Not my normal cup of tea but Holy Smokin'

[Horsecrazy3]

My first horse was a varnished Appaloosa mare and we successfully jumped 4 ft courses. She looked after my DH when we did trail riding and was used in an international para-dressage competition hosted by PRDA . A lovely woman from New York, New York rode her and won her division. Had 2 Americans try to buy her. My 8th horse is a 10 month old black leopard (BB, LP/N,PATN/PATN) foundation Appaloosa colt. He has good movement and should have a uphill build. Both parents did and his 3 day and 3 month appearance indicate he will not be downhill.

Appaloosa varnish is a progressive silvering effect that leaves colour (called varnish marks) on the bony prominence of the face, lower neck, forearm, knees, hips and stifle. My mare was a blue roan. Her dark points stayed blackish while the rest of her body turned slowly white/gray. Every season brought out a new colour coat with the dark points staying the same.

[Texarkana]

The knabstrupper breeder who I worked for 20 years ago, who is actually the one who introduced me to COTH, started with appys (among other breeds). She had some very cool appys. Old lines that competed in jumpers, dressage, eventing, etc. Since she was breeding for the typical sport disciplines with mostly WB lines, it was a logical transition for her to start breeding a few knabstruppers.

But my point for bringing this up is they don’t make ‘em anymore like those cool old Appaloosas! They were such neat, versatile horses. It’s unfortunate the breed’s competition focus shifted to be more similar to other stock horse breeds.

[jvanrens]

@Incantation

A little off topic, but since we are talking genetics, can someone explain to me what a solid colored horse that carries Lp will end up looking like?
What does the varnish gene actually do? I am not up on appy genetics at all.

Varnish roan (though it is not the same as roan) as it’s called by the ApHC is something like this:

There is usually dark colour left in the areas where there is less muscle and more bone, so along the face and legs. They also usually have have mottled skin, striped hooves, and white sclera, though not all are always obvious.

[JB]

@Incantation

can someone explain to me what a solid colored horse that carries Lp will end up looking like?
What does the varnish gene actually do?

They might never change color.

They might “color shift”, sometimes called bronzing, which can do weird things, like make a this grulla mare look palomino

As others said, it can also cause a lightening of the fleshy/fleshier parts of the body, looking a lot like gray if it’s a smooth uniform “roaning”, but also possibly making the horse look weirdly splotchy like this one

Sometimes it happens quickly, sometimes it takes years to start and progress, and sometimes all you get is the appy characteristics like stripped hooves, mottled skin.

[NancyM]

I always think that there’s just a little something extra that you often get with the spots… almost a “pony-like” intelligence, awareness. I’ve known a few who were very good jumpers, “pony-like” jumpers in a horse body. Or in a pony body. Obviously, if someone has turned them into a cow pony with spots, perhaps not so much. But cross one to a TB stallion, and yikes… scary athletic. And smart. I often think that those people who “don’t like” appaloosas are likely people who have been outsmarted by one.

[Horsecrazy3]

I know when I started looking for an Appaloosa 8 yrs ago I was very disappointed at seeing the downhill confirmation and actually gave up on the idea of having another one. The breeder of my colt said all her breeding stock were foundation and she is breeding for a versatile conformation and excellent feet. The stud looks and moves like an Andalusian, which was why I went looking for his offspring. The mare reminded me of my beloved Appy. I can’t wait to see what direction he will take me in, maybe 3 day eventing, who knows.

[JB]

@NancyM

I always think that there’s just a little something extra that you often get with the spots… almost a “pony-like” intelligence, awareness. I’ve known a few who were very good jumpers, “pony-like” jumpers in a horse body. Or in a pony body. Obviously, if someone has turned them into a cow pony with spots, perhaps not so much. But cross one to a TB stallion, and yikes… scary athletic. And smart. I often think that those people who “don’t like” appaloosas are likely people who have been outsmarted by one.

Appaloosa (uppercase A) as a breed, isn’t the same as other breeds that also have appaloosa (lowercase a) genetics. The Knabstrupper in this stallion’s pedigree is where the appaloosa genetics came from, not stockhorse Appaloosa.

[NancyM]

Yes, I understand that. The Knabstruppers look lovely. Spotted horses have been around for a long time.

[Incantation]

@jvanrens

@Incantation

A little off topic, but since we are talking genetics, can someone explain to me what a solid colored horse that carries Lp will end up looking like?
What does the varnish gene actually do? I am not up on appy genetics at all.

Varnish roan (though it is not the same as roan) as it’s called by the ApHC is something like this:

There is usually dark colour left in the areas where there is less muscle and more bone, so along the face and legs. They also usually have have mottled skin, striped hooves, and white sclera, though not all are always obvious.

@JB

@Incantation

can someone explain to me what a solid colored horse that carries Lp will end up looking like?
What does the varnish gene actually do?

They might never change color.

They might “color shift”, sometimes called bronzing, which can do weird things, like make a this grulla mare look palomino

As others said, it can also cause a lightening of the fleshy/fleshier parts of the body, looking a lot like gray if it’s a smooth uniform “roaning”, but also possibly making the horse look weirdly splotchy like this one

Sometimes it happens quickly, sometimes it takes years to start and progress, and sometimes all you get is the appy characteristics like stripped hooves, mottled skin.

Interesting! Thank you both!

[jvanrens]

@NancyM

I often think that those people who “don’t like” appaloosas are likely people who have been outsmarted by one.

In my case I just don’t care for the colour that much, or at least the varnish variety. If I every buy an appaloosa, it will be a mature one settled into its adult colour.

[Montanas_Girl]

@NancyM

I often think that those people who “don’t like” appaloosas are likely people who have been outsmarted by one.

I have Arabians, so there is no such thing as a horse that is “too smart” for my tastes. I have met a lot of Appaloosas (the breed, specifically) and have yet to find one that made me a fan. Doesn’t mean I won’t one day change my mind, but no luck yet.

[jvanrens]

I’m about the same with Arabians. I get along with the ones I’ve met just fine, just never found they’re all that and a bag of chips for me or any more or less intelligent than any other breed. They’re all individual, I’ve worked with intelligent horses of a breed and as well as not so bright ones of the same breed.

I’m more of a QH person, but it has to be the right QH. I also love STBs, my last riding horse was one of our retired racehorses my daughter and I bought out of a kill buyers pen. I adored the big (17hh) lunk when we were racing him. He’d suck on my jacket in the race paddock, I was his pacifier and I cried when we sold him. When my daughter found him online, we got him back and I had a couple of beautiful years of trail riding before I lost him. Doesn’t mean I’m looking for another STB to ride though. I’d like to have another QH to show again. Just not sure if I’m up to it or not.

[TatteredDaydreamer]

He’s really cool looking! I love spots and patches and always will, I’d take one just like him in a heartbeat!

[4horses]

How common is uveitis in Appaloosas? After having one horse with that disease I would never want another. They are beautiful but that beauty comes with a cost. Do all eventually get it? Or just a certain percentage over their lifetime go on to develop it.

[JB]

Equine Recurrent Uveitis