Do you guys think it's true that Paint horses are discriminated against at shows?

Do you guys think it's true that Paint horses are discriminated against at shows?

Absolutely not. Haven't seen that around where I am for at least 5 years now.

Well, I guess I'll find out once I get mine trained.

All the paints I've known on the local circuit here who were very talented did very well, even in the hunters. I don't know how it is at the big A shows. I always thought paints who had "just enough" chrome looked really nice in the hunters and eq.

Not at paint shows.

Well, definitely not at paint shows but I've seen it at other shows. I really just depends on the judge and if the judge has bias. I used to show my Arabian mare, and the judge at this one show HATED Arabs. I would place constantly at all the shows but not where that judge was judging, so I learned to avoid that certain judge.

I've found that people like to make excuses for their bad placing by saying the judge was biased because the horse was green/purple/paint/a Thoroughbred/a Warmblood/had a blue eye/etc. instead of just admitting that they had a bad round... just my findings.

Why does this require two topics?

No. I don't think paints are at a disadvantage or are discriminated against.

However, they are more noticable, so if you do anything wrong, it might be more remembered. For example, it's easier to remember "oh thats the one that bolted and bucked" whereas if you were on a plain bay, they judge might not remember.

But no -- a flashy paint is great, if it's a nice horse in other ways. We have one that does the A/O's out here and it won a TON. VERY cute.

Most of the paints (APHA) that I have seen show at the H/J shows in my area have a tough time making the distances. I think their naturally shorter stride length due to their stock type conformation is what limits them from being competitive as a hunter or eq horse rather than their color. Have seen some lovely pinto's (warmblood types) on the other hand that have been very competitive in the hunters/eq.

My horse is a racist. He is afraid of most horses of color. We have done many tolerance exercises with him, and he is slowly beginning to accept that they mean no harm to him, and that he should not be so quick to judge those that are different from him.

My mare is the same way only it's grays and whites. She doesn't spook anymore though, it turned into just an intense hatred.

I haven't seen any issues with paints/pintos being discriminated against. I was riding a huge 17.3hh Paint/TB and I got nothing but comments about how gorgeous he was (*sigh* if only he were mine!) and we placed well in flat classes.