Horses come in so many different colors it is hard to keep track of them all. Not only that, there are different shade variations within those colors. Take, for example, the dapple palomino horse which comes in many variations including:
- Chocolate Palomino
- Light Palomino
- Golden Palomino
- Flaxen Palomino
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Dapple Palomino Horse Genetics
Dapples in any color horse are most likely present due to an individual horse’s genetic makeup. While some feeds and grains are purported to help a horse develop darker, more prominent dapples, not every palomino horse will get them.
To learn more about the genetic side of the equation be sure to check out our article about palomino horses.
Dapple Palomino Horse Breeds
The first thing to note is that dapple palominos can exist in any breed of horse where the palomino color can be found. But, not all palominos will get dapples.
Here are the top 10 dapple palomino horse breeds:
- Quarter Horse
- Morgan
- Tennessee Walker
- Paint Horse (yes, paints can have dapples too!)
- Gypsy Vanner
- Fox Trotter
- Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse
- Thoroughbred
- Mustang
- Lusitano
Photos of Dapple Palomino Horses
One of the best ways to learn about all the wonderful variations in color and shade is by looking at photos of gorgeous dapple palominos.
All of these horses have dapples, some more prominent than others. Note that the darker chocolate palominos often have dapples outlined with black whereas light and golden palominos have dapples outlined in white.
Where to Buy A Dapple Palomino Horse?
When it comes to buying a horse, remember first to evaluate a horse based on its good and bad qualities first, and that color is just the gravy for a good horse.
When looking for your horse, check places like craigslist, the local tack store bulletin board and listing sites like DreamHorse. In addition, if your area has a local horse related newspaper, that is often a good source for sale ads.
Don’t be shy about putting up a post on Facebook in any groups you may be a part of letting people know what you are in search of.
Many people love horse shopping so when they can’t keep another horse themself, they are often more than willing to help someone else out in the search.
Final Thoughts
When you think about it, what is there NOT to love about a dapple palomino. They are gorgeous, flashy and come in just about every breed. Most of the time you’ll see the dapple most in winter but summer dapples are just as gorgeous!
