses. Gray horses have some colored hairs in their coats — whites do not. White horses are sometimes seen with blue eyes (these horses are also called cremellos) or brown eyes.

Gray horses come in a variety of shades, ranging from nearly white to a darker, dappled coloration. White hairs mix with darker hairs of any other color to produce a gray coloration. Gray horses are often born solid colored and lighten as they get older. One variety, called flea-bitten gray, is usually seen on older horses.

Pinto markings consist of patches of dark color against white. Only certain breeds have pinto coloration.

Grulla horses have a dark, smoky body coloration with a black mane and tail. Grullas usually have a dark stripe down their backs and dark legs.

The true Buckskin has a yellow or gold body coloration with a black mane and tail. The lower legs are usually black and can have white markings. Many horse lovers believe that a horse must have a dark stripe down the back to be considered a buckskin, but in reality, true buckskins have no dorsal stripe.

Palominos have a golden yellow body coloration with white manes and tails.

Dun horses have a gold body color and a black or brown mane and tail. The most distinctive indication of a dun coloration is a dark stripe running down the length of the horse’s back. Sometimes, you may see a transverse stripe across the withers as well as horizontal stripes on the legs. The dun coloration is considered the closest thing to a natural “wild” color in the horse.

Red duns are a type of dun with a reddish tint to their coats. They have a dark stripe running down the back and have a reddish or flaxen (blond) mane and tail. The horse in this photo is a classic red dun. He also has some roan characteristics.

Chestnut-colored horses have a distinct reddish color on their bodies and usually have the same color in the mane and tail. Chestnut colorations come in a variety of shades, from dark to light. A light chestnut horse is shown here.

Chestnut horses can be a dark reddish color, as in this classic liver chestnut.

The body color of a Sorrel horse is light red. Sorrels are sometimes hard to distinguish from chestnuts. The main difference between the two is that sorrels usually have more of a yellow tint to their coats than chestnuts do. Sorrels tend to have a mane and tail color that matches the body color, although sorrel horses sometimes have flaxen manes and tails.

Bay horses have bodies that are anywhere from dark tan to reddish brown. Their manes and tails are always black, and they often have black on the lower parts of their legs.

Horses described as Brown have a brown or light black body coloration with a lighter color around the muzzle, flank, and inside upper legs. The mane and tail are always black.

The bodies of Red roans are covered with a uniform mixture of white hairs mixed with red hairs. The head and lower legs are usually darker than the rest of the body because these areas have a proliferation of red hairs. The manes and tails of red roans can be black, red, or flaxen.

Blue roans have a uniform mixture of white hairs mixed with black hairs, which gives the body a bluish appearance - hence the name. The heads and lower legs of blue roans are usually darker than the bodies. The mane and tail are nearly always black.

For a horse to be considered a true Black, his body color must be a solid black with no light areas anywhere on his body. The mane and tail are black as well.

The Appaloosa’s most distinguishing characteristic is its spotted coat. Represented in several different patterns, including the popular leopard (shown) and blanket with spots (a dark body color with white over the rump, which is covered with dark spots), this characteristic sets the breed apart. Other physical traits include white sclera in the eye, striped hooves, and mottled skin. Some Appaloosas also have thin manes and tails. The height range for an Appaloosa is 14.3 to 16 hands.

Arabians are known for their elegant and graceful beauty. The head of the Arabian is small and has a concave, or dished, face. The Arabian’s ears are small and curve inward, and its neck is long and arched. Most Arabians have only five spinal vertebrae, as opposed to the six vertebrae typically found in most other breeds. This one less vertebra gives Arabians a shorter back than a lot of other breeds. Arabians are small horses that rarely measure much over 15 hands in height.

Miniature horses are the dwarfs of the equine world and number one in the “adorable” category. The Miniature horse has all the physical and psychological characteristics of a regular horse in a very small package. The Miniature horse, which stands anywhere from 6 to 7 hands high, is kept primarily as a pet. Tiny tots can ride Miniature horses, but anyone over the age of four years old is probably too big to ride a Miniature horse.

Morgans have small, elegant heads and strong, highly arched necks. They also have very deep chests, giving them considerable endurance. Just like their founding sire, Justin Morgan, Morgans tend to be smaller horses and rarely reach more than 15.2 hands in height. They are eager to please and willing to do whatever is asked of them.

Paint Horse coats come in a variety of different patterns, most of which fall under the heading of tobiano (a white base with dark patches) or overo (a dark base with white patches, shown). The breed’s conformation is identical to that of the Quarter Horse, with a height range of 15 to 16 hands. Its temperament is very much like the Quarter Horse’s, too: mellow, easygoing, and eager to please. (The Paint Horse in this photo is a yearling.)

The Quarter Horse is a sturdy horse with a small head and a muscular neck. The breed’s hindquarters are powerful, and the legs are straight and solid. Quarter Horses have a big height range, standing anywhere from 14.3 to 16 hands tall. One of the Quarter Horse’s most outstanding features is its disposition. Its quiet temperament is a big reason behind the Quarter Horse’s huge popularity.

The Saddlebred is a gaited horse, capable of performing a rack and a stepping pace in addition to an animated walk, trot, and canter. Saddlebreds typically have long, arched necks and fine heads that they carry rather high. The Saddlebred’s body is rather lithe and lean, almost like that of a human ballet dancer. Saddlebreds range in height from 15 to 17 hands.

Standardbreds have an inborn ability to move at great speeds without galloping. Some members of the breed are natural-born trotters and can trot at nearly 30 mph. Others are born pacers (where the legs on one side move in unison) and can attain these same speeds. Standardbreds can also gallop. The Standardbred is closely related to the Thoroughbred, although the Standardbred is considerably heavier in muscle. Standardbreds have rather large heads and powerful thighs. They usually measure anywhere from 15 to 16 hands.

The Tennessee Walking Horse is a gaited horse and can perform, in addition to the walk, trot, and canter, a four-beat running walk for which it is famous. A Tennessee Walking Horse has a straight head with larger-than-usual ears. The breed has a gracefully arched neck, prominent withers, and large hooves. Ranging in height from 15 to 16 hands, Tennessee Walking Horses have very docile temperaments.

The typical Thoroughbred has a straight head, high withers, and long, fine legs. Standing anywhere from 15 to 17 hands high, Thoroughbreds have a lean, lanky appearance that sets them apart from other breeds. Thoroughbreds are willing horses but can sometimes be too spirited for beginning riders. This depends on the individual horse, however. Some Thoroughbreds do make good mounts for beginners.

The Andalusian horse, also known as the Pure Spanish Horse, is one of the most spectacular studies in horse flesh on the planet. You see this horse in museum pieces and paintings from the Middle Ages. Leonardo da Vinci sculpted this horse, and the winged Pegasus was based on this breed. Andalusians’ necks are heavy and arched; their manes and tails are long and wavy. The breed is between 14.3 and 15 hands in height. With a regalness about them that is hard to equal, even a relatively untrained eye can easily spot this breed.

The Belgian is an old European draft breed that’s gaining popularity in the United States. American Belgians, such as the one in this photo, are slightly larger and heavier than their European counterparts. American Belgians are around 18 hands in height and are usually sorrel with a flaxen mane and tail. Most Belgians are used for pulling, although some are also ridden.

The result of Trakehner, Gelderland, and Thoroughbred crossings, the Dutch Warmblood was developed to be the consummate performance horse. Standing 16 to 17 hands high, Dutch Warmbloods are especially known for their skills in jumping, dressage, and carriage driving.

Developed in Peru in the 1800s to carry plantation owners across vast areas of land, the Peruvian Paso possesses three gaits: the paso llano, the sobreandando, and the huachano. Each of these gaits is designed to be comfortable while covering considerable ground. Peruvian Pasos that are in top condition can maintain these gaits for hours on end. Peruvian Pasos are small to medium in size, measuring 14.1 to 15.1 hands in height. They have well-muscled necks and long, thick manes and tails.

Racking Horses have a graceful build, with a long, sloping neck. Their legs are smooth, and their hair is finely textured. The typical Racking Horse averages around 15.2 hands. What makes the Racking Horse so special is that it’s a gaited breed, able to perform a four-beat racking gait in addition to a walk and a canter. Racking Horses are willing to work and eager to please their handlers.

Welsh Ponies come in four different types: the Welsh Mountain Pony, the Welsh Pony, the Welsh Pony of Cob Type, and the Welsh Cob. Each of these four names represents different heights and conformation types within the Welsh breed. It’s easiest to think of each type in terms of its height: The Welsh Mountain is 12.2 hands or shorter; the Welsh Pony is 12.2 to 13.2 hands high; the Welsh Pony of Cob Type is 13.2 hands high or less; and the Welsh Cob is actually horse-sized at 14 to 15.1 hands tall.

by Audrey Pavia with Janice Posnikoff,DVM