Appaloosa basic information

Because the coloring of the Appaloosa is its primary qualification, there are several body styles found in the breed. There are stock-types, sporthorses, pleasure horses, race horses and some that are very nearly ponies. Because of this wide variety, Appaloosas can happily be used for just about anything.

The physical conformation of the stock-type Appaloosa is generally similar to that seen in the American Quarter Horse, partly because the Quarter Horse was used to "improve" the conformation of the Appaloosa when the breed was being established. Both breeds are powerfully muscled with broad bodies and thick bones. Their build is meant more for short bursts of speed and rapid stops and starts. They are therefore ideally suited to western sports: working cattle, reining, rodeo and playday sports such as barrel racing (Camas Prairie Stump Race) and pole bending (Nez Percé Stake Race) and short-length racing (generally one quarter-mile.)

The stock-type Appaloosa is not the only body type found in the breed. There are some Appaloosas that display more of a sport-horse conformation. They have longer legs, cleaner joints and more grace than sheer power. These horses have been bred to be used in English sports, in particular dressage and Hunter-style events. A "foundation" or "old type" Appaloosa is still sometimes seen, a slightly smaller, leaner version of the stock-type Appaloosa, considered to be closer in type to the original Nez Perce blood stock.

Most Appaloosas are recognized by their colorful spotted coat patterns, striped hooves, mottled skin (most visible around their eyes and on their muzzle) and white sclera (on most horses this will be black). However, some do not display the typical traits and may appear to be "solid" (sans spots, visible coat pattern or other characteristics generally associated with the breed.) While the original, "old time" Appaloosas also had a sparse mane and tail among its characteristics, today's "modern" Appaloosas generally have thick, full manes and tails. Appaloosa characteristics

The markings of an Appaloosa are distinct from the dapples seen in grays and some other horse colors. The base color of the horse can be any color, including bay, black, chestnut, palomino, buckskin, dun, grulla, and grey.

see also Equine coat color genetics for a brief mention of various spotting genes.
Patterns
BLANKET - white over the hip that may extend from the tail to the base of the neck. The spots inside the blanket (if present) are the same color as the horse's base coat.
LEOPARD - white base coat with extensive spotting and spots of various sizes over the entire body.
FEW SPOT LEOPARD - This is a near solid coloured horse (usually white) with very few spots or spotting. Horse may exhibit patches of colour on the knees, elbows, flanks (called "varnish marks"). Some may have as few as only one or two spots.
SNOWFLAKE (sometimes called a "reverse leopard" - white spots on a dark body. Typically the white spots increase in number and size as the horse ages.
VARNISH - dark points (legs and head) and some spots or roaning over a light body. May occur in conjunction with another spotting style and change with age.
FROST - similar to varnish but the white hairs are limited to the back, loins, and neck. May occur in conjunction with another spotting style and change with age