The International Purebred Appaloosa Association is a breed registry serving an association of members dedicated to preserving, collecting and recording the history and integrity of an evolving equine breed related by descent, ancestry, and pedigree.  Our goals are improving, enhancing, and promoting these horses,  while honoring the tradition, history and heritage of the; by blood Appaloosa.  

Registration Rules and Requirements for Perpetuity

1.The International Purebred Appaloosa Association will operate with a closed breeding book, based on the first 139,999 documented/registered “Foundation”, (F prefix) and Permanent (# prefix) horses prior to 1971 with the Appaloosa Horse Club, and or the first 5,141 documented/registered horses with the Appaloosa Horse Club of Canada. Cross Breeding to other breeds will never result in an IPAA registered foal.

2. The International Purebred Appaloosa Association will not register any horse tracing to non Appaloosa breed specific equine lineage/ancestry, known/documented/proven to be carriers of genetic defects.
One example of such specific equine lineage is the American Quater Horse Association (AQHA) registered horse, Impressive. See: Horses not eligible for registration

International Purebred Appaloosa Association
Requirements for registry

1. All IPAA Appaloosas must be previously registered with the Appaloosa Horse Club ( ApHC), Appaloosa Horse Club of Canada (ApHCC), or other IPAA approved breed registry.  If this practice should ever become impossible, impractical, or irrelevant, horses with both parents registered with International Purebred Appaloosa Association (IPAA) would qualify for registration.

2. All IPAA Appaloosas must meet a requirement of 75% Foundation Appaloosa blood derived from the recorded 139,999 Foundation Appaloosas having a permanent F or # prefix prior to 1971 which have been documented/recorded/established by the Stud Books of the Appaloosa Horse Club, and or those horses with a registration number lower than 5,141 which have been documented/recorded/established by the Stud Books of the Appaloosa Horse Club of Canada. All IPAA Appaloosas meeting the above requirements must also meet the requirement of 2 documented generations of Appaloosa X Appaloosa breeding. Determining 75% Foundation blood contribution to be explained in further detail.

3. Appaloosa Horse Club registered/documented/recorded horses with a T prefix, bearing a number lower than 139,999 and being registered prior to 1971 shall be treated on an individual basis as far as their Foundation blood contribution.  Determining "T" registered horses Foundation blood contribution to be explained in further detail.

4. All IPAA Appaloosas considered for registration with International Purebred Appaloosa Association must meet the requirement of both parents being registered/documented Appaloosas.

5. All IPAA Appaloosas carrying 2 to 4 generations of documented/recorded registration with IPAA or an IPAA approved Appaloosa Breed Association will be registered as IPAA “Foundation Stock. ” (F or FB prefix)

6. All IPAA Foundation Stock Appaloosas having a visible coat pattern with the naked eye from 50 feet away and meeting all other pertinent requirements will be issued “Foundation Regular Registered” ( F prefix) registration papers.  As such they are eligible for show in IPAA approved events.  Coat patterns vary and all are accepted. Details of coat patterns to be explained in further detail.

7. All IPAA solid colored Appaloosas, characteristic or non characteristic meeting all other pertinent requirements will be issued “Foundation Breeding Stock ” ( FB prefix) registration papers.  Solid colored Appaloosas will not be eligible for show in IPAA sponsored or approved events.  Appaloosas characteristics to be explained in further detail.

8. All IPAA Foundation Breeding Stock ( FB prefix )Appaloosas born with no visible coat pattern from 50 feet away, but have with age “colored up” will be eligible to have breeding stock registration papers re-submitted to the International Purebred Appaloosa Association for advancement to “Foundation Regular Registry ”( F prefix) Appaloosas.
 
9. All IPAA Appaloosas being the 5th or greater documented/recorded generation (counting the subject horse itself) and meeting all other pertinent requirements for “Foundation Regular Registry” shall be scientifically deemed purebred and be registered “Purebred Regular Registry ” (P prefix) and be eligible for show.

10. All IPAA solid colored Appaloosas being the 5th or greater documented/recorded generation (counting the subject horse itself) and meeting all other pertinent requirements for “Foundation Breeding Stock” shall be deemed purebred and registered “Purebred Breeding Stock” (PB prefix) but will not be eligible for show.

11. All IPAA Purebred Appaloosas born with no visible coat pattern from 50 feet away, but with age have “colored up” will be eligible to have breeding stock registration papers (PB prefix) re-submitted to the International Purebred Appaloosa Association for advancement to “Purebred Regular Registry” (P prefix) Appaloosas.

12. All IPAA Appaloosas with a solid coat pattern, registered Foundation Breeding Stock (FB prefix),  or Purebred Breeding Stock   (PB prefix), must be bred to a Foundation Regular Registry (F prefix) or Purebred Regular Registry (P prefix) horse, or a colored Appaloosa with regular registration in one of the IPAA approved breed associations for the resulting foal to be eligible for IPAA registration.

13. All IPAA Appaloosas will stand at a height of at least 14.hands without being shod by the time they are five years old.

14. All applications for registration shall be accompanied by, applicable registration fees and 4 color photos clearly showing both sides, front and rear of the subject horse.  These photos shall remain property of the International Purebred Appaloosa Association.  Each application shall be accompanied by an accurate 6 generation extended pedigree, as well as a clear copy of both front and back of the Appaloosa Horse Club registration paper.  Particular emphasis should be made to show any and all blood/DNA testing.  Note:  International Purebred Appaloosa Association reserves the right to require DNA testing at such a time as it deems necessary.

15. Registered/documented Horses with the Appaloosa Horse Club carrying a prefix of PC and ID will be treated on an individual basis as far as determining their blood contribution to any horse applying for registration with the International Purebred Appaloosa Association.

International Purebred Appaloosa Association
Horses Ineligible for Registration

1. The International Purebred Appaloosa Association shall identify genetic defects that are a detriment to the breed. All IPAA eligible / qualifying horses must be free of these genetic defects. In addition, the International Purebred Appaloosa Association will not register any horse tracing to specific non-Appaloosa breed lineage, documented / proven to the satisfaction of IPAA to be carriers of genetic defects; unless IPAA approved genetic testing positively confirms the IPAA applicant horse does not carry the genetic defect in question. The International Purebred Appaloosa Association reserves the right to include any genetic defects at any time, which it deems to be detrimental to the gene pool.

2. .Horses exhibiting white color patterns not consistent with Appaloosa color patterns, otherwise known as misplaced white. Examples of such white are: belly white other wise known as belly spots, caused by the Sabino gene; unbroken leg white that at it’s highest extends higher than 3 inches below the hock; bald or apron faces that extend to and surrounds the eye effecting the pigment of the eye by changing it to blue – otherwise known as glass eyes. (This specific cause is different than the blue eyes caused by the cream gene. Horses carrying the cream gene and subsequent blue eyes are eligible for registration.)

3. Horses that are extreme Sabinos will not be eligible for registration.

4. Horses carrying the Grey gene will not be eligible for registration.  IPAA reserves the right to require testing for the grey gene when that test becomes available.
 
5. Deceased horses will not be eligible for registration.

6. Horses whose color patterns or characteristics have been altered/fabricated in any way.

7.Cryptorchids, Monorchids, or parrot mouthed horses.

International Purebred Appaloosa Association
Breed Standard.

The pure bred Appaloosa will always be a well balanced horse, without over muscling, with good legs and hoofs of a proper size to support the animal through extended periods of strenuous activity under saddle; a very versatile equine breed.  Appaloosa color patterns will always be preferred over the solid colored horse.  The smooth riding middle gaits, commonly referred to as the Indian Shuffle, are considered normal by some members of the breed and horses with these gaits will not be discriminated against.

The Appaloosa Horse is known for its characteristics, coat color patterns, striped hoofs, mottled skin, white sclera, and its inherent versatility.  All these things combined make this breed unique unto itself.  It is the versatile Appaloosa we will be explaining here:

* The Appaloosa horse is required to stand anywhere between 14. hh and 17 + hh.
* The head is straight and lean, with a preference for showing a wider forehead.  The nose may be anywhere from slightly convex to slightly concave in appearance.  A definite convex profile that starts well above the eyes is a fault.
* The preference is for ears of medium size, nicely pointed and always giving the horse an alert appearance.
* The throatlatch is clean and the windpipe large. The neck set is relatively high and ties high into the chest, with a preference for a good "stop" (flat surface) prior to the rounding of the chest muscles.  A slight crest to the neck is acceptable.  A neck tied in low on the body is a fault.
* The chest is of medium width and the ribs well sprung.
* The wither is well defined. The back is straight and strong; with a preference towards being short coupled.  The overall impression of the topline is one of a level to uphill build.  A definite downhill build (the croup higher than the withers) is a fault.  The underline is long and runs more or less horizontally to the flank, supporting the impression of a level to uphill build.  An underline that runs decidedly downhill from the flank, or is excessively “tucked” thereby giving the impression of a downhill build to the body is discouraged.
* The croup varies from nearly flat to somewhat angled.  The tail is set at medium height.  An extremely high tail set is a fault.
* The hip is smooth muscled and well defined, though not excessively large in relation to the rest of the body.  Excessive “bunchy” muscling, giving a pronounced “peach shape” across the buttocks when viewed from the rear is a fault.
* The thighs are long and deep, with the gaskins being long and wide as well.  The overall impression is one of muscular strength, yet without excessive or bulging muscles.
* From the front the hock is straight and wide.  From the side the hock should be angled to such a degree as to allow a long reach and the ability to drive under the horse for maximum impulsion while joining moderate length cannons.  Extremes in rear leg geometry such as sickle-hocks, camped-under, and post-legged that would limit the usefulness, or affect the soundness of the horse, are a fault.
* The shoulder is long and sloping. The forearm is long, wide and well muscled, joining to a shorter cannon. Extremes in front leg geometry such as splay-footed, pigeon-toed, knock-kneed, bow-kneed, base-narrow and buck-kneed that would limit the usefulness, or affect the soundness of the horse, are a fault.
* The pastern is longer and nicely sloped, joining a rounded deep hoof that is well opened at the heel.  Excessively small hooves that are not in proportion to the rest of the body are a fault.
* The overall impression of the body is one of being square (length from point of chest to buttocks roughly equal to height from ground to withers) to only slightly rectangular.  A long body that gives a definite rectangular impression is discouraged.
* While there are a number of small variances in the conformation/type of the horse because of variances in disciplines, it is the extremes in conformation/type that should be avoided.  The Appaloosa is first and foremost a versatile horse and its form to function should reflect that versatility.
* Conformation abnormalities that are proven to IPAA’s satisfaction to be from injury are not cause for disqualification from registration.

All IPAA Foundation and Purebred eligible horses are required to pass an inspection performed by a panel in compliance with IPAA's continuing rules and regulations.