Celebrating And Preserving The Buckskin Horse

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474 – September/October, 2025

By Susan Winslow

The distinctive Buckskin horse always stands out in a crowd. Due to a dilution in the genes that subdues a bay coloration to a lighter hue, Buckskins can run the gamut to include Buckskin, Dun, Red Dun, Grulla, Dunalino, and Perlino horses. The distinctive coloration can be found in a wide variety of breeds, from miniature horses to riding and draft horses. Buckskin horses are synonymous with the American West, but horses with this unique color palette excel in all equine sports, and they are prized by their owners.

The Buckskin horse can trace its roots to early Spanish horses that migrated from Mexico to populate the West. The Buckskin horse experienced a surge in popularity and became a national celebrity in the 1950s through the family-friendly television program, The Roy Rogers Show. While Roy rode a striking Palomino named Trigger, his wife, actress Dale Evans, rode an equally stunning Buckskin named Buttermilk. Trigger and Buttermilk spawned a small industry of replicas and toys that are still considered valuable collectibles.

At the same time, horsemen banded together to support and preserve the Buckskin horse, and maintain and protect Buckskin pedigrees–including horses with the dun factor. The group eventually split into two entities in the early 1960s–the American Buckskin Registry Association, Inc. and the International Buckskin Horse Association.

The American Buckskin Registry Association

Click here to read the complete article
474 – September/October, 2025