Meowy Catkin
Meow!
I'm really enjoying this. I am now dying to see a photo of this horse.
In a way, this is a case of phenotype verses genotype. The way the horse 'looks' v the genes that it has.
I would argue that although he is 'roaned', he doesn't count as a Roan (capital R) because he doesn't have the Roan gene. If it was up to me, sabinos of any degree of expression would be allowed, because although a maximum or medium sabino looks different to a minimal sabino, there isn't a different gene involved.
If you decide that only minimal sabinos are allowed, you have to have a cut off point. So when does a minimal sabino become a medium sabino? You can't test for a difference, you'd have to do it by surface area affected by the sabino gene, or something similarly subjective.
You would then have some very good specimens of the breed chucked out of the gene pool/breeding programme, even though their genes are 'allowed'.
I do get a bit narked when passports have the wrong colour down, mainly because it makes the passport not match the horse that it's for. So the breed society registering him as grey makes me quite cross.
In a way, this is a case of phenotype verses genotype. The way the horse 'looks' v the genes that it has.
I would argue that although he is 'roaned', he doesn't count as a Roan (capital R) because he doesn't have the Roan gene. If it was up to me, sabinos of any degree of expression would be allowed, because although a maximum or medium sabino looks different to a minimal sabino, there isn't a different gene involved.
If you decide that only minimal sabinos are allowed, you have to have a cut off point. So when does a minimal sabino become a medium sabino? You can't test for a difference, you'd have to do it by surface area affected by the sabino gene, or something similarly subjective.
You would then have some very good specimens of the breed chucked out of the gene pool/breeding programme, even though their genes are 'allowed'.
I do get a bit narked when passports have the wrong colour down, mainly because it makes the passport not match the horse that it's for. So the breed society registering him as grey makes me quite cross.
I agree with you totally.Grey Shires are numerically few and far between. Allowing this stallion to serve mares with the thought of producing greys is a complete waste of time, money, and expectations.