From the Fiercetigress website:“The Appaloosa is descended from horses brought to the Americas by the Conquistadors’ Spanish-bred horses. Some of these horses either escaped or were set loose, and the Nez Perce obtained a number of their descendants. They prized the spotted horses above all, and selectively bred for the spotted patterns and for good conformation and disposition. At that time the Nez Perce lived in the Palouse Valley, and their horses were known as the Palouse Horse, later changing to the Appaloosa Horse. Ranchers and government employees later obtained some of the Nez Perce horses either through purchase, trade, or confiscation. The Appaloosa became known as a high quality breed of horse competitive with some of the world’s top horse breeds, and the Nez Perce people had some of the best horsemen in the world.”
and from Wikipedia:
“The Appaloosa is a horse breed known for its preferred leopard-spotted coat pattern and other distinctive physical characteristics. While there is evidence of leopard-spotted horses dating back to the Paleolithic era in Europe, the Nez Perce people of the American Pacific Northwest developed the American breed. They were once referred to by white settlers as the “Palouse horse,” possibly after the Palouse River, which ran through the heart of Nez Perce country. Gradually, the name evolved into “Appaloosa.” The Nez Perce people lost most of their horses following the end of the Nez Perce War in 1877 and the breed fell into decline for several decades. However, a small number of dedicated breeders kept the Appaloosa alive for several decades until a registry was formed in 1938. Today the Appaloosa is one of the most popular breeds in the United States, and it was named the official state horse of Idaho in 1975.
“The Appaloosa is best known as a stock horse used in a number of western riding disciplines, but is also a versatile breed with representatives seen in many other types of equestrian activity, as well as in many movies. The color pattern of the Appaloosa is of great interest to those who study equine coat color genetics, as both the coat pattern and several other physical characteristics are linked to the “Lp” or “leopard” gene or gene complex, but the precise inheritance mechanism is not fully understood. ”
The Appaloosa breed association website can be found HERE.
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