The Appaloosa horse
Appaloosas naturally display a mottled skin, colorless sclera (the part of the eye close to the cornea) and striped hooves.
The background of this well-loved horse is not totally understood. There is some proof that mottled horses were established in a number of countries in Asia and europe, and there are cave paintings dating back to 18000BC illustrating mottled horses that might be forefathers of the appaloosa we know today. It is quite possible that the spotted pattern was originally a form of camouflage, much as the zebra's stripes.
The modern Appaloosa is descended from horses carried to America by early settlers. These were passed on to the Nez perce tribe, who skillfully bred them into the excellent horses that we know at the present time.
Appaloosas were originally known as the "Palouse horse", even though over time the name changed into the contemporary rendering, "Appaloosa".
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