Color breed
Encyclopedia
A color breed is a term that refers to horse
s that are registered based primarily on their coat color, regardless of the horse's actual breed or breed type.
Some color breeds only register horses with color that also meet specific pedigree criteria, others register animals based solely on color, regardless of parentage. A few pedigree-based color breeds, confronted with the reality of many animals born without the proper color even though they are from two registered parents, have modified their rules to allow registration of animals with the proper pedigree even if they do not possess the proper color.
For example, many different breeds, such as American Quarter Horse
s, Tennessee Walking Horses and American Saddlebred
s come in the palomino
color, as well as a wide variety of other colors. However, a color breed registry, such as the Palomino Horse Breeders Association (PHBA) http://www.palominohba.com/, accepts only palomino (or palomino-looking) horses—regardless of their particular breeds. Thus, Palomino can be considered a color breed. Another example is the pinto horse
color. Horses of many breeds can be registered as Pinto if it they have the correct spotting pattern. White
horses also have their own color registry: it includes cremello horses, but not gray
s.
Many horses eligible for registration with their own breed registry and are of a particular color are often "double registered" in both registries, often increasing their sale value by doing so. With stallions, double registration may also increase their breeding value by widening the set of interested mare owners.
s, American Paint Horse
s, Friesians
and other breeds with distinct physical characteristics or pedigrees that also usually have distinctive or colorful coats might be considered a color breed by some, they technically are a pedigree-based breed. For example, Appaloosas are usually spotted, but a solid-colored offspring of registered parents can still be a registered Appaloosa. Likewise, a solid-colored American Paint Horse that has registered parents may also be registered.
On the other hand, while Friesian breeders have deliberately bred to exclude chestnut
horses, and will only register black
animals, these black animals also must be Friesian by pedigree and no other bloodlines are allowed into the registry. The same is true of Norwegian Fjord Horses.
pattern, the Arabian horse
registry excludes all spotted horses. Finnhorse
was also bred for decades to exclude all colors but chestnut, and specifically to remove such "fancy" colors as roans, grays and spotted (sabino), which were seen as indicators of foreign blood. To a degree, and with some particular colors, this might hold true - for example, all present gray Finnhorses can be traced back to a certain gray mare of dubious pedigree. Nowadays all colors are accepted as long as the animal can be proved pureblooded, and many colors are specifically bred for.
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
s that are registered based primarily on their coat color, regardless of the horse's actual breed or breed type.
Some color breeds only register horses with color that also meet specific pedigree criteria, others register animals based solely on color, regardless of parentage. A few pedigree-based color breeds, confronted with the reality of many animals born without the proper color even though they are from two registered parents, have modified their rules to allow registration of animals with the proper pedigree even if they do not possess the proper color.
For example, many different breeds, such as American Quarter Horse
American Quarter Horse
The American Quarter Horse is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name came from its ability to outdistance other breeds of horses in races of a quarter mile or less; some individuals have been clocked at speeds up to 55 mph...
s, Tennessee Walking Horses and American Saddlebred
American Saddlebred
The American Saddlebred, formerly known as the American Saddle Horse, is a breed of horse that was developed in Kentucky by plantation owners. Today, in the horse show world, they are most commonly seen under saddle in Saddle seat style riding, and in various types of driving, including pleasure...
s come in the palomino
Palomino
Palomino is a coat color in horses, consisting of a gold coat and white mane and tail. Genetically, the palomino color is created by a single allele of a dilution gene called the cream gene working on a "red" base coat...
color, as well as a wide variety of other colors. However, a color breed registry, such as the Palomino Horse Breeders Association (PHBA) http://www.palominohba.com/, accepts only palomino (or palomino-looking) horses—regardless of their particular breeds. Thus, Palomino can be considered a color breed. Another example is the pinto horse
Pinto horse
A pinto horse has a coat color that consists of large patches of white and any other color. The distinction between "pinto" and "solid" can be tenuous, as so-called "solid" horses frequently have areas of white hair. Various cultures throughout history appear to have selectively bred for pinto...
color. Horses of many breeds can be registered as Pinto if it they have the correct spotting pattern. White
White (horse)
White horses are born white and stay white throughout their life. White horses may have brown, blue, or hazel eyes. "True white" horses, especially those that carry one of the dominant white genes, are rare...
horses also have their own color registry: it includes cremello horses, but not gray
Gray (horse)
Gray or grey is a coat color of horses characterized by progressive silvering of the colored hairs of the coat. Most gray horses have black skin and dark eyes; unlike many depigmentation genes, gray does not affect skin or eye color Their adult hair coat is white, dappled, or white intermingled...
s.
Many horses eligible for registration with their own breed registry and are of a particular color are often "double registered" in both registries, often increasing their sale value by doing so. With stallions, double registration may also increase their breeding value by widening the set of interested mare owners.
Alternative use of the term
On the other hand, Norwegian Fjord Horses, AppaloosaAppaloosa
The Appaloosa is a horse breed best known for its colorful leopard-spotted coat pattern. There is a wide range of body types within the breed, stemming from the influence of multiple breeds of horses throughout its history. Each horse's color pattern is genetically the result of various spotting...
s, American Paint Horse
American Paint Horse
The American Paint Horse is a breed of horse that combines both the conformational characteristics of a western stock horse with a pinto spotting pattern of white and dark coat colors. Developed from a base of spotted horses with Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred bloodlines, the American Paint Horse...
s, Friesians
Friesian horse
The Friesian is a horse breed originating in Friesland, Netherlands. Although the breed's conformation resembles that of a light draft horse, Friesians are graceful and nimble for their size. During the Middle Ages, it is believed that the ancestors of Friesian horses were in great demand as war...
and other breeds with distinct physical characteristics or pedigrees that also usually have distinctive or colorful coats might be considered a color breed by some, they technically are a pedigree-based breed. For example, Appaloosas are usually spotted, but a solid-colored offspring of registered parents can still be a registered Appaloosa. Likewise, a solid-colored American Paint Horse that has registered parents may also be registered.
On the other hand, while Friesian breeders have deliberately bred to exclude chestnut
Chestnut (coat)
Chestnut is a hair coat color of horses consisting of a reddish-to-brown coat with a mane and tail the same or lighter in color than the coat. Genetically and visually, chestnut is characterized by the absolute absence of true black hairs...
horses, and will only register black
Black (horse)
Black is a hair coat color of horses in which the entire hair coat is black. Black is a relatively uncommon coat color, and novices frequently mistake dark chestnuts or bays for black. However, some breeds of horses, such as the Friesian horse, Murgese and Ariegeois are almost exclusively black...
animals, these black animals also must be Friesian by pedigree and no other bloodlines are allowed into the registry. The same is true of Norwegian Fjord Horses.
Color breeding
Some horse breeds exclude certain colors that are considered signs of a crossbred animal. For example, other than the SabinoSabino horse
Sabino is a group of white spotting patterns in horses that affect the skin and hair. A wide variety of irregular color patterns are accepted as sabino. In the strictest sense, "sabino" refers to the white patterns produced by the Sabino 1 gene, for which there is a DNA test...
pattern, the Arabian horse
Arabian horse
The Arabian or Arab horse is a breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest breeds, with archaeological evidence of horses...
registry excludes all spotted horses. Finnhorse
Finnhorse
The Finnhorse or Finnish Horse is a horse breed with both riding horse and draught horse influences and characteristics, and is the only breed developed fully in Finland...
was also bred for decades to exclude all colors but chestnut, and specifically to remove such "fancy" colors as roans, grays and spotted (sabino), which were seen as indicators of foreign blood. To a degree, and with some particular colors, this might hold true - for example, all present gray Finnhorses can be traced back to a certain gray mare of dubious pedigree. Nowadays all colors are accepted as long as the animal can be proved pureblooded, and many colors are specifically bred for.