A solitary Appaloosa-patterned horse stands in full profile, slightly right of center, its cream coat covered in bold charcoal-black spots. Its head is lowered toward a small clay water trough at its feet, and a slim leather bridle strap loops down to the ground. There is no rider. A weathered adobe archway is partly cropped at the left edge, setting the scene in the desert Southwest.

The painting is done in a naive folk-art manner, with a warm burnt terracotta background wash and a softly textured, aged-plaster-like brushy surface. Soft, even, warm afternoon light falls without hard shadows and gently vignettes toward the corners. Generous open space around the horse keeps the silhouette uncluttered and the mood quiet, contemplative and rustic.