The Spotted Saddle Horse developed from small gaited pinto ponies of Spanish ancestry.

[1][2] Originally developed in central Tennessee, and selectively bred for pinto coloration, they were used for general pleasure and trail riding.

In 1979, the National Spotted Saddle Horse Association (NSSHA) was organized in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

[5] The NSSHA also bans the use of action devices (such as chains or other weights around the pasterns) and performance packages (stacks of pads attached to the shoe, sometimes weighted or used to conceal abusive shoeing practices) in their shows, which goes beyond the protection afforded by the HPA.

[6] In 1985, the Spotted Saddle Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association (SSHBEA) was formed, headquartered in Shelbyville, Tennessee.

Overo and tobiano are the two most common patterns, and the coverage of the white spots can range from minimal to almost complete.

[1] To be registered with the NSSHA, Spotted Saddle Horses must display an ambling gait (they cannot trot) and have pinto coloration.

Solid-colored, gaited mares and stallions can be registered as breeding stock, but are not considered to have full registration with the organization.

Horses traveling at a show gait can cover 10 to 20 miles per hour (16 to 32 km/h), with an extremely smooth motion.