Solid Paint Bred: A Case Study

What causes the price difference between two equal quality horses that sell for vastly different prices? In the American Paint Horse Association, a marking of only two square inches can make the difference between a $100,000 horse and a $10,000 horse. A Solid Paint Bred is, according to the APHA Rule Book, a horse that “lacks a natural Paint marking of more than two square inches in areas behind a line which extends from the ear, to the outside of the eye, to the corner of the mouth, and under the chin and above the knees and hocks” (2015 Rule Book). While they can still have purpose in the industry as breeding stock and can show in their own classes, Solid Paint Breds are looked down upon by a large portion of the industry as they can not show in the classes that award large amounts of prize money. To many

The genetics that produce the coloring that qualifies a horse as Regular Registry can hide, or express in minimal coloring, so a Solid Paint Bred could potentially produce more colored foals than a minimal white Regular Registry horse. If that Solid horse were bred to a Regular Registry horse and produced a Solid Paint Bred foal, the second generation horse would not be allowed into Regular Registry classes. Solid Paint Bred horses produced from a single Regular Registry horse and a Quarter Horse or Thoroughbred would not be allowed in Regular Registry classes, either, since their chances of having Paint genetics would be much smaller. This system would allow for a large number of Solid Paint Breds to compete in Regular Registry classes, while still encouraging breeders to remember that their association emphasizes color. This system of different tiers of registration could combine the best of the current system that prioritizes color and other proposed systems that focus on the overall quality of the