The Palomino horse is just one out of over 200 horse breeds worldwide. For years, horses have been subjected to selective mating rituals, where people create different breeds by mating two horses with attractive traits. These breeds have different appearances, some more drastic than others.
The Palomino horse is not something one might call a horse breed. However, it is known for its distinguished colour. This horse comes with a rich history and remains one of the most coveted horses today.
Therefore, this piece explores interesting facts about the Palomino horse and why it is regarded as one of the most beautiful horses in the world.
What is a Palomino horse?
This is a type of horse with a distinguished colour known as palomino. The horse’s colour consists of a gold coat and white mane and tail. Its white mane’s colour can vary from bright white to yellow. The palomino colour can be genetically created by a single allele of a dilution gene called the cream gene, combined with a “red” (chestnut) base coat. This process is called incomplete dominance, which is why Palomino horses are usually not considered true-breeding.
Historically, this horse can be traced back to the Crusades in the medieval era. Due to its golden beauty and sturdiness, it was the most sought-after horse for many royals and noble leaders. For instance, the Palomino horse was the pride of Queen Isabella’s Spanish court. She also introduced palomino horses to Mexico, where they were then introduced to what is now known as Texas and the southern United States.
Once in the United States, they were caught and tamed by Native Americans, who used them to hunt and travel more effectively. Today, Palomino horses are used for different purposes, which include pets, show or rodeo horses, jumping competitions and other spectacles. They are so admired that they have been featured in many cultural artefacts, including historical paintings. According to WebMD, Palomino horses are considered to be amongst the best bloodlines as they hold an international appeal.
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How to identify a Palomino horse
Palomino horses are easy to spot through their gorgeous golden colour and contrasting white mane and tail. However, some shades of colour can be misidentified.
Therefore, let us take a look at the characteristics of a Palomino horse.
Light Palomino horse
The Palomino horse is usually known for its white mane and yellow tail. However, there are the ones with lighter shades that are a sight to behold. Palomino horses are usually born light-coloured. As they grow, they begin to change their colours to darker shades. However, some horses never change their colours even as they grow older, maintaining their light cream colours.
Golden Palomino horse
This is the most common Palomino that most people can identify. The dark yellow coat often contrasts with the white mane. However, the golden Palomino can get lighter, especially during the winter when it is mostly confined indoors.
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Chocolate Palomino
The chocolate palomino horse is the darkest of the spectrum. It is as dark as chocolate, which is where it gets its name from. However, the chocolate Palomino has the trademark white mane and yellow tail. Sometimes, the mane and tail will have black hairs mixed in.
Palomino champagne
This type of horse is usually not considered a true palomino. However, it does have similar characteristics, such as a light cream coat, white mane and tail. But this is a chestnut horse, with the champagne gene diluting the red colour to make the horse look like a palomino. Also, note that this is a rare type of horse.
Another similar rare type of horse is the Pearl gene which also dilutes a red horse to a light, super shiny cream colour with blue eyes. The Pearl horse is common in the Andalusian and Lusitano breeds. But you can find them in other breeds as well.
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