Pictures What on earth is going on with Mim’s colour now?

[LadyGascoyne]

Oh the joys of having a palomino.

Totally covered in white spots this year.




Last year, no spots.





Year before, no spots.





Year before, no spots.



This year. So many spots!!!



Any ideas as to why? Everything I’ve read says bird catcher spots pop up “randomly” but there are so many, appearing all at once this year. There must be some kind of trigger.

 

[tda]

No idea why but look good ☺

 

[Squeak]

How odd, I'm intrigued to know the answer.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

This happened to my PRE (he's bay) around age 6 or 7. We ran some blood tests and played with some vit/min stuff, but he still has them a few years later. Sometimes more than other times. We were never able to link it to anything.

Sometimes a lack of pigmentation can come from some sort of vit/min imbalance or deficiency, perhaps copper and zinc. Usually there would be other signs as well, but not always.

A friend's mare has them too. We speculate that she's part Arabian, and she's also bay. She's 24 this year, and I'd say she's doing alright ? our two horses are the only ones ar the yard with these spots (50 or so horses). They're fed differently and on different fields so could just be unexplained Birdcatcher spots.

 

[Bobthecob15]

Our palomino pony has developed a few whiter patches where his clip is growing out...but they are turning golden now with the rest of his coat so I've no idea! We've only had him since January so I've no idea it it's normal for him or not!

 

[I'm Dun]

They are bird catcher spots. The dark version some horses get are bend or spots.

explanation

 

[Bearsmum]

Didn't Toy Town develop white spots & Zara had no idea why, perhaps Mim is related?!

 

[Sandstone1]

I can see some faint spots in older photos?

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Didn't Toy Town develop white spots & Zara had no idea why, perhaps Mim is related?!

Toytowns midget, unsporty cousin ?

I can see some faint spots in older photos?

Just dapples. These are like white/ blonde circles. Really prominent and weird places too.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Louis had a strange coat this year he looked like a roan in January and February, he is classed as a wild bay so has light hairs on his legs and in his mane and tail but this year his whole body went grey.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

You can see some of the spots on my horse in this photo on his neck and shoulder:



And here too..

 

[Highmileagecob]

Not sure if it any help, but siamese cats do this where hair has been removed, or there has been an incision. When I was a vet nurse donkey's years ago, we always had to warn owners about new hair growing back a completely different colour. Fly bites? Rough play with field mate? Not even sure if this theory would apply to horses!

 

[Goldenstar]

It’s called Vitiligo it’s more common in Arabs but occurs in other breeds .

 

[[153312]]

As @I'm Dun said they're birdcatcher spots. More common in TBs than Arabs but do happen, and mostly on chestnut based horses too (iirc!)

 

[thefarsideofthefield]

Mildew ?

 

[ester]

…

 

[I'm Dun]

It’s called Vitiligo it’s more common in Arabs but occurs in other breeds .

Thats something else entirely. Its an autoimmune disease and tends to affect around the eyes predominantly

 

[MereChristmas]

Photos of beloved mare… by an grey Anglo-Arab out of a bay Tb x Welsh Cob
The spots started when she was about 2. Every year they were in different places.
She often had many more spots than shown.

 

[southerncomfort]

Our welsh chestnut mare developed birdcatcher spots at the age of 17, and then went on to develop some black spots too a couple of years later.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Not sure if it any help, but siamese cats do this where hair has been removed, or there has been an incision. When I was a vet nurse donkey's years ago, we always had to warn owners about new hair growing back a completely different colour. Fly bites? Rough play with field mate? Not even sure if this theory would apply to horses!

No kind of injuries or bites, I’m afraid.

It’s called Vitiligo it’s more common in Arabs but occurs in other breeds .

No skin pigment loss, purely coat change. Very odd! And they aren’t bright white, they are light palomino - almost like spots of her winter coat colour.

Mildew ?

The best answer ?

 

[LadyGascoyne]

You can see some of the spots on my horse in this photo on his neck and shoulder:

View attachment 91569

And here too..

View attachment 91570

Very similar in randomness but your boy’s seem a lot whiter. Mim’s are still palomino, just really pale spots.

 

[staffylover]

Birdcatcher spots, named after a Victorian (?) racehorse that developed them. My skewbald mare developed a few on her ginger patches at the age of about 7. Apparently they can appear or disappear randomly at each coat change, but Nutmeg's haven't moved. No one seems to know why it happens but it's quite common and absolutely nothing to worry about. It's a sign of an extra extra specially wonderful horse!!