Piebald horse color

Among the usual monotonous colors, the piebald color of horses occupies a special place. And the reason for the increased attention to this color is its exotic spotting. Snow-white spots of different sizes create a bright contrast, combined with the dominant hair color of the animal. But, despite this, in various countries there is a rather contradictory attitude towards skewbald horses. It is a consequence of the historical development of animals.

Pinto

Origin

Scientists believe that piebaldness in horses is caused by partial albinism of the hairline. Such a violation in the genes is transmitted from parents to young animals, in which hair pigmentation is also disturbed in certain areas of the coat, as a result of which white spots appear.

Attention! Anomalies in individual genes are responsible for a certain shape and size of spots.

But despite the fact that the cause of piebaldness has already been identified, researchers are still trying to figure out where piebald horses come from. The oldest evidence of the use of such animals has been preserved since the time of Ancient Egypt. Also, certain sources claim that the suit was popular in China and Mongolia. Moreover, it is the Mongolian steppes that many scientists consider the birthplace of pinto horses. In the course of mixing blood with other breeds, they gradually spread to other territories.

As already noted, the attitude in different regions to piebaldness was formed differently. The Mongols highly valued this color, considering its bearers sacred. In Europe, spotted horses were treated with disdain. Reputable breeders thought that piebaldness was a sign of working or “gypsy” animals. Therefore, they were not allowed to selective breeding. Pinto horses were used in the Middle Ages exclusively for heavy draft work.

Spotted horses came to America along with the Spaniards. The exotic color of the horses made a strong impression on the Native Americans. In the snow-white spots of the animal, they saw a mystical origin, and little by little such a suit gained more and more popularity. Gradually, breeders appeared, striving to develop new color options and make it even more unique. And in the XNUMXth century, such lovers even formed their own association.

Appearance

The main parameter of piebaldness is the combination of white (non-pigmented) spots in the color and the prevailing color of animals. But under such a concept lies an extensive list of varieties of color, each of which differs in size, shape of spots, and prevailing color.

These parameters are based on:

  1. Crow-piebald suit. In this coloring, white spots are combined with a completely black color of the animal. Moreover, it involves a different number and shape of spots.
  2. Piebald. Snow-white “blots” in this case appear on the red tone of the hairline. Moreover, the limbs and mane of the horse can also be white.
  3. Piebald bay. In this color, the spots contrast against a brown background. Also, the colors are often complemented by black strands.

piebald horse

piebald horse

The gray-piebald variation is rare. In this case, the horse’s light gray or dark hair is complemented by white.

Reference. Even rarer are individuals in which albinism is more developed and the dominant color only frames an almost completely white body.

American pinto lovers have developed their own classification. It includes two main types of horses: painthorse and tovero.

American Paint Horse

American varieties of skewbald horses, which are also called Pintos, suggest their own characteristics of appearance and color. So, in accordance with the latter, all painthorses are divided into two more subspecies:

  1. Tobiano. The coloring of the horses of the Tobiano suit suggests white spots on the limbs up to the knee joint, as well as in the tail. The croup and mane of the animal can also be unpigmented. The sides are covered with extensive dark spots. They also cover part of the neck and chest. The spots on both sides of the body are usually symmetrical.
  2. Overo. Such a suit is characterized by an asymmetrical color of opposite parts of the horse’s body.

Unlike the Tobiano, the Overo has several variations in hair color. The most popular among them are:

  1. Sabino overo. In such living creatures, the legs are completely or half white. Also, extensive white areas may extend to the sides and abdomen. Often the head is also covered with them. In places of transition from white to dominant color, the same alternation of hair can be traced, as in roan breeds.
  2. Frame-overo. The head and legs of such stallions are almost completely painted in the main color. Light hair grows on the sides and neck. At the same time, it is also outlined by a black “frame” passing along the back, croup, neck and stomach.
  3. Overo-splasheduyat. In the color of such horses, there is a clear transition between colors. Moreover, the lower part is white, and the upper is dark.

Tovero suit

In fact, Tovero horses appeared as a result of crossing animals with Tobiano and Overo colors. The result of such a union was foals, which in different proportions combine the characteristic features of both types of suit.

It is not possible to accurately guess the color of the future offspring when crossing single-breed horses. Most of the appearance of the foals inherit from the one of the parents who has a more pronounced white color.

Misconceptions and myths

There are a large number of different misconceptions that have formed and entrenched around the breed due to increased interest in it. The most popular among them are:

Tobiano

Tobiano

  1. In Tobiano, the white color is predominant, and the dark one is the spots; Overo is the opposite. In fact, there is a wide range of colors and tones in each type of animal. And there is no evidence for this assertion.
  2. Often, instead of white spots, piebald horses have “blots” of other shades. In reality, the light areas of the hairline of such horses are always snow-white. The presence of a shade is an illusion that is created when the skin of an animal is visible from under the hair and, depending on the color of the skin, the overall tone is determined.
  3. Only horses with Overo coloration have bright eyes. This is also a delusion. All piebald horses have such eyes.
  4. Piebald stallions and mares with a blue or pink tint of the iris see worse. This statement is also not true. The color of the iris has absolutely no effect on the quality of the horse’s vision.

Suit problems

It is worth noting that the genetic anomalies to which skewbald horses owe their coloring have not only positive consequences. A fairly common problem is the high mortality of young animals in the Overo suit. This is especially true of the Frame Overo variety. When two representatives of the breed are mated, in 25% of cases the baby dies within a few hours after birth. The reason for this is the underdevelopment of the digestive system.

Reference. Improper formation of the body systems of young animals occurs due to the transfer of the Fr gene to it, which violates the order of development of the foal. That is why large horse breeders, when choosing a pair for mating, be sure to request a DNA analysis of each of the animals for the timely detection of such a gene.

Among other health problems that develop in horses of suit due to a gene anomaly, it is worth noting frequent skin problems. Also, periodic paralysis is often observed in living creatures.

Pinto horses look truly impressive and exotic. The color of such animals is striking in its diversity and unusual for most people. Thanks to this, horses are often attracted to participate in various festive events, shows, and parades. But despite this, the gene anomalies that cause piebaldness in animals have not yet been studied enough, as a result of which it is still not possible to overcome some problems of the piebald suit.

Anna Evans

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