Fall Show colors

While walking around the stalls or sitting in the arena during Fall Show classes, you probably saw some beautifully-marked Paint Horses, and some with interesting markings. Paint Horse Journal Associate Editor Jessica Hein snapped photos of a couple horses to share.

Did you happen to see any when you were there?

"His barn name is 'Wishbone', because of a wishbone shape on the right side of his face," says Jessica Hein, who spotted the 2008 sorrel overo stallion Mighty Playboy, owned by Terry and Debbie Dillard of Lampe, Missouri, near his stall.

"A horse in the Yearling Mares Slot class at the Fall Show, Exquisitely Made, had a roadrunner on her side," writes Hein about the 2007 chestnut overo mare, owned by Joy Dreier in New Providence, Iowa.

Indian Paint Brush

It's not uncommon for people to find Native American-themed pictures in their Paint Horse's markings, but I think the most frequent sighting is of Native American chiefs. Enjoy the collection!

" 'Texas' has an Indian chief on her right flank," writes Auburn, Nebraska, resident Cindy Shaw about her 2007 bay overo mare Invitation To Texas. "Besides the feather bonnet, it shows enough detail to see the facial outline of the nose, mouth, neck and chest of the chief. I never really thought much about it until a friend pointed it out and said the chief image had a special meaning in the frontier days for the Native Americans. I never looked up this myth because she's already special to me."

"The photo shows that Zips Chocolate Tips hindquarter spot is an Indian chief," writes Natalie Campbell about the 2004 bay tovero mare owned by Robin Binkerd of Newberg, Oregon.  "The headdress is on her mid-belly area, and if you follow it up and down, you can see the nose and lips of the chief facing toward her tail."

"On the left side [of Jack The Skipper], you can see an Indian woman holding a feather," writes Kim Smith of Hardinsburg, Kentucky, about her 2000 sorrel tobiano gelding.

Fall Show

If you happen to be at APHA's Fall Championship Show (going on now through November 15 at Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas) and see any interesting Paint markings, grab your camera, snap a photo and send it to mlarson@apha.com! We're hoping to gather a whole collection from the show to put on this blog and in APHA Connection for your enjoyment. Of course, if you're showing, have a friend take the pic and capture you and your Paint at your best!

Why I love Paint Horses

I received a touching letter the other day among a stack of Paint Markings photos, and it reminds me of why I love Paint Horses so much—their intelligence and versatility. What's even more awesome is the gentleman who sent it lives in Germany, but his description and photos make me think of the idyllic cowboys in Western movies that I watched as a kid. While the photo still needs to be scanned, I'll go ahead and post the correspondence for you to enjoy.

Dear Editors of Connection,

When I saw in your magazine the Texas mark of DW Poco Cash, I thought I could deliver you a second Texas mark from Germany. Next I will tell you my 'Texas' ' story:

The first foal out of [Doughboys Nina] was born on July 5, 2006, on a lovely meadow in the morning. Immediately when the foal was born, I recognized the white mark on his left side, and I saw that it strongly resembled the American state of Texas. So the little boy got his name—Little Bigs Texas.

Texas' mother, [a descendant] out of Colonel Freckles and Pawnee Eagle, was used by me as the perfect cowhorse (including cutting, roping, etc.) for an environmental 150 acres ranch, grazed with 50 Galloway cows, the whole year free living. This mare became a part of my body when I was working my cows. She could read my body language perfect when I asked her to do this or that maneuver on the cows. 'Nina' was not used as a hobby horse; her man thing was to do cattle work for me, and she enjoyed this job so very much!

This horse was the greatest prize in my life. She is one out of 500, and now, in her second career as a breeding mare, I hope she can give all her abilities to her offspring.

I enclose this letter with photos that show Nina and I at work, and when you believe that I can't be in Germany because it looks like the real thing, I can tell you it is! There will not be many Germans who can tell you similar stories.