DECEMBER 1995 BACK ISSUE

Part of Horse Previews Magazine website. Posted on 12/1/95; 10:00:00 AM.

Non-Colored Appaloosas

The presence of non-colored horses at Appaloosa shows have been a topic of confusion for spectators & new exhibitors alike. For many, color means an Appaloosa, let it range from the traditional large blanket with spots, or a white background with spots all over the body to that of small splash marks over the hips. However, the Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) maintains that an Appaloosa is fundamentally a breed by blood, with a color preference. With this concept in mind, 1982 saw the Certified Pedigree Option program being adopted. Through the Certified Pedigree Option program, commonly referred to as CPO, a process of blood testing occurs for horses that do not display the Appaloosa characteristics of coloring, mottled skin, white sclera or stripped hooves, to insured that these horses carry Appaloosa parentage. When Appaloosa parentage is confirmed for these non-characteristic (solid) Appaloosas, they can be shown with their more typical colorful counterparts.

Does this mean the Appaloosa breed is foregoing color? Some may think so as they believe they are seeing more solid colored horses at Appaloosa events, but since 1982, about 6.5% of the total number of horses registered as Appaloosas have been registered in the CPO program. Rather than an increase in solid color Appaloosas being raised, the increase number of solid horses being exhibited at various events is due to an increased acceptance of solid Appaloosas.

The genetic traits which determine whether a horse coat patterns will be solid or have color are too complicated to explain at this time. Basically, a solid Appaloosa can be produced when the genes which produce Appaloosa coloring are recessive. Since these desirable traits are recessive in solid Appaloosas, the ApHC requires any Appaloosa registered through the CPO program, when reaching breeding age, must be bred to a regular papered Appaloosa (one that displays Appaloosa characteristics) in order for the resulting foal to be eligible for registration.

So, as you attend an Appaloosa Horse Club approved event, you can be confident that all horses competing, those with the typical Appaloosa color patterns while others are solids, are all Appaloosas & all are registered with the ApHC accordingly.

George Greasley