Any further research on lacing pattern?

[Lewella]

I am curious, does the lacing pattern only appear on the backs or on other parts of the body? As the saying goes "inquiring minds want to know"... Thanks for any input. I have seen the lacing on backs, and was wondering where else it occurred, or IF it "can" occur anywhere else on the bodies.

Sharron

It appears to be a back only pattern. Sometimes in extreme cases it will gradually develop down the sides but it always starts on the back. Usually it starts as just a couple of dime or so sized spots, then a few white hairs show up and some more spots. Eventually it will result in a full reticulating type of pattern. Some horses lacing expands quickly, others slowly. I've yet to see any evidence of lacing on a horse or pony under the age of a year. A lot of them seem to develop it when they are two or three years old.

 

[Tami]

Here is my mare. I LOVE her lacing. You couldn't see any when she was 3. This photo is of her at 20.

 

[Becky]

Excellent example, Tami! My solid black mare who is coming 13, has the same type of extensive lacing. Since I bought this mare in the fall, I can't wait to see her in the spring without all the hair to cover the lacing!

 

[Miniv]

Tami -- I agree. That is a great photo of Lacing.

Our horses start developing it in their first year at the withers and it spreads more each year. And for the record, none of them have appy in their background. However, they ALL have PINTO behind them, although they themselves are solid.

What's also interesting is that most of them come from the Bond ShowBoy line........(who was Pinto.)

MA

 

[CheyAut]

Tami, that's beautiful! I'd LOVE to have a mini with lacing... maybe someday! Would be really cool if one of my current minis developed it

This is the closest mine come to... I know it's not lacing at all, but it is neat white markings on Ruby's back...

 

[Dona]

I have never owned any horses with lacing...yet. But Queenie,(my Bay Roan mare) has a dam who is solid black with extensive lacing down her back, and Queenie (and ALL her foals) have a strip of white going down the middle of their backs from the withers to about the middle of their backs. I always thought that was interesting & wondered if it may be connected to the lacing pattern. Now that I think of it....most of my Moonstruck foals have that too...and all of Queenie's foals have been Moonstruck babies, so maybe it's coming from him, and not her. I do have LOTS of Sabino in my herd too.

:

Something else I've wondered about. I am "assuming" that since these horses aren't born with the lacing pattern.....that the skin under the white lacing is dark....not pink. Is that right?

 

[Tami]

Dona, you made me think.... I wonder if lacing is like Vidiligo (which is a skin pigmentation loss defect) ? I have Vidiligo and developed it at about age 5. I still have new spots developing. Lacing could be a horse version?

 

[Lewella]

I've had several with lacing but none of them had any pink skin under the white. Not all horses with lacing get the totally white hairs either - some are just several shades lighter (great example of this on EquineColor.com).

One of our forum readers who really needs to join

: the fun sent me the following:

Merry Christmas!!!!!! was reading the posts on lil beginnings..about lacing as i am not a member to post....just to let you know that lacing can start as early as 6 months ..as we have a colt that has one side completly covered in the giraffe pattern....he is a chestnut and it happened over night after we came back from the world in Texas....(yes that fast)....so it may not be the norm in young horses but we have one!!!!!!maybe you could post this information for me? Thanks Janet , Standing Ovation Miniatures

You hear that Janet - you need to join!

:

 

[crponies]

Yes, Janet, it sounds like you would have a lot of good input. We would love to have you join :bgrin

 

[MiniHoofBeats]

This is all very interesting to hear each of your thoughts and input! I wish I knew exactly where studies stood right now regarding lacing. I joined the yahoo lacing group but it's very slow, not many people must get on and it's more questions than answers so I can see there's not much progress currently being made on the lacing gene. I wish I knew how to study it more, i'd try to figure it out lol!

 

[JanBKS]

Here is my boy, Seven Acres Bringing Home the Blues, out of Cloverdowns Ranger Blue and Hidden Hollow Natalie (Palaminio) he is just a tad over a year old and had white spots on his back when he was born.

I am hopeing he developes more lacing as he gets older.

The first one was when I just shaved his back then I gave him a closer shave in the second one.