Hobby

Palomino horses are classified based on color rather than a specific breed origin. The term palomino refers to a horse with a coat of gold and a tail and mane that are either flaxen or white. Per registration regulations, in order to list your horse as a palomino, the shade of the horse must be no more than three shades lighter or darker than a new penny, although some dark brown horses are called chocolate palominos.

Some breeds that are often classified as palominos based on the color are the Morgan, the Tennessee Walking Horse, the American Saddlebred, and the Quarter Horse. Though unusual, you’ll occasionally find a Thoroughbred in palomino. However, though breeds like the Arabian and Harlinger may appear to be palomino, this is impossible because neither of these breeds carry the necessary crème gene and are essentially chestnut.

Most palominos have dark skin beneath the creamy coat and dark eyes. The exact size of the palomino depends on the breed you are referring to, but typically, they stand between 14 and 17 hands high. Though the exact origin of the palomino has never been defined, it is most likely descended from color patterns in the Arabian. These horses are suited for many purposes, including ranch work, racing, rodeo work, trail and endurance horses, parade horses, and showing.

It seems that, regardless of the breed that is being classified as palomino, these tend to be hardy, adaptive horses that have fought their way through history. Documentation of palominos, though not by name, date back as far as biblical times, with the book of Zechariah mentioning horses with distinct color traits that equate to a description of a palomino. Other references can be found in paintings, such as the 1481 painting “The Adoration of the Magi”, hanging in Washington, D.C.’s National Gallery.