I could have searched for some online photos to show these different color variables but since we happen to have all these horses here...we have prime examples at home to show you!!
The color patterns are based on white orientation to the black, brown, sorrel, palomino, etc colored areas on the horse. I hope to explain it in easy terms below but you are welcome to send questions or photos to our e-mail on the home page.
The color patterns are based on white orientation to the black, brown, sorrel, palomino, etc colored areas on the horse. I hope to explain it in easy terms below but you are welcome to send questions or photos to our e-mail on the home page.
Tobiano - This is the most common color pattern in registered paint horses. The tobiano white pattern is genetically dominant over the overo genes so a tobiano X overo will produce tobiano or tovero (discussed later) offspring.
You can identify a tobiano color pattern from a few key areas. I think of them as a white horse with colored spots. The amount of white can vary widely but in general tobiano horses are more white than dark. They have white legs and white over the topline somewhere between the ears and tailhead. Most have a dark head with rounded color patterns on the body.
You can identify a tobiano color pattern from a few key areas. I think of them as a white horse with colored spots. The amount of white can vary widely but in general tobiano horses are more white than dark. They have white legs and white over the topline somewhere between the ears and tailhead. Most have a dark head with rounded color patterns on the body.
"Jet" is another example of a tobiano color pattern. You can see he has large rounded dark areas, white legs white over his back and a dark head. The big stripe is the same as you might see on any solid horse.
"Colby" is yet another tobiano with white legs and white over his back. He is also displaying the "paw print" patterns that are classic for homozygous tobiano horses. He was tested to confirm his homozygous status. Homozygous means that every foal he would produce would have the tobiano color pattern. Even bren to a solid horse, foals would have the paint color pattern.
Overo - "Dixie" exhibits an overo color pattern. Overo horses are what I think of as regular colored horses with white spots over the dark color. Opposite of tobiano, these horses have dark legs and dark color over the topline. The overo horses are more likely to have a lot of white extending over the face and blue eyes.
This is where it gets tricky...there are three types of overo color patterns. "Dixie" here shows us what the "framed overo" pattern looks like. Her white areas on either side are surrounded by the darker bay color. Her white face markings also extend further than non paint horses. The other two overo patterns are "sabino overo" and "splash overo".
Sabino horses have a pattern often confused with roaning. They often have white legs and a lot of white on the face extending past the eyes. The white areas have indistinct edges and irregular shapes.
Splash horses look like they have been dipped in white paint from the hooves up and got their face down in it too. The white markings on the body extend from the belly upward.
This is where it gets tricky...there are three types of overo color patterns. "Dixie" here shows us what the "framed overo" pattern looks like. Her white areas on either side are surrounded by the darker bay color. Her white face markings also extend further than non paint horses. The other two overo patterns are "sabino overo" and "splash overo".
Sabino horses have a pattern often confused with roaning. They often have white legs and a lot of white on the face extending past the eyes. The white areas have indistinct edges and irregular shapes.
Splash horses look like they have been dipped in white paint from the hooves up and got their face down in it too. The white markings on the body extend from the belly upward.
Tovero - So I said earlier I would explain the term. This is another area where it gets a little tricky with paint color patterns.
"Bussy" is a tovero. These horses have a combination of overo and tobiano color patterns. A mostly white horse like "Bussy" can be exhibiting several coat patterns at once. There are genetic tests now to help differentiate the patterns expressed. Remember that framed overos have dark legs and a dark head. Splash overos are white from the bottom up and sabinos have irregular roaned out areas.
"Bussy" also has white over her topline, a tobiano trait.
"Bussy" is a tovero. These horses have a combination of overo and tobiano color patterns. A mostly white horse like "Bussy" can be exhibiting several coat patterns at once. There are genetic tests now to help differentiate the patterns expressed. Remember that framed overos have dark legs and a dark head. Splash overos are white from the bottom up and sabinos have irregular roaned out areas.
"Bussy" also has white over her topline, a tobiano trait.
"Bussy" gave us "Bling" in 2012. "Bling" is a framed overo with blue eyes. She may have some other overo or tobiano patterns as well. We have not tested her genetically. She has a perfect rim of sorrel over her back and chest accounting for the framed gene. She also has vertical white markings up all her legs which can be consistent with tobiano color patterns.
There are lots of older terms out there like (skewbald and piebald) and misconceptions about genetic combinations and color patterns. If you have any questions I would love to address them on our blog page. Just email them from our home contact page.