The Appaloosa
Appaloosas usually show a leopard spotted coat, pale sclera (the section of the eye close to the cornea) and vertically striped hooves.
The background of this unusual horse is not completely known. There is evidence that spotted horses were living in a number of geographical regions in Asia and europe, and we know of cave drawings which have been dated to 18000BC clearly showing spotted horses that may be forefathers of the horse we know today. It is quite likely that the spotted skin was in the first instance a form of camouflage, similar to the striped pattern on a zebra.
The modern-day Appaloosa is descended from horses brought to The usa by spanish conquistadors. These were passed to the Nez perce people, who adeptly bred them into the terrific horses that we so admire right now.
The horse was by origin referred to as the "Palouse horse", although gradually its name changed into the present-day rendering, "Appaloosa".
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