American Paint Horse Association
Encyclopedia
The American Paint Horse Association (APHA) is a breed registry
for the American Paint Horse
. It is currently headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas
. It was founded in 1965 with the merging of two different color breed
registries that had been formed to register pinto
-colored horses of Quarter Horse
bloodlines. One of these organizations was the American Paint Quarter Horse Association (or APQHA) and the other was the American Paint Stock Horse Association (or APSHA).
The APQHA was formed in 1961 in Abilene, Texas
, mainly to register cropout
horses from the matings of registered Quarter Horses. They also allowed the registering of non-cropouts ("solids") who had Quarter Horse conformation and bloodlines. The APSHA was formed in February of 1962. The APSHA registration rules differed from APQHA in that they excluded "gaited
" horses and mandated that horses that were mainly dark colored must have a minimum of three white spots three inches wide on their body, and that mostly white horses must have a dark spot at least six inches wide on their body. Both registries agreed to merge in 1965, although the APHA calls the APSHA its forerunner.
The need for these registries arose because, in the days prior to DNA
parentage testing, the American Quarter Horse Association
(AQHA) would not register horses with excessive white markings, sometimes called "cropout
s", thinking that such markings were a sign of non-purebred
breeding and was maintained for several decades because it was also feared that excess white increased the risk of horses producing a foal with lethal white syndrome
(LWS). This policy was known as the "white rule." (The AQHA also would not register appaloosa
, cremello or perlino horses for similar reasons.) This policy arose in part from long observation of the tobiano
spotting pattern, which is a dominant gene, and was known to not occur unless one parent is tobiano, a color not recognized in the foundation breeds, such as the Thoroughbred
, that were the predecessors of the American Quarter Horse
.
What was not understood then is that the overo
pattern, found in the Spanish mustang
ancestors of the Quarter horse, and sabino
pattern, which exists in the Arabian
and Thoroughbred
, occur as either a gene complex or a recessive gene; thus two solid-colored horses could produce a spotted foal if both were carriers. It is also known now that lethal white is a recessive, and even two solid-colored horses can carry the LWS gene. Since the advent of DNA parentage testing and a test for LWS has also been developed, the AQHA has repealed its "white rule" and there are now Paint horses of verifiable Quarter Horse bloodlines that are cross-registered with both the APHA and the AQHA.
The APHA currently registers horses that exhibit the overo
(which, under APHA categories, includes sabino
), tobiano
, and tovero
spotting patterns, as well as solid colored horses with Paint bloodlines. It also keeps track of each horse's performance and progeny record.It allows registration of Paint to Paint breedings, as well as Paint to Quarter Horse and Paint to Thoroughbred
. They allow live cover
, artificial insemination
, shipped cooled semen, frozen semen and embryo transfers
.
The APHA sponsors horse show
s and holds an annual World Championship Paint Horse Show in the early summer. They also offer racing
and added money to Paint horses competing in open shows held by the National Snaffle Bit Association
and the National Reining Horse Association
.
The APHA also has programs such as PAC which is an open show program, in which Paint Horses are rewarded for their performance in other events such as show jumping
which is not always included in the APHA hosted shows. They also have a trail program which records and rewards Paint horses and their owners for time spent in saddle pleasure riding
or trail riding
.
Breed registry
A breed registry, also known as a stud book or register, in animal husbandry and the hobby of animal fancy, is an official list of animals within a specific breed whose parents are known. Animals are usually registered by their breeders when they are still young...
for the American Paint Horse
American Paint Horse
The American Paint Horse is a breed of horse that combines both the conformational characteristics of a western stock horse with a pinto spotting pattern of white and dark coat colors. Developed from a base of spotted horses with Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred bloodlines, the American Paint Horse...
. It is currently headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
. It was founded in 1965 with the merging of two different color breed
Color breed
A color breed is a term that refers to horses that are registered based primarily on their coat color, regardless of the horse's actual breed or breed type....
registries that had been formed to register pinto
Pinto horse
A pinto horse has a coat color that consists of large patches of white and any other color. The distinction between "pinto" and "solid" can be tenuous, as so-called "solid" horses frequently have areas of white hair. Various cultures throughout history appear to have selectively bred for pinto...
-colored horses of Quarter Horse
American Quarter Horse
The American Quarter Horse is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name came from its ability to outdistance other breeds of horses in races of a quarter mile or less; some individuals have been clocked at speeds up to 55 mph...
bloodlines. One of these organizations was the American Paint Quarter Horse Association (or APQHA) and the other was the American Paint Stock Horse Association (or APSHA).
The APQHA was formed in 1961 in Abilene, Texas
Abilene, Texas
Abilene is a city in Taylor and Jones counties in west central Texas. The population was 117,063 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2006 estimated population of 158,063. It is the county seat of Taylor County...
, mainly to register cropout
Cropout
A cropout, crop-out or crop out is a horse with body spots, including pinto or appaloosa spotting, or "high white" horse markings, with a sire and dam who both appeared to have been solid-colored. There are several variations in the definition, depending on the breed registry involved. There are...
horses from the matings of registered Quarter Horses. They also allowed the registering of non-cropouts ("solids") who had Quarter Horse conformation and bloodlines. The APSHA was formed in February of 1962. The APSHA registration rules differed from APQHA in that they excluded "gaited
Ambling
The term amble or ambling is used to describe a number of four-beat intermediate gaits of horses. All are faster than a walk but usually slower than a canter or gallop...
" horses and mandated that horses that were mainly dark colored must have a minimum of three white spots three inches wide on their body, and that mostly white horses must have a dark spot at least six inches wide on their body. Both registries agreed to merge in 1965, although the APHA calls the APSHA its forerunner.
The need for these registries arose because, in the days prior to DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
parentage testing, the American Quarter Horse Association
American Quarter Horse Association
The American Quarter Horse Association , based in Amarillo, Texas, is an international organization dedicated to the preservation, improvement and record-keeping of the American Quarter Horse. The association sanctions many competitive events and maintains the official registry...
(AQHA) would not register horses with excessive white markings, sometimes called "cropout
Cropout
A cropout, crop-out or crop out is a horse with body spots, including pinto or appaloosa spotting, or "high white" horse markings, with a sire and dam who both appeared to have been solid-colored. There are several variations in the definition, depending on the breed registry involved. There are...
s", thinking that such markings were a sign of non-purebred
Purebred
Purebreds, also called purebreeds, are cultivated varieties or cultivars of an animal species, achieved through the process of selective breeding...
breeding and was maintained for several decades because it was also feared that excess white increased the risk of horses producing a foal with lethal white syndrome
Lethal white syndrome
Lethal white syndrome , also called overo lethal white syndrome , lethal white overo , and overo lethal white foal syndrome , is an autosomal genetic disorder most prevalent in the American Paint Horse...
(LWS). This policy was known as the "white rule." (The AQHA also would not register appaloosa
Appaloosa
The Appaloosa is a horse breed best known for its colorful leopard-spotted coat pattern. There is a wide range of body types within the breed, stemming from the influence of multiple breeds of horses throughout its history. Each horse's color pattern is genetically the result of various spotting...
, cremello or perlino horses for similar reasons.) This policy arose in part from long observation of the tobiano
Tobiano
Tobiano is a spotted color pattern commonly seen in Pinto horses, produced by a dominant gene. The tobiano gene produces white-haired, pink-skinned patches on a base coat color. The coloration is present from birth and does not change throughout the horse's lifetime, unless the horse also carries...
spotting pattern, which is a dominant gene, and was known to not occur unless one parent is tobiano, a color not recognized in the foundation breeds, such as the Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
, that were the predecessors of the American Quarter Horse
American Quarter Horse
The American Quarter Horse is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name came from its ability to outdistance other breeds of horses in races of a quarter mile or less; some individuals have been clocked at speeds up to 55 mph...
.
What was not understood then is that the overo
Overo
Overo refers to several genetically unrelated pinto coloration patterns of white-over-dark body markings in horses, and is a term used by the American Paint Horse Association to classify a set of pinto patterns that are not Tobiano...
pattern, found in the Spanish mustang
Mustang (horse)
A Mustang is a free-roaming horse of the North American west that first descended from horses brought to the Americas by the Spanish. Mustangs are often referred to as wild horses, but there is intense debate over terminology...
ancestors of the Quarter horse, and sabino
Sabino
Sabino is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2004 was 5,146 and the area is 312.57 km². The elevation is 412 m....
pattern, which exists in the Arabian
Arabian horse
The Arabian or Arab horse is a breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest breeds, with archaeological evidence of horses...
and Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
, occur as either a gene complex or a recessive gene; thus two solid-colored horses could produce a spotted foal if both were carriers. It is also known now that lethal white is a recessive, and even two solid-colored horses can carry the LWS gene. Since the advent of DNA parentage testing and a test for LWS has also been developed, the AQHA has repealed its "white rule" and there are now Paint horses of verifiable Quarter Horse bloodlines that are cross-registered with both the APHA and the AQHA.
The APHA currently registers horses that exhibit the overo
Overo
Overo refers to several genetically unrelated pinto coloration patterns of white-over-dark body markings in horses, and is a term used by the American Paint Horse Association to classify a set of pinto patterns that are not Tobiano...
(which, under APHA categories, includes sabino
Sabino horse
Sabino is a group of white spotting patterns in horses that affect the skin and hair. A wide variety of irregular color patterns are accepted as sabino. In the strictest sense, "sabino" refers to the white patterns produced by the Sabino 1 gene, for which there is a DNA test...
), tobiano
Tobiano
Tobiano is a spotted color pattern commonly seen in Pinto horses, produced by a dominant gene. The tobiano gene produces white-haired, pink-skinned patches on a base coat color. The coloration is present from birth and does not change throughout the horse's lifetime, unless the horse also carries...
, and tovero
Tovero
The Tovero coloration is a mix of tobiano and overo colorations in Pinto horses and American Paint Horses. The genetics of pinto coloration are not always fully understood, and some horses have a combination of patterns that does not fit cleanly in either category.Some characteristics of a Tovero...
spotting patterns, as well as solid colored horses with Paint bloodlines. It also keeps track of each horse's performance and progeny record.It allows registration of Paint to Paint breedings, as well as Paint to Quarter Horse and Paint to Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
. They allow live cover
Horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
, artificial insemination
Artificial insemination
Artificial insemination, or AI, is the process by which sperm is placed into the reproductive tract of a female for the purpose of impregnating the female by using means other than sexual intercourse or natural insemination...
, shipped cooled semen, frozen semen and embryo transfers
Horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
.
The APHA sponsors horse show
Horse show
A Horse show is a judged exhibition of horses and ponies. Many different horse breeds and equestrian disciplines hold competitions worldwide, from local to the international levels. Most horse shows run from one to three days, sometimes longer for major, all-breed events or national and...
s and holds an annual World Championship Paint Horse Show in the early summer. They also offer racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
and added money to Paint horses competing in open shows held by the National Snaffle Bit Association
National Snaffle Bit Association
The National Snaffle Bit Association is an equestrian organization in the United States that promotes and stages Western Pleasure events. It was founded in 1983.It is currently headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma.-References:...
and the National Reining Horse Association
National Reining Horse Association
The National Reining Horse Association is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to promote the reining horse.-History and mission:...
.
The APHA also has programs such as PAC which is an open show program, in which Paint Horses are rewarded for their performance in other events such as show jumping
Show jumping
Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...
which is not always included in the APHA hosted shows. They also have a trail program which records and rewards Paint horses and their owners for time spent in saddle pleasure riding
Pleasure riding
Pleasure riding is a form of equestrianism that encompasses many forms of recreational riding for personal enjoyment, absent elements of competition. Pleasure riding is called "hacking" in British English, and in parts of the eastern United States and Canada...
or trail riding
Trail riding
Trail riding sometimes called horse or pony trekking is riding outdoors on natural trails and roads as opposed to riding in an enclosed area such as a riding arena. The term may encompass those who travel on horses, on mountain bikes, or on motorcycles and other motorized all-terrain vehicles...
.