Age, sex, temperament, conformation and price should be factors more likely to influence the purchase of a horse. However, in certain breeds, particular colours are desirable or even required for registration.
One such example is the Friesian. Recognised as black without any white, there used to be other colours of this breed, but such coloured horses aren’t able to be registered and bred from in today’s society. This helps to ensure that Friesians produced are the desirable black colour.
Lethal Colours in the Equine
How can colour be deadly? There are some colourings in horses that are unusually linked with illness and death. If looks could kill! In the case of the horse, they can. Such examples include:
- Lethal White Overo in Paint horses
- Lavender Foal Syndrome in Arabians
Both of these problems are caused by recessive genes. This means that they are expressed in a horse if both parents pass on the gene to the resulting foal.
For example, if both parents are carrying two different coloured genes, a bay (which is dominant) and a chestnut (which is recessive), there is a one in four chance that they will both pass on a chestnut gene to their foal, resulting in two recessive genes and the foal being chestnut in colour. If either parent passes on a bay gene, this dominant gene will be expressed instead and the foal will be bay, despite carrying a chestnut gene.
The same can occur with recessive genes carrying a syndrome. In the case of Lavender Foal Syndrome, the resulting foal also happens to have a distinctive colour to its coat. This has been described as a dull lavender colour, a silver sheen, pale chestnut or a pale, dull pinkish-grey. Unfortunately, physical problems accompany this unusual colour.
For foals that suffer from the Lethal White Overo Syndrome, the affected foal is pure white in colour. Like Lavender Foal Syndrome, physical problems accompany the colouring. The affected foals die, due to a lack of an exit point for manure. This leads to a build up in the digestive system, colic and can eventually result in the rupture of the horse's gut.
For the young equine suffering from Lavender Foal Syndrome, symptoms are different. The affected foal may be unable to stand, suffer from seizures and general weakness. These foals are often euthanised.
Considering the Affects of Colour
In the case of aesthetics, colour can be a lovely attribute on the horse. This shouldn’t however be the most important consideration. It is worth determining first the horse’s desired use and how much money the purchaser is willing to spend. This will perhaps dictate the class of horse that is able to be purchased.
When looking at particular breeds, like those mentioned above, knowledge of how colour can affect horses being bred and particularly their resulting progeny is worth considering if the horse is to be used for breeding at some point in the future.
Source
- Genetic Diseases and Disorders that Affect the Arabian, Modern Arabian Horse, 2007.
- Lethal Whites, American Paint Horse Association, accessed January 18, 2012.
Chris Thomas - C. Thomas has studied and worked with horses since 2001. She teaches horse studies part time and is undertaking an Equine Science ...
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