PalominoThe most common shade is probably a yellowish-gold color, although it can vary much as described above. The mane and tail may be very pale flaxen, flaxen, reddish-gold, or 'gray' (mix of black and light hairs). The eyes are usually brown, but sometimes hazel, green, or blue eyes occur. Blue eyes always occur in homozygous creams (cremellos), as does pink skin. A palomino is a heterozygous cream, having only one cream gene. The skin is usually dark, but rarely may be pink. Queen Isabella of Spain loved palominos and kept a stable to breed them. Cortez brought some of Queen Isabella's Palominos with him to America in 1519. The name 'Palomino' likely comes from Juan de Palomino, who received one of these golden horses from Cortez. It is also possible they were named after a golden-colored Spanish grape called 'Palomino'. In Spain, horses of this color are called Ysabellas, after Isabella, and even today Palominos are sometimes called 'Isabellas' -- especially the lighter shades. Sponenberg calls light palominos 'isabelo', which is a masculine form of Isabella. According to him, the name is derived from a legend about Queen Isabella. She stated that during the siege of Ostende that she would not change her white blouse until the siege was over. It lasted longer than she had expected, and her blouse had become a yellowish color that he calls 'isabelo' in horses. The palomino color occurs in many breeds. It is not a breed, though is often confused as such-- in fact, it can never become a breed as palominos are heterozygous. There is an association to register horses of this color, the 'Palomino Horse Breeders Association', and most palomino shades may join. Many different breeds are also allowed registration. The best color for breeding palominos is Cremello-- a homozygous palomino. This, when bred to chestnut, will always produce a palomino. |