Spotted horse. Piebald color - the smile of nature

The color of a horse is usually determined by its color. Probably the most common horse is the piebald. But it, in turn, is divided into several types: red-piebald, bay-piebald, gray-piebald, crow-piebald.

White spots are scattered throughout the main suit. Most often white legs and parts of the sides and back. Such a feature of the color of piebald horses. Sometimes, a pinto is associated with partial albinism. These horses have blue eyes. But it is not uncommon for one eye and both to be light. In America, such horses are registered as pintos or paytes, in turn they are divided into two main types of color: tobiano and overo.

Tobiano- a kind of horses, the dark color of which usually covered one or both sides. Four of their legs are white, which is below the knees, that's for sure. Dark areas descend from the neck to the chest and have a symmetrical outline. The tail is usually two-tone. This type is determined by the modifier gene To. Usually in all horses it manifests itself with different intensity. That is why skewbald stallions can be born in non-skewbald horses. It has also been proved that in addition to the “To” gene, the “non-allelic” gene also appears, which ensures the manifestation of piebaldness. If this does not happen, then horses will be born non-skewbald, until such time as a non-allelic gene appears, which allows the characteristics of characteristic skewbald horses to manifest themselves.

Overo- a gene that includes three types of colors:

Frame-overo.
Sabino overo.
Overo splashed white.

Frame - overo- literally translated "frame". A white or other spot on the body of an animal is, as it were, surrounded, that is, in a frame. Most often, white is found on the neck of the horse and very rarely reaches the back. The only exceptions are those cases where the white color generally dominates. These animals have blue eyes. The legs are mostly white. At least three out of four for sure. The tail is monochromatic. Frame - overo occurs due to the dominant gene Fr. There used to be a misconception that this gene is recessive, based on the fact that skewbald horses often give birth to non-skewbald foals. But over time, scientists have proven that such parents simply do not have such an active gene, although they are its carrier.

sabino overo- the legs of such beauties are most often completely white. Light spots are often located on the sides and abdomen. The head is also white and the grip of the lower lip. There are several variants of the manifestation of sabiano. Some believe that this is a manifestation of the N gene, while others are sure that this is Sb. But not the first, not the second option can neither be justified nor rejected. But the opinions of many scientists boil down to the fact that several non-allelic genes are inherent in their body.

Overo splashed white- the horse looks like it has walked through a puddle of white paint, dipping its ears and tail there. The Spl gene is responsible for this color. Scientists prove that this variant combines a whole group of non-allelic genes.

Tovero- a type of horse that combines the characteristics of tobiano and overo. If such breeds are crossed, then a foal will be born that will combine all the bright characteristics of both types. In most cases, a small horse will inherit the gene from the parent with the most white on the body. But exceptions are possible.

There is a misconception that blue or gray eyes are characteristic only of Overos. This is a myth, representatives of other species can also have this eye color. If you cross two Overo horses, then the chance is one in four that a dead foal will be born. This is due to the mutation of the same genes.

Piebald horses are a very resistant type, therefore they do not require any special skills in their cultivation and breeding. They eat the same food as most other horses. The only thing to remember is that the horse needs a constant intake of vitamins. Only with a full intake of vitamins, the animal's coat will look healthy and radiant. Regular meals and water in the right amount will provide you with a healthy pet and its offspring.

The only feature of piebald horses can be called their thermophilicity. You need to take care of the room in which she lives. It is necessary to completely eliminate drafts, because the animal is difficult to tolerate various diseases. Pinto should regularly be in the air and it is advisable to run several laps daily on the parade ground, for the development of a good physical form. This condition is the most important for the proper development of the horse's cardiovascular system. The process of transition from a foal to an adult horse is very sensitive and requires the attention of the owners. The further health of the animal depends on proper care. Twice a year, for prevention, the horse must be shown to the veterinarian. Helpful advice specialist will help prevent the disease.

The piebald color is characterized by the presence of large white spots (most often irregular in shape), distributed throughout the body on the main color. From this, its individual types are distinguished, for example, crow-piebald, red-piebald, bay-piebald, etc. The spotted suit is not entirely considered characteristic of horses, therefore experts call it a violation of color pigmentation. Today, skewbald horses are distributed throughout the world, but were originally associated with North American Indian horses.

A piebald horse can also be partially albino, so it sometimes has blue or different-colored eyes. Such uniqueness does not affect the quality of animals' vision. Also, the piebald suit is characterized by white legs, a light mane and a tail with partial pigmentation, if the main color is present in this area.

Origin

It is believed that the piebald suit is as ancient as all monochrome ones. In particular, unique spotted mares are mentioned in the works of art of Ancient Egypt. However, geneticists cannot say for sure whether these horses are descended from ordinary monochromes or if they are a separate type. Today, spotted horses are obtained by crossing the same piebald representatives. And in America, these spotty beauties arose thanks to the conquistadors.

Their freedom and wild life did not last long. An interesting coloring did not go unnoticed by local cowboys, who eventually began to domesticate horses. This is how their favorite paints and pintos appeared.

Appearance

We figured out that the piebald suit is distinguished by the presence of various white spots on the main color. But the spectrum of colors includes all shades known in the horse world. Patterns range from a minimal white blotch to an almost completely white coloration with isolated colored areas, as shown in the photo. From this, several types of piebaldness are distinguished. Note that in America there are much more of them than in our country, but more on that later.

Basic types by main color

Today, depending on the main color of the horse, four types are distinguished.

Red-piebald - against the background of the red color, white spots are scattered, the shape of which is fuzzy. Most often, such horses have white legs and the same mane, which can be clearly seen in the photo.
Bay-piebald - the basis is a bay suit, on which there are several white spots. Tail, mane, legs - light or combined red and black strands.
Crow-piebald - the base of the suit is black, on which there are several white spots.
Grey-skewbald is the rarest color, which is notable for its white legs and gray-white mane. See the photo above for more details.

American piebald types

In America, horses with such a unique pattern on the coat, as we have already said, are called paints or pintos. However, there are two main types with several subspecies. They no longer depend on the main suit, but on the location of the colored areas on the horse's body.

Tobiano (dark color covers one of the sides, legs are white, dark spots on the chest form a “shield”).
Overo (the photo shows that the light spots on the horse's body are not symmetrical, the legs are dark in color, the tail and mane are plain). This variety includes:

frame overo - in this case, the white spot is surrounded by the main color, as in a frame. In addition, these horses often always have a painted head;
sabino-overo - clean light spots with ragged edges that look like signs of a roan breed. The most common in America, their color resembles spots on cows, which are located on the sides and legs (see photo);
oversplashedwhite - whitish spots spread from bottom to top, capturing the muzzle.

Successful and unsuccessful crosses of the suit

If the horses had piebald relatives in the family (Tobiano), then there is a possibility that the foal will be spotted. When crossing Tobiano and Overo, young animals can be born whose characteristics will be mixed. However, breeders should be extremely careful when crossing different colors to avoid the death of foals.

The following table shows the crossover result different types skewbald.

Type	Sabino	splashedwhite	Frame overo	Tobiano	Tovero	normal pigmentation
Sabino	1	1	2	1	1	1
splashedwhite	1	1	2	1	1	1
Frame overo	2	2	3	2	3	2
Tobiano	1	1	2	1	1	1
Tovero	1	1	3	1	1	1
normal pigmentation	1	1	2	1	1	normal pigmentation

Explanation:

Green color (1) means that the crossing is safe and there will be a minimum of stillborn foals.
Yellow color (2) is a risky cross, in which you can bring out a beautiful suit. This mixing of blood rarely produces dead babies (about 1 in 4).
Red (3) marks completely unwanted pairs, because according to statistics, 25% of the offspring of these horses will die.

Photo gallery

In these photos you can see representatives of the beautiful spotted, as well as see their varieties in more detail.

Video "History of spotted suit"

In the video, you can see different types of such a horse as piebald and find out what exactly this suit is remarkable for.

The piebald horse has always been in the spotlight, and this is not surprising, because its bright, even exotic color is different from the rest of the usual colors. Pied horses are called horses, on the coat of which there are white spots of various shapes and sizes. How did these painted beauties appear, what types of color exist, according to what principle is the classification carried out?

A piebald horse is a color with a bright color in the form of large irregularly shaped spots.

Scientists, investigating the emergence of the piebald suit, came to the conclusion that its roots go deep into antiquity. Spotted horses are mentioned in ancient Egyptian historical documents. Also, piebald horses were often found in the wild steppe herds of China and Mongolia.

But the question remains open: where does the piebald color, which is not typical for horses, come from? Experts tend to believe that this gene anomaly, inherited, leads to a violation of the pigmentation of the hairline. In addition, it has been proven that different genes are responsible for the location of the spots. Also, piebaldness is attributed to the manifestation of partial albinism, therefore, in horses of this suit, the iris of one or both eyes is often blue.

There is a theory that inbreeding with Mongolian horses, among which there were piebald individuals, was the reason for their wide distribution. This opinion is also confirmed by the fact that among factory breeds, piebald color is a rare phenomenon. Spotted horses are more common among outbred workhorses of unknown origin.

Experienced horse breeders are sure that the piebald color has the same ancient history like monochrome colors.

A bit of history

In Europe, spotted horses have long been treated with disdain. Back in the Middle Ages, they were considered "plebeian", "gypsy". The color was called "cow", its representatives were used for hard draft labor. The nobility preferred to ride horses of the usual colors, and no one was engaged in breeding skewbald.

A different attitude towards them was formed on the American continent. Horses were brought to America by the conquistadors. Part of the horses became wild, with time piebald colors appeared. Colorful handsome men conquered the indigenous population with their unusualness. There was a belief among the Indians that the spotted horse under the rider helps in battle, protects from wounds. The skewbald horse has become a symbol of the Wild West; over the years, the number of fans of the suit has only grown. Fans sought to create as many color options as possible, and the horses were called pintos. Later, a breed was formed - the American Paint Horse. The view is based on local quarterhorses and riding horses.

In the middle of the 20th century, lovers and owners of skewbald horses united into a single association. Horses are actively used on the ranch, in equestrian tourism, participate in demonstration performances amateur show jumping.

The piebald horse is a symbol of the Wild West. Unusual coloring captivated the indigenous population, who attached mystical significance to the suit of horses.

Appearance

Color options for skewbald horses include all existing horse colors and shades of color. White areas are small, and sometimes occupy almost the entire body of the animal, capturing the mane and tail, have even and, as it were, “torn” edges. On the territory of Russia, 4 types of piebald color are distinguished, the classification is based on the suit:

American Paint Horse

American horse breeders have a different classification:

Horses of this type are called Pinto (light), they include horses with multi-colored and blue eyes. By color, they are differentiated into two large varieties:

Tabiano. The species name comes from the dominant gene To. The horse has dark sides on both sides, less often on one side. The areas are rounded or oval, as a rule, arranged symmetrically, descending along the neck to the chest, forming a kind of shield. The legs are white below, approximately to the knees. There are 2 colors in the tail. The gene exhibits different intensities, so the offspring of this type sometimes appears from monotonous parents.

There is an assumption that another non-allelic gene appears here, which “gives the green light” to the manifestation of spotting. For example, when it is absent, then a monochrome horse - the owner of the Tobiano gene - will also give birth to plain foals, until this very starter gene appears in the genotype of its descendants, which will “allow” a piebald horse to be born.

Overo. A broad class to which horses with asymmetrical spots belong.

The species is further subdivided into 3 groups:

Frame-overo. The origin of the name is hidden in the word frame, which translates as "frame". On the head of the horse there is the main color, less often, shapeless marks. On the case there are spots with uneven edges, edged with a frame. As a rule, light areas do not cross the back, except when the white suit predominates. The leading color belongs to the extremities, in extreme cases, at least on three legs it will appear exactly. The tail is monochromatic. Here, the Fr gene becomes the cause of piebaldness.
Sabino overo. White spots are located on the limbs, often covering almost the entire leg. They are found on the stomach, sometimes go on the sides. The head is also colored, the light area sometimes passes to the lower lip. The coat on the markings is pure white, there are also separate whitish hairs on the main suit, resembling a roan, but not related to it, since the gene for this color is absent.
Overo splashedwhite. The horse looks like he decided to walk through a puddle of white paint and stuck his muzzle in it. Light parts sometimes extend to the sides, leaving a dark color only on the neck and back. It is believed that the Spl gene became the reason for the location of the spots, and the intensity of the color manifestation is related to its number in the genome of the individual.

In its pure form, these suits are rare, usually there is a combination of species, which is called Tovero.

Tovero

The type combined the features of the Tobiano and Oveiro subspecies. When two varieties are mated, the offspring will carry the characteristics of both parents. Usually the foal inherits the color to a greater extent from the one in which the white color is more pronounced. But this is not always the case, you can never be sure that the expected suit will appear. After all, each parent passes on its spotting gene, so the result can be completely unusual marks, bearing signs of both species. Therefore, confusion often occurs in determining the type of horse. Because of this, sometimes the Tovero type is registered as Overo or Tobiano.

The horse Tovero bears signs of two subspecies: Tobiano and Oveiro.

Frequent misconceptions

The unusual coloring of pinto horses has given rise to a lot of myths and assumptions:

Myth 1. Only Overo horses become owners of light eyes. In fact, light eyes are inherent in all types of piebald suit. Often the coat has a white color around the eyes, and this also affects their color. The gray or blue tint of the iris does not affect the quality of vision. There are piebald individuals that are sensitive to sunlight, but vision has nothing to do with it.
Myth 2. In Overo, the white areas are spots, while in Tobiano, on the contrary, the predominant color is light, and the spots are dark in color. This is an incorrect reasoning: each type has a full set of colors, among them there are light and dark animals, with slight deviations in shades.
Myth 3. Light spots on spotted horses are shaded. It is true that some horses show some shade on the coat, but this does not happen too often. This is due to the dark skin, which is visible through the blond hair, which gives some shade.

The main color of a piebald horse can be any, there are even champagne, isabella and silver horses. Pinto has a rare pearl "lightening" gene. If he is homozygous, red color turns into an apricot.

The drawings on the body of a piebald horse are extremely diverse - their palette includes shades from the minimum presence of a white color to its maximum presence.

Gene Issues

For decades, scientists have been studying the piebald genes, but all the secrets have not yet been revealed. Therefore, it is impossible to predict with accuracy what type the foal inherits. Sometimes a pair of colored horses can give a monochrome baby, but if he is spotted, then it is not a fact that he will become a copy of his parents. But this does not excite lovers as much as mortality among white foals of Overo's piebald parents, so breeders approach crossbreeding responsibly, carefully selecting pairs.

The piebald color of a horse has a complex system of inheritance, which is associated with different levels of influence and expression of genes.

The weak link is the Frame type, when crossing horses of the species with a probability of 25%, the foal will be born unviable due to underdevelopment digestive system. This happens due to the fault of the Fr gene, which provokes the appearance of a lethal pathology. Therefore, at reputable stud farms, DNA analysis is done on horses to reveal the hidden gene, since it does not always appear in appearance a horse belonging to Tovero.

The genetic diseases of the piebald suit include skin problems (epitheliogenesis), periodic paralysis.

Summary

The manifestation of a piebald suit is characterized by the appearance of white spots in the color of horses.
Spotted horses are widespread in America.
In Russia, the species division occurs according to the main suit. In America, the features of the spots and their distribution over the body of the horse are taken into account.
There are several misconceptions about pinto horses.
Horses of the species have a complex heredity of genes, sometimes an unsuccessful combination of genotypes leads to the non-viability of offspring.

Color plays an important role in the life of animals. A person seeks to diversify or introduce a piebald color into any kind, when it is economically beneficial. The fashion for colors gives impetus to the breeding of individuals of rare colors to meet the growing demand. There are breeds different types animals, where "piebald" is prerequisite to recognize tribal value.

Definition

The presence of large white irregularly shaped spots in an animal, unevenly scattered over the body, is a piebald color. It is impossible to predict what and when nature will come up with a pattern. Sometimes the spots reach such sizes that they completely cover the body of the individual. The iris of the eyes can be both dark and blue.

Mutation of genes can work at any moment. Such "gifts" lead to the breeding of new colored breeds of animals. They are especially valued in fur farming and breeding. decorative types pets.

Cause

Piebald color begins to form in the womb. Vertebrate cells - melanoblasts - are responsible for the drawing. Before the process of differentiation (before changing the function of the cell, its metabolic activity, size, shape), they do not contain pigment. They are the precursors of pigment cells that produce melanocytes in birds and mammals, and melanophores in cold-blooded animals.

Melanoblasts in vertebrates are formed in embryos in the neural crest. Subsequently, they move into the epidermis. Any disturbance during migration leads to non-standard coloration of the species. This can manifest itself as albinism and as a piebald coat color:

Variants of piebald color of horses

Horses are loved, appreciated and bred all over the world. The variety of breeds, sizes and colors is amazing. The uniformity of the livestock, including the suit, is one of the signs of the breed. Previously, and in some breeding farms to this day, horses with a piebald, uncharacteristic coat color are culled. In the cavalry Soviet army horses similar in color were selected to the regiments. Never take skewbald horses or animals with large marks. For example, whiteness on the legs above the hocks led to culling.

Americans have their own view of such horses. The most valuable for them is a piebald horse. What color the future offspring will have depends on the presence of a certain combination of genes in its parents. Their classification is as follows:

1.Tobiano. White spots are located on the entire surface of the body of the animal with the obligatory capture of the line of the spine. The head has the main color, markings in the form of stars, blazes are acceptable. At maximum piebaldness, only the head and belly remain dark. The color of the skin under the spots is pink, under the main color - gray.

2.Overo (Overo). Homozygous foals die within the first three days, this lethal group also includes white-born babies. Heterozygous are spotted with belly and head but not in line with the spine. Under the white color, the skin is pink. Often, representatives of this type often have multi-colored eyes.

Drawing types:

frame overo (pezhins on the neck and sides of the animal, enclosed in a “frame” of the main suit);
splashed white (ears and part of the back remain dark, a rarer color);
sabino (marks on the legs, head, spots all over the body, there is a roan).

3.Tovero. A rare variant of piebaldness when an animal carries both genes. This mixture gives the most unusual patterns.

In the United States, there is a clear classification of pinto horses. The pinto group (The Pinto Horse Association of America, PtHA) includes absolutely all (except heavy trucks) horses and ponies of pinto color. Another group (The American Paint Horse Association, APHA) includes representatives of only two breeds: the Thoroughbred and the Quarter Horse. Both groups are classified as "color" breeds, officially fixed only on the American continent.

The Appaloosa is an internationally recognized color breed. What it is - the piebald hair color of a horse, can be seen in the photo in the text. On a white background, clearly defined dark marks are scattered. Such horses were fashionable back in the 16th-18th centuries among royalty and nobility in Europe.

Coloring in the wild

Piebald color in wild nature found in various kinds animals, birds, reptiles. The most common is complete or partial albinism. The lack of pigmentation paints the hairline of an individual with an incredible ornament. Under natural conditions, where protective or camouflage coloration gives a chance for survival, such a "gift" of nature can be fatal.

An example is a red seal with blue eyes. It was found on Sakhalin. Rejected by the herd and his own mother, he was doomed to death. Human intervention saved the baby's life; he lives in a dolphinarium in Sochi.

Breeding

Not only in horse breeding are engaged in purposeful breeding of "pegasus". Fur farming also has its own preferences. Scandinavian breeders specially bred the Finnish jaguar breed - a piebald mink. It is a color reminiscent of the color of the Dalmatian. This is one of the rarest and most unusual colors for representatives of this species. In rabbit breeding, animals are bred not only for meat, but also for fur with an unusual pattern. Popular breeds: German motley giant, tricolor stringer, butterfly, Californian, black-brown, Russian ermine.

In dog breeding, there are breeds named for the distinguishing feature of the suit, for example, the Russian piebald hound. What is acceptable in one breed is unacceptable in others. Deviation in the color of breeding animals can lead to their culling and exclusion from further breeding work.

Pets guinea pigs can please the owner with an incredible combination of colors. Two- and three-color individuals are not uncommon among representatives of this species. There are also very special breeds - Russian or Himalayan guinea pig. The main color of the body is snow-white, and the hair at the legs, muzzle and ears have sharply limited dark pigmentation - black, brown or dark chocolate.

Rare colors

Both domestic and wild animals and birds can be found in a very unusual color. For example:

Nicobar dove. Long mane feathers have iridescent overflow.
White and blue peacock(got his outfit due to gene mutations).
For pets - horses, cows, cats, dogs- it is not difficult to find absolutely all variants of piebaldness.
peacock spider considered the most beautiful spider in the world. Its abdomen may have markings of different shades - blue, orange, red, purple, blue, yellow.
Mandarin duck. She has feathers of orange, red, green, olive-brown, brown, purple, yellow, blue, black.
blue lobster- occurs one in two million individuals.
Indian bullfrog bright yellow with blue cheeks.
Representatives of scarecrows and aquarium fish can boast the most intense and amazing combinations of colors.

Almost all species have albinos. The absence of adults in the wild indicates the inability of animals of this color to the living conditions.

Pinto horses are usually called individuals with pronounced white spots on the skin. This spotted extravagant coloration was first seen among the North American Indians, so it is believed that the breed originates from there. Although today it is difficult to find a corner of the earth where you cannot meet such beauties. It should be noted that the spots must be of irregular shape and large size.

Usually a piebald horse boasts spots not only on the body, but also on the legs. Sometimes white spots occupy such a vast territory in the coloring of the horse that it seems as if the real color of the horse is white. The tail and mane of horses can also be painted partially or completely white.

Pinto horses often show albinism. In this case, their eyes are blue. North American tribes classify these amazingly beautiful animals as a separate species and call them “pint or”.

All piebald horses are divided into two types. This tobiano And overo. Consider what are the differences between these types of spotted animals. The piebald color looks great and is especially appreciated among breeders for its beauty.

Spotted horses of the suit tobiano are distinguished by symmetrical areas of spots that are distributed in certain places. So, the legs of these skewbald horses are usually white below the knees. And also hallmark is the presence of a dark spot in the form of a shield on the chest. This color cannot be specifically bred, since foals are born randomly not only from parents with a piebald color, but also from the most ordinary ones. At the same time, it is believed that a gene called "To" is responsible for the presence of this type of coloring. If he is dominant, then the horse is likely to be a Tobiano-type piebald coloration.