Piebald suit for horses 7. Suits for horses

White spots are scattered across the background of the main suit. The legs are usually incomplete or completely white. The tail and mane are usually either white or a combination. Piebald is partial albinism, like any other white markings on a horse's body.

As a consequence of partial albinism, pinto horses may have blue eyes. Moreover, both and one eye can be equally bright.

In America, horses with this type of color are registered as pintos or paints and are divided into 2 main types of color: overo and tobiano.

Tobiano (Tobiano = tow be yah" no)

Tobiano: dark color usually covering one or both flanks; usually all four legs are white, at least below the knee; usually dark areas have symmetrical oval or round outlines and go down the neck to the chest, forming the so-called shield; the tail is usually two-colored. Glolov completely has the color of the main suit, there may be marks (bald head, star, blaze or whiteness).

Overo (Overo = oh vair "oh)

Overo: White usually does not cross the back between the withers and tail; at least one or even all four legs are dark in color; usually white areas are not symmetrical, but rather scattered or splashed, such a pattern is often called chintz; single tail.

Actually Overo includes three varieties:
1. Frame Overo
2. Splashed white (Splashed White)
3.

Frame Overo

This option is specific and beautiful, especially when pronounced. The name "frame" (from English - "frame") allows you to accurately describe this option: white spots are located on the sides of the horse, as if in a "frame" of the main suit that surrounds them. The overo frame is found in an exceptionally small number of North and South American breeds and is thought to have been inherited from Spanish horses.

Splashed white (Splashed White)

Pretty rare option. These horses are characterized by both light blue eyes, a white muzzle (lantern) or a completely head, all four legs are white, a completely or partially white tail, white on the body is distributed according to the scheme: from the very bottom of the abdomen to the shoulders, to the hips and from bottom of the neck - up. The most accurate description of this apprentice is as if the horse had been "dipped" into a vat of white paint.

In most horses, the body has the color of the main suit. In Australia, deafness is not uncommon in such animals.

The term "Sabino" in Spanish means "pale" or "motley", and in Mexico and Argentina, this term is used to describe blond gray horses, or other suits with fine spotting. In Europe, and more recently in the United States, the term "Sabino" is used to describe a unique and interesting subset of white speckled horses.

Sabino have a color and markings very similar to roans, but they are still genetically different. Like roan horses, the main color hair on the body is mixed with white, but in addition to this, Overo's characteristics are also inherent in such animals: high stockings, a white muzzle and white spots extending from the abdomen to the sides. Moreover, the spots do not have the correct shape with even borders, but, as it were, in torn patches.

The eyes are usually blue. But some Sobino may have one eye blue and the other brown.

The main suit can be bay, black, brown, etc. Which are used for better identification. Then they say: "bay sabino", "brown sabino", etc.

Sobinos are found in a wide variety of breeds throughout the world, including the Paint, Thoroughbred, Clydesdale Draft and many others. But in some breeds, Sabino's piebald foals are culled. These breeds include British pony breeds and the American Quarter Horse.

Tovero (Tovero = tow vair "o)

Toveros are horses that combine the characteristics of both Overo and Tobiano.

When breeding horses from Tobiano and Overo, a foal may be born, which is likely to carry a mixture of both types. Such a foal will inherit the type of the parent with the highest percentage of white on the body, but this is not always the case. That is why, when crossing two various types it is not possible to guarantee that a foal of a certain color type will be obtained, because each parent passes on their "spotted" gene to the foal. And in the end, the foal gets a huge chance of having very unusual markings with characteristics of both types.

Due to the fact that Toveros combine the characteristics of both Overo and Tobiano, sometimes there is confusion during registration. They are often mistakenly registered as either Overo or Tobiano, but there are several distinguishing characteristics that accurately describe Tovero as a distinct type:

"Tobiano", having a "hat" or a bald head (lantern) - almost always Tovero. Serrated, Overo-like spots are also a distinguishing feature of the Tovero.

"Overo" with predominantly white in the mane - under suspicion. Predominant white on all four legs may also be a cause for doubt, although actually white legs are not very significant in Tovero's identification. An Overo with Tobiano-like spots but without a single white hair on its back is usually a Tovero, and well-defined spots without "raggedness" are also a tell-tale sign.

As mentioned above, the question of an unambiguous definition of Tovero is very confusing. There are cases when the only way to determine exactly what type of piebald a particular animal has is a thorough study of its offspring. All this makes life only more difficult, because. some "Toveros" are actually Tobianos with "Tovero" features!

Misconceptions and Facts about Pinto Horses

Misconception #1:"Blue and gray eyes are unique to Overo."

Fact: It has been documented that blue and gray eyes are found in horses of all varieties of pinto.

The splashed white, frame overo, sabino, and tavero also have this feature because the color of the coat around their eyes is often white, and in this case this affects the color of the eye. Sometimes Tobiano also has one or two blue or gray eyes. It should also be emphasized that horses with blue or gray eyes are not blind! Pintos may be more sensitive to sunlight than normal horses, but this does not affect their vision in any way!

Misconception #2:"Tobianos have a white body with colored spots, while Overo has white spots scattered over the body of the main suit."

Fact: Each variant of the piebald color has a full spectrum, ranging from almost completely white to almost completely dark animals, with slight deviations in pigmentation.

Misconception #3:"Piebald horses usually have 'tinted' spots."

Fact: In many horses, the spots are shaded, but in the total mass their percentage is small. Shaded spots are more common in tobianos than in other types, but most horses do not have shading.

The effect of shading on the edges of the spots is obtained due to the fact that white hair grows on dark skin. And since white hair is more "transparent" than dark hair, you can sometimes see where the dark skin starts underneath the hair. Seen through white hair, dark skin appears gray or a lighter shade than the main suit, and creates a soft, shaded effect around the spot.

The Big Trouble of Pinto Horses

Despite all the efforts of breeders when breeding pinto horses (Pite, Pinto, etc.), it is never possible to guarantee with 100% accuracy that a foal will have a particular type of pinto.

But this is not the worst problem. A striking example of this is the crossing of two Overos. With such breeding, it would seem to the uninformed observer that this idea is an excellent chance for the birth of a foal with a bright appearance, considering that both of his parents are pronounced Overos. This is often the case. However, if both Overos carry the frame overo gene, there is a one in four chance that there will be a stillborn white foal.

Research shows that if both parents are Splashed White, then the above case is not the case with very rare exceptions. The same is true of Sabino.

The result of crossing different types is shown below.

TYPE	Sabino				Tovero*	normal pigmentation ***
Sabino
Tovero**
normal pigmentation ***						normal pigmentation

Safe crosses that do not produce stillborn white foals. If you do not want stillborn white foals, use this option in your breeding program.

Rarely give stillborn white foals (less than 1 in 4). These crosses are relatively safe, but stillbirths do occur from time to time.

At least 1 in 4 foals ends up with a stillborn white foal. The statistical probability of such an outcome is 25%. Such crosses should be AVOIDED.

* This capital does not give problems only when the horses are accurately identified as Toveros. A large number of Overos have heterogeneous overo genes, so there can be doubt that "frame" is not present in the expected "safe" cross. Also, Sabino very rarely produced stillborn white foals - however, the breeding may have had "hidden" frame genes.

** If Tovero's overgene is not a frame gene, the cross is safe or practically safe; if the overo gene is a frame gene, then an unfavorable outcome is rare in no more than 1 in 4.

*** Do not forget that the frame gene is "invisible" in horses with normal pigmentation, and if a stillborn white foal is born, then only in one case from a number of "safe" crosses, where there is a frame gene in a latent form.

Piebald horses have always been especially popular due to their bright color. Pinto horse - this is what is commonly called an animal if there are multiple light spots on its body. Interestingly, piebaldness in horses is considered partial albinism, so animals of this color are often blue-eyed.

Today we will tell you more about this beautiful horse color, talk about the history of the origin of skewbald horses, and highlight the breeds in which this color is found.

Pinto horses have been known since ancient times, scientists managed to find some information even in Egyptian sources, and they were also bred by the inhabitants of Mongolia.

Experts in the field of horse breeding associate the origin of such an atypical suit with genetic anomalies. This color is inherited. It is worth noting that the location of the spots is influenced by a different set of genes. Almost all piebald horses are partially albinos. This proves the colorless or blue color of the iris.

It is believed that such a suit occurred as a result of crossing Mongolian horses. Among breeds of the factory type, a characteristic color is found in rare cases. Usually skewbald horses are without any breed.

In European countries, since ancient times, such a suit was not particularly appreciated. Such horses were among the lower strata of the population, as well as among the gypsies. Quite often, horses were compared with cows, they were used for hard physical work. The nobility of that time used horses of other colors for riding food, but they did not start breeding spotted ones.

The native population of America was positively related to piebald beauties. The inhabitants of the tribes believed that such horses bring success in battle. Over time, they became even more popular. They were crossed with each other to get a variety of color options. And after, the horses began to be called pinto, which served as the formation of a new breed.

In the middle of the last century, they began to be used in amateur competitions. Horses were also used for physical work.

External characteristics of the suit

On the body of such horses you can find fragments of colors of various stripes. White spots are barely noticeable or occupy almost the entire body of the horse. The edges of the spots may be smooth or blurry.

Table 1. The main colors of pinto horses

Color	Description
bay piebald	On the body of the animal are multiple light spots. The limbs, tail and mane are the same color, but dark fragments can be found in places.
piebald	The most rare color of a horse, different in gray limbs, tail, mane. The body of the animal usually has a light color, on its surface there are spots several tones darker.
Piebald Crow	The horse is attractive appearance. Its body is completely black, white spots can be found on it in a chaotic manner.
piebald	On the body of such horses, a bright red color prevails. Only in some places are white spots visible. However, you can meet horses whose limbs, mane and tail are white.

Before the birth of a foal, it is impossible to say with accuracy what piebald color it will inherit. Even if the genotype of the parents is known, this is difficult to do.

Variations of piebald suit

Piebald horses have common features - this is a multi-colored coat and a light iris of the eyes. On different kinds, horses are divided depending on color.

- the sides of the horses often have a darker shade, light spots with clear outlines, are located in parallel. The limbs are usually light. The color of such horses has a different degree of intensity. From parents of a solid color, a piebald foal of this type can turn out.

Overo- piebald horses, in which the spots are located in a chaotic manner throughout the body. They are divided into the following subspecies:

- such horses combine the features of previous species. In the case of mating horses of two varieties, the foal may inherit the color of both parents. White spots appear in the most unusual places.

Features of pinto horses

Skewbald horses are distinguished by a calm disposition, they are easy to train. In Russia, such stallions are used by farmers. Even beginners can ride them.

A distinctive feature of horses is poor health. This problem was formed as a result of multiple crosses. Especially often, genetic anomalies occur as a result of the birth of offspring from parents with the same set of genes. Therefore, horse breeding farms carefully monitor this process.

Caring for a pinto horse

Pinto horses, like other horses, require constant care. Therefore, special journals are kept on horse breeding farms so as not to miss hygiene procedures.

Care consists of the following items:

• bathing the horse, combing the tail, mane;
• thorough washing of the stall;
• periodic walking;
• cleaning hooves after a walk;
• vaccine against various diseases.

Clean the animal's hair with a special comb with frequent teeth. This should be done daily, because after a walk there is an abundant accumulation of dust and dirt.

Table 2. Horse washing process: step by step instructions

Illustration	Description
	Step one: to remove excess dirt from the coat and mane, it is advisable to use a special rubber brush. This procedure is pleasant for the horse, because it allows you to massage the muscles and improve blood circulation.
	Step two: then you need to take a brush with long teeth and remove the remaining dirt from the mane, tail, limbs. You should not tear out the mane, if there are any knots, then they are unraveled on their own.
	Step three: wipe the head and face of the animal soft cloth dipped in water. Do not rinse against wool. It is important to ensure that water does not flow into the eyes.
	Step four: legs and body can be washed with a sponge and poured over under pressure.
	Step Five: Dry the horse thoroughly naturally.

Cleaning the stall should begin with the disinfection of the feeder. Dirty bedding is also removed along with the rest of the litter and replaced with a fresh layer.

Feeding

For each horse, an individual feeding ration is selected depending on the needs. Meals usually include:

• wheat
• oats;
• barley;
• succulent feed;
• hay;
• bran;
• roots;
• fresh grass.

For a horse, fresh greens or hay are required. Otherwise, there will be a lack of vitamins, which will immediately affect the immunity of the animal.

Summing up

Such horses all over the world were able to appreciate because of their unique color. In addition, you can safely acquire such a horse with a calm character for teaching a child to ride.

Video - Pinto horse

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:

1. Frame-overo.
2. Sabino overo.
3. 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.

Horses have always evoked a feeling of admiration in people. Indeed, these noble animals, like no other, have a special gait, proud posture and a devoted character.

Among the many existing suits, there is one that is completely different from all others. Many people like the pinto horse, but there are those who dislike the spotted horse. What kind of suit is this, and what are its distinctive properties?

What is piebaldness?

Piebald is albinism, but in a partial form. Any spots or markings on the body of a horse can be considered piebald, for example, the presence of blue eyes (one or two), which does not affect the animal's vision in any way. Basically, piebaldness is characterized by large white spots that are devoid of pigmentation. They are scattered all over the skin of the horse's body. Otherwise they are called - pezhin.

Kinds

Pinto animals are divided into 2 types: tobiano and overo.

Characteristics of Tobiano

Characteristic features of Overo

• white spots on the body are scattered;
• the limbs are entirely dark in color;
• plain tail and mane;
• the ridge of the animal does not cross the white spots;
• modifier gene - OV.

Varieties

Overo is divided into 3 varieties:

1. Frame ( frame overo), which means "frame". The horse has the same color tail and mane, the head is shapelessly colored, white does not cross the line of the ridge. hallmark is a large light spot, which is surrounded by the main color, as if in a frame. The Fr gene, which defines this type of overo, appears only in the homozygous individual and is lethal. In a white foal, underdevelopment of the colon is possible. The newborn animal does not have a function of defecation, colic appears, which lasts for several days, and the foal dies. The Americans found a way out: they do a DNA analysis of the horse and, if the Fr gene is detected, they mate it only with the stallion that does not have it.
2. Splashed white (otherwise Splashed White). A distinctive feature is the white color, which is necessarily present in the lower part of the animal and passes to upper part. Back, crest - dark. The muzzle is white, but the ears are the main color of the suit. The Spl gene is dominant. It is detected depending on the amount of Spl in the horse's genotype.
3. Sabino or "motley" (Spanish) is the most common breed among American horses. The main suit is red, black, bay. A distinctive feature is the marks on the legs, stomach and sides. There are horses of the Sabino breed with blue eyes or heterochromic, when both eyes have a different color: blue and brown.

Determination of the color of the future foal

In addition to the main varieties of skewbald, there are shades: there are about 10 of them. It is never possible to say exactly what type the future foal will inherit. He can "take" the color from both parents, which belong to different types piebalds: Tobiano and Overo. There is a third type of piebald suit: Tovero, which just combines the features of the first two types.

In the Russian expanses of piebald colors, horses are used to distinguishing precisely by the main suit. Against the background of their main suit, snow-white spots that have an uneven shape are scattered. The legs of such horses are either completely snow-white or not entirely white. Such as the mane and tail are most often white or combined white.

Piebaldness in horses is partial albinism, like any other snow-white markings on horse bodies. And, a consequence of partial albinism in pinto horses, there may well be blue eyes. And fair-haired can be equally, both eyes, and one of them. In the States, piebald animals are always registered as either paints, subdivided into two main types of color. such as tobiano and overo.

When coloring with the name tobiano, in horses a dark shade most often covers both sides or one of them. Often all four legs are snow-white. At least if we talk about the area that is under the knee. Most often, all dark areas are symmetrical and they are round or oval in shape. And at the same time they go down to the chest along the neck of the horse, forming the so-called shield. And the tail of such horses most often has two shades at once. The tobiano gene may well manifest itself in varying degrees of intensity. And leads this moment to the fact that sometimes piebald foals can be born from parents who are not piebald.

But overo, there are three types at once:

• Frame-overo. Where frame, translated into Russian, will mean the word "frame". And the suit has this name for that reason. That either an oily or a snow-white spot arrives surrounded by a different shade, as if it is in a frame. At the same time, snow-white spots are scattered along the main suit, with torn edges. The so-called "chintz" pattern. The snow-white area can never cross the line of the back, with the exception of those rare cases when this shade is in serious predominance or when only the painted top remains with the ears from the entire main suit. This pattern is also called the "medical cap". With this option, the head area has a shapeless color, and the eyes of such mares are blue without any impurities. Well, the legs, or at least three legs, coincide with the main suit. As for the tail, it is of a single-colored type.

frame overo

• sabino overo: On the legs of these horses there are snow-white marks, which often can rise quite high. Almost the entire length of the leg. Often they are located on the stomach, given the capture to varying degrees of two sides. On the head with this color variant, there is something in the form of a bald head or an extensive flashlight, taking into account the capture of the lower lip. And this manifests itself, either in the form of the purest snow-white spots with torn edges, or in the form of snow-white hair, which is mixed with the main suit, and this strongly resembles a roan. But at the same time, it has absolutely nothing in common with her in genetics. And ordinary white marks on the legs and head are also manifestations of sabino.

sabino overo

• Overo splashed white. The snow-white shade is located in the direction from the bottom to the top, and the horse looks like it accidentally walked through one rather deep puddle, in which white paint was spilled, also putting its ears with a muzzle there. This is an incredibly unique feature.

Photo of a bay-pinto horse

Toveros are horses that combine both the characteristics of Tobiano and Overo. In the process of breeding horses from Overo and Tobiano, such a foal may well be born that will resemble a mixture of both types of its parents. Due to the fact that the Tovero shares characteristics of both species, confusion can often arise in the process of registering such a horse. It happens that they are registered erroneously. And, in principle, never with such animals, there is not the slightest guarantee associated with the attitude to a particular species. Such foals may well have absolutely unusual-looking marks that have the characteristics of both species at once.

Those of the tobianos that have a bald head (lantern), which is mentioned above, or a “hat”, almost always turn out to be Tovero, in fact.

Tovero's hat

And Overo-like, or jagged spots, also belong to the distinguishing features of Tovero. Those Overos whose manes are predominantly white are under deep suspicion. And if white prevails on four legs, one can also doubt it, but often Toveros do not come with snow-white legs. So here, it's a little easier to decide. In fact, the issue with an unambiguous definition of Tovero is too confusing. There are cases when there is only one way to determine.

Tovero with dark legs

To understand what kind of piebald color a certain horse has, in difficult situations, you will have to thoroughly study all its offspring as a whole.

Piebald suits horses may be more sensitive to the light of the sun than ordinary animals of this kind.

However, this moment does not affect the quality of their vision in the slightest. But some believe that horses with similar shades of eyes are simply blind. Those people who believe that snow-white spots are scattered over the body of Overo of the main suit are also mistaken, while Tobiano has a white body with colored spots on it. In fact, any of the variants of the piebald suit has a full spectrum, which starts from almost entirely snow-white, to almost entirely dark animals, which have not so significant deviations in their own pigmentation.

selective breeding

Despite all the efforts that breeders strive to put into their own difficult business, in the process of breeding skewbald horses. You can never guarantee with complete certainty that the foal will end up with a certain type of piebaldness. However, this is not some too terrible problem. A striking example of this can be the process of crossing two Overos. When such breeding is going on, it may seem to an observer who is very little privy to the essence of the matter that this undertaking represents an excellent chance for a colt with a colorful appearance to be born. Most often, this is true. But, if both of these Overos carry a special gene that is responsible for the “frame overo” appearance, there is a possibility that a white foal will be born dead.

Based on a special study, it can be argued that with both parents possessing such a species as "Splashed White", the case described above, with rare exceptions, cannot take place. The same can be said about Sabino.

The beauty of skewbald horses

The colors of these horses are so outlandish and unusual that it seems that great artists created it. The horses are piebald in color and invariably remain very picturesque. In ancient times, the Indians always chose such horses for themselves. There was an opinion that it was they, with their such an unusual color, that could bring good luck in battle, protect the rider from injury. In all films, circus performances, you can always meet piebald horses. They certainly riveted the views of the public from young to old.

It is exactly what color the main suit is that gives us reason to divide horses into red-skewbald, crow-skewbald, bay-skewbald and other colors.

Some myths and facts about pinto horses

Myth 1. Only Overo can have gray or blue eyes.

In fact, different types of piebalds can have similar eye colors. With light shades of the eyes, the susceptibility to light increases, but does not affect visual acuity.

Myth 2. Tobiano, have colored markings on a white body, while Overo have light spots on the main background. But it's not. Each individual of the piebald color has its own version of the location of the spots. It is not excluded and the predominance of a dark color.

Myth 3. Piebald colors of horses have "shaded" spots. In fact, shading is present in many skewbald horses, but not all have such spots. The shadow is obtained due to the fact that light hairs grow on dark skin.