Origin and characteristics of the appaloosa horse

The appaloosa horse is easily recognizable by its mottled coat. If you want to know more about this equidae, here you have its most representative characteristics.

The appaloosa horse is one of the most popular breeds and not only for its appearance, although its spotted cape is well known among the curious of the equine world. Beyond its atypical tonality, the great resistance of this equine and its affable character are great qualities to take into account.

If you are interested in knowing what other characteristics this wonderful spotted horse has, keep reading. You will also find basic tips for your care and good health.

Horse appaloosa its origin

Cave paintings from more than 20,000 years ago already show figures of horses speckled in a similar way to appaloosa. Although this does not mean that it is such an ancient breed, it does give certain clues that this mottling is found in the genetic basis of horses.

It is thought that the most recent origin of this breed is in the Spanish horse, which arrived in America with the invasion of the sixteenth century. These horses did not get their name until the Native American tribe Nez Perce gave them their name in honor of the Palousse River.

Later, this same tribe made the genetic selection to turn the equines of the environment into their own race. Horses were used for hunting and warfare for more than 200 years, with such success that in 1876 the U.S. government gave the order that all appaloosa horses be annihilated.

However, a small part of the population survives and was able to recover. Currently, the breed is preserved through the breeding programs of the Appaloosa Horse Club.

Physical characteristics of the appaloosa horse

Officially, for a horse to be considered an Appaloosa breed, it must have a series of qualities and characteristics.

Among them, we highlight the following:

• Mottled skin: Their fur has the appearance of a freckled skin and there are no more official breeds that possess this coat. The spots are located around the eyes in the mouth and in the genital area.
• Sclera: the sclera of the appaloosa is white and usually much more visible than in other breeds, as it can be observed without the need for the horse to open its eyes wide or look at the periphery of its vision.
• Striped helmets: Many appaloosas have well-defined light and dark vertical stripes on the helmet.

These equidae are medium-sized horses, from 140 to 165 centimeters high. They have a muscular body and a round rump. Despite appearing thin, the legs are strong and resistant, as evidenced by their great agility.

Character of the horse appaloosa

Appaloosa horses are active in that they like to move and expend energy. Their character is gentle within the natural distrust of animals and it is easy to deal with them. This breed of horse is very sensitive to the moods of others like any other horse, which is why it gets stressed very easily with negative stimuli.

These horses establish strong and stable bonds with other horses and even with humans.

The appaloosa and their care

Appaloosas have no conditions linked to their breed, so they require the same basic care as any other horse:

• Good feed and fresh water: it is essential that the animal has good quality hay available constantly and can graze on the land in which it lives. Therefore, you should always have fresh, clean water available.
• Care of the legs: although they are robust, injuries to the legs and hooves are among the most disabling those horses can suffer. To avoid long-term wear, daily checks of the hooves are necessary and that the horses have enough ground to move freely.
• Care of the teeth: the teeth, as well as the rest of the digestive system, is the other delicate part of horses. All structures involved in chewing and digestion should also undergo periodic check-ups to avoid overgrowth and other problems.
• Regular brushing and bathing to keep your coat healthy and shiny.

The appaloosa horse and its health

As stated above, appaloosa are horses with genetics favorable to their robustness and health. It is rare for them to get sick, except when they live in poor conditions for prolonged periods.

That is why you should not lower your guard in terms of their care and veterinary reviews, because these equidae are not immune to viral and bacterial diseases. In each revision, stool, urine and blood samples of the analyzed specimen should also be taken to rule out parasites and other ailments that cannot be seen on a physical examination.

To avoid infections, the hygiene of the horse's bedroom and its terrain should be strict and frequent. If the substrate and bed are inadequate, tread problems, infestations and sepsis can occur.

Horses are wonderful, empathetic and beautiful beings. If you are lucky enough to share your life with one, appalose or not, you will realize that even their weaknesses bring out the best in you. Do not waste the experience.

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