What is the differents between a painted horse and a pinto horse?

Question

What is the differents between a painted horse and a pinto horse?

Answer 1

Paint is a breed. Pinto is a term for horses with large white markings on their body.

Paint horses have their own registry and breed standards. They're basically Quarter Horses with pinto markings, as the American Quarter Horse Association won't register horses with more than a certain amount of white.

More information on the Paint breed:

http://www.apha.com

Pinto refers to a horse of any breed with overo, tobiano, sabino, splashed white, or any combination of those markings. Pinto markings are found in many breeds such as miniature horses, gypsy vanners, spotted saddle horses, etc. In some breeds only certain patterns exist, for example, the only pinto pattern that is seen in the Arabian breed is Sabino.

For more information on pinto markings, check out this website:

http://equinecolor.com

Basically, all Paints are pintos (unless you count breeding stock paints... but that's a whole other story) but not all pintos are Paints.

Answer 2

Delta_Dawn is correct that the primary difference, and what often confuses people, is that a pinto can be any breed.  The Pinto Horse Association is a color registry.

A Paint Horse must be able to prove parentage from one of the three approved registries AQHA (quarter horses) TB (thoroughbreds) and APHA (american paint horses), as well as meet a minimum color requirement, namely, Paint Horses must have a minimum amount of white hair over unpigmented skin.

http://www.equinepost.com/resources/bree...

For registration and breeding purposes, American Paint Horses are categorized by their specific color patterns.

The tobiano is distinguished by head markings like those of a solid-colored horse; their heads may be completely solid, or have a blaze, strip, star or snip. Generally, all four of the tobiano's legs are white, at least below the hocks and knees. Their spots are regular and distinctly oval or round and extend down the neck and chest, giving the appearance of a shield. Usually a tobiano will have the dark color on one or both flanks - although a tobiano may be either predominantly dark or white. The tail is often two colors.

The overo may also be either predominantly dark or white. But typically, the white on an overo will not cross the back of the horse between its withers and its tail. Generally, one or all four legs will be dark. Also notable is that overos have bold white head markings such as a bald face. Overos generally have irregular, scattered markings. The horse's tail is usually one color.

However, not all coat patterns fit neatly into these two categories. For this reason, a number of years ago the APHA expanded its classifications to include "tovero" to describe horses that have characteristics of both the tobiano and overo patterns.

http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/horse...

The average Paint Horse's size is 14.2 - 16 hands.

The American Paint Horse's conformation general is stock type, with a broad chest and well muscled hindquarters. Paint Horses should be strong-boned, but should also possess refinement in the head and neck.

http://www.equinepost.com/resources/bree...

Since the Pinto can be any breed and are bred for their coloring there is no general conformation one might expect to find in a Pinto. There are, however four conformation types acknowledged for the Pinto. Saddle, hunter, stock and pleasure with horses and ponies classified simply by size.

http://www.horses-and-horse-information....