Cowboys and Indians

Native American Dance, a 2006 sorrel tobiano mare owned by Ute Wortmann in Wuppertal, Germany, shows a little Native American heritage with her markings. "On her hindquarter spot, you can see an Indian chief's head," writes Svenja Hohmann.

Circle Me In plays the part of a cowboy this morning with what was found on her side. "When I saw all the cool markings in Connection, I started to look for something on my Paint Horse 'Shilo,' " writes Pauline Brough. "Then I noticed on her left front shoulder a cowboy wearing a hat, leaning against the barn with a dark sun shining above him."

Shilo is a 2004 black tobiano mare owned by Tom Brough of Layton, Utah.

Paint Cornucopia

As I've sifted through all the Paint markings submissions getting them ready for publication in APHA Connection, I've pulled a few extras to post on the blog. Ready for the herd?

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First up is Miss Dee Jet, a 1993 sorrel solid mare with only one thing on her mind.

"This is Miss Dee Jet from Canyon Country, California," writes owner Christine Glazier. "I always had some questions about my mare until I noticed that 'Snickers' had a question mark looking back at me."

This little city slicker is a cutie! Meet PJ All Star Dividend, owned by Larry Volkmar of Scottsdale, Arizona.

"His right hip has an obvious silhouette of a cowboy with his hat on and mouth open facing 'Levi's' flank," writes breeder Sandi Lamrouex about this 2008 bay overo stallion. "I think it looks like Curly from the movie City Slickers!"

Will this one be on the Paint marking blog? I don't know, Willy Be?

"This is [Willy Be An Irish Max]," writes owner Brandy Fithen of Rayland, Ohio, about the unregistered 2008 black overo stallion. "I think [the marking on his neck] looks like Italy, but my sister says a witch's boot. It could be either, you decide."

I guess 'Willy' will be!

Cowboys like us

If you haven't yet read the post about horses hitching rides on horses—that is, in their Paint markings—you really should take a second and check it out. Otherwise, I heard from a friend of APHA that her Paint was blessed with an eternal rider.

Carrie Ream of Grand Rapids, Michigan, writes, "After reading through the last issue of Connection, I decided to check my horse's markings to see if I could find anything. Sure enough, there is a profile of a cowboy on her head—hat and all!" The mare Carrie is referring to is Totally Tee Time,  her 2007 sorrel overo.

Sometime this week when you're cleaning out the stalls or walking through the pasture checking on your Paints, why don't you look and see what images are hidden in their markings? I bet you'll find something if you look close enough!