Appy question

[ohmt]

I have to disagree Jazzysmom, I have had quite a few foals born with the white 'lacing' on the rump that gradually (usually after two or three years) turned into a blanket. I guess I've never looked at the skin underneath though. My few spot when bathed has mottled skin (pink with little black spots everywhere) and he is completely white.

Do you mean varnish instead of grey? I guess I've never seen the grey start at the hip or shoulder, but have seen it with varnish.

 

[Jazzysmom]

OHMT , yes I meant varnishing when I said greying, as they share the same idea... but the "growing blanket" is not a true blanket.... it is some sort of varnishing. a true blanket should not grow, or shrink. if it is growing then it is due to a varnishing/greying gene that the horse carries on top of its LP gene.

I checked out your boy, and I am wondering what he looked like as a foal? typically Fewspots are about 80% white with dark ribbing markings under their chest, and forearms, on their neck and head, and legs, more or less.... typically their pink skin fills in around the dark areas, and from the experience I have with few-spots they typically don't have blankets over their hips... of course I am not saying it cannot happen, as I havent inspected hundreds of few-spot appies

now, a Snowcap appy, roaned, could resemble a few spot appy, but would keep their pink skin where they used to have a blanket.

or check out "The Miracle Chip" he was born a solid bay with a big pretty blanket, and spots, over his lifetime he roaned out to a nice-looking leopard appaloosa.- he carries the varnishing gene, even so it he doesnt appear to be a typical "varnish roan"

OIVAY! Appy genetics are to intense! lol

 

[ohmt]

Ahhh but grey and varnish are very different. Where grey will make a horse lose it's color completely (including spots), a varnish will not.

The foals I've had with the white 'lacing' over their rumps that have gotten blankets do not have any other sort of varnishing, with the exception of one and she doesn't have a blanket, she just varnished out over her whole body and kept great big spots on her rump (that she was not born with-they didn't develop until she varnished).

My few spot was born pretty much the way he looks now except his head had some color and he had more color on his legs. The only color he has now are on his lower legs and 2 giant black spots on his body and that's it. He did not have a blanket, but is the one producing them

 

[HGFarm]

I also disagree, an Appy with the 'graying gene' is going to turn all white and lose all color- and graying out is not an Appaloosa pattern or has anything to do with Appaloosa coloring. That is what the graying gene does and you have to have a gray parent to get a gray. It doesnt skip generations to show up later. Some Appies also have a strong roaning gene, which shows up with time over the years and has nothing to do with graying out. It's Appy roaning, not graying- huge difference.

I do agree that a blanket doesnt 'grow', but Appaloosas can carry more than one pattern- they can have a blanket and spots and also carry the varnish roan gene. The blanket is very distinct under the hair with the pink skin where the white of the blanket was and that will never change, even though they may get a little or a lot of roaning later.