The Nez Perce Horse Registry (NPHR) program began in 1995 in Lapwai, Idaho and is based on cross-breeding the old-line Appaloosa horses (the Wallowa herd) with an ancient Central Asian breed called Akhal-Teke.

The breeding program was financed by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the Nez Perce Tribe and a nonprofit group called the First Nations Development Institute, which promotes such businesses.

The Akhal-Teke coat colors commonly include palominos, buckskins, and dark bays.

A typical Nez Perce Horse is a buckskin or palomino with Appaloosa characteristics—mottled skin with a spotted coat or a blanket.

The Nez Perce people are historically known for their selective horse breeding practices, according to NPHR breeders Jon and Rosa Yearout.