The Paint, also known as the Pinto was one of the favorite mounts of the Plains Indians, because the coloring provided a natural camouflage for both horse and rider. The name Pinto is derived from the Spanish word for "Painted" and it is thought that the first Pinto's arrived in America with the Spanish in the 1500's.

During their westward trek, some of the horses escaped from the Spanish and formed wild herds, which quickly adapted to the new environment.

The wild Paints or Pintos of today can be traced back to these early feral horses, and many of the wild herds of today include the Paint or Pinto.