The secret horse

Liked the programme but wondered if spotted horses are really as rare as she was making out.

I know of other spotted breeds like knapstruppers, British spotted ponys and I'm sure there are others. Do they share a common genetic pattern for spots? Or are they particular mutations to each breed?
 
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Spotted patterns in horses are caused by LP and PATN.

This chart may be helpful (found via google).

NC = Non Characteristic/solid
CO = Characteristics Only/Varnish Roan

talkingmongo0seLPchart.png
 
Pattern. It essentially governs how much white the horse has. This is not the same as white caused by 'pinto/coloured' genes and you can have horses with LP, PATN and pinto genes.
 
i've just sat and watched in on iplayer and really enjoyed it, i agree the reasoning sounded completely illogical but it was interesting to see the jounrey they went on and the beautiful horses they found.

Owning an appaloosa coloured horse people do ask me if it's a breed or just a colour. I always tell them it's both, that there is a pure appaloosa breed but the majority of appy horses are just a colour variation, the same as a grey, or a coloured for example.

To prove a point I am currently watching the top gear Botswana special and they've just driven past a kid riding a horse which is quite clearly a varnish appaloosa. That must prove that appaloosa originate from Botswana surely? ;)
 
Faracat said:
Spotted patterns in horses are caused by LP and PATN.

This chart may be helpful (found via google).

NC = Non Characteristic/solid
CO = Characteristics Only/Varnish Roan
Click to expand...

Thanks for the chart Faracat - very interesting.

A friend bred a British Spotted pony with a piebald cob and the result was quite an interesting piebald with spotty white areas.
 
Paint Me Proud said:
i've just sat and watched in on iplayer and really enjoyed it, i agree the reasoning sounded completely illogical but it was interesting to see the jounrey they went on and the beautiful horses they found.

Owning an appaloosa coloured horse people do ask me if it's a breed or just a colour. I always tell them it's both, that there is a pure appaloosa breed but the majority of appy horses are just a colour variation, the same as a grey, or a coloured for example.

To prove a point I am currently watching the top gear Botswana special and they've just driven past a kid riding a horse which is quite clearly a varnish appaloosa. That must prove that appaloosa originate from Botswana surely? ;)
Click to expand...

Well, man originated from East Africa, so maybe the genetics of the kid was of interest too :)
 
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