The Palomino horse is a colour type rather than a breed – defined by colour and not conformation, although there are Registration Associations for it.
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There are no height restrictions but coat colour must be correct, the body being a golden horse colour with a flaxen or white mane and tail.
The Spanish brought these horses to the USA in the 16th century.
This coat colour can be found in many breeds and commonly found in the Quarter horse.
Two most popular breeds to cross to produce this colour are Arab and Thoroughbred yet neither one is of this colour.
The crossing of -palamino-and chestnut produces a rich and truly golden colour in palamino-coats.
Image by rhmmps
The USA and UK have different criteria for registration of this colour.
The American registry requires that at least one parent must be -palamino-and the other is of Arab, Quarter horse or Thoroughbred bloodlines, while the British association permits registration of any breed that meets the colour criteria.
In the United States, there are two primary colour breed registries for -Palomino-colored horses, the -Palomino-Horse Association (PHA), and the -Palomino-Horse Breeders of America (PHBA).
The PHA registers palomino-horses of any breed and type "on colour and conformation."
The shade of colour considered ideal by the PHA is the colour of a gold coin, but shades of -palomino-from light to dark gold are accepted.
The mane and tail are required to be white, silver, or ivory.
The PHBA has stricter requirements.
To be accepted by the PHBA, in addition to color, a horse must have the general structure appropriate to the breeds of light riding type recognized by the PHBA.
The adult height of the PHBA horse should be 14 to 17 hands (56 to 68 inches, 142 to 173 cm), and the horse must not show draft horse or pony charasteristics.
Any horse that does not meet the height requirements may still be accepted if it is registered in one of the breed registries recognized by the PHBA.
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