Pintabians are horses with a tobiano marking (similar to that of Pintos or Paints), yet with 99% Arabian blood. They are very unique, beautiful animals that are used for many types of eventing, including Western Pleasure and English Show Jumping.
With a temperament much like that of an Arabian, the Pintabian is obedient and moderately easy to train, yet energetic and friendly. They are generally successful in competitions and are used to compete in all events.
A relatively small horse, the Pintabian usually stands between 14.2 and 15.2 hands and weighs between 900 and 1,100 pounds. Their conformation is similar to that of an Arabian, with a dished profile and large eyes. They have an arched neck and short, powerful back.
What truly sets the Pintabian apart from the Arabian, however, is its coat. The Pintabian must have tobiano markings, which makes each horse unique. All tobianos usually have a white coat with large spots of other colors.
A Pintabian’s coat can be either almost all white with very little coloration or nearly all spots with only a little white. There are usually white markings on the face and white legs. A Pintabian is bred by crossing Arabians with tobianos, usually Pintos or Paints, to achieve the desired coat and then crossing the result back with Arabians to achieve the required almost 100% Arabian blood.
Pintabians are related to the Paint and Pinto breeds, which appear in cave drawings 6500 years old. Horses with the multicolored coat, like the Pintabian, have long been valued and considered magical by such cultures as the Native Americans and the Chinese.
Pintabians can be registered with the American Pinto Horse Association, which registers any animal whose coat meets its color requirements. They can only be registered with the American Paint Horse Association if they are the offspring of horses with Paint, Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred registration papers.