Paintings and drawings from across Europe over a range of centuries feature similarly spotted horses.
 A document from 1298 mentions that Edward I of England kept a large number of spotted horses.

Various other European horse breeds have been used from time to time to produce a more useful spotted horse.
 These included horses sent as gifts by royal families from elsewhere in Europe.
A painting from the mid-19th century features a lady (believed to be Queen Victoria) in a carriage drawn by a spotted horse, followed by a spotted Dalmatian dog.
 Spotted ponies were popular for their colouration, and were sold for large sums of money.

In 1947, the British Spotted Horse and Pony Society was founded to register and preserve the breed.
At this time both ponies and horses were registered.
In the 1960s, the association imported Knabstrupper horses, another leopard-spotted breed, from Denmark, to help to make the colouration consistent.
In 1976 the breed association split in two, the British Spotted Pony Society for ponies, and the British Appaloosa Society for horses.
Today, larger spotted horses are registered as Appaloosas.

Interest in the breed has grown since World War II, with many horses exported to Australia, United States, Canada, Netherlands, Germany and France.
However, the breed associations put a stop to exporting in the 1970s, when it was found that many of the best stallions and mares were lost due to high demand.
Today the breed has about 800 registered ponies in its stud book, but it is believed that many unregistered animals of the breed exist.
Paintings and drawings from across Europe over a range of centuries feature similarly spotted horses.  A document from 1298 mentions that Edward I of England kept a large number of spotted horses.
Various other European horse breeds have been used from time to time to produce a more useful spotted horse.  These included horses sent as gifts by royal families from elsewhere in Europe. A painting from the mid-19th century features a lady (believed to be Queen Victoria) in a carriage drawn by a spotted horse, followed by a spotted Dalmatian dog.  Spotted ponies were popular for their colouration, and were sold for large sums of money.
In 1947, the British Spotted Horse and Pony Society was founded to register and preserve the breed. At this time both ponies and horses were registered. In the 1960s, the association imported Knabstrupper horses, another leopard-spotted breed, from Denmark, to help to make the colouration consistent. In 1976 the breed association split in two, the British Spotted Pony Society for ponies, and the British Appaloosa Society for horses. Today, larger spotted horses are registered as Appaloosas.
Interest in the breed has grown since World War II, with many horses exported to Australia, United States, Canada, Netherlands, Germany and France. However, the breed associations put a stop to exporting in the 1970s, when it was found that many of the best stallions and mares were lost due to high demand. Today the breed has about 800 registered ponies in its stud book, but it is believed that many unregistered animals of the breed exist.
British Spotted pony