Cropout

Last updated

A cropout, crop-out or crop out is a horse with body spots, including pinto or leopard complex spotting, or "high white" horse markings, with a sire and dam who both appeared to have been solid-colored. There are several variations in the definition, depending on the breed registry involved. There are multiple genetic reasons that may cause a horse to be a cropout. Sometimes solid-colored horses throw cropouts because some spotting patterns are recessive genes that are not necessarily expressed unless the relevant allele is inherited from both parents. Other times a gene may be a dominant or incomplete dominant but so minimally expressed that the horse looks solid but can pass flashy color on to its offspring.

The term originally came about because excess white in certain breeds was considered an undesirable trait and such foals were deemed ineligible for registration, making them grade horses of little economic value. However, many people liked the flashy color, others sought to keep cropout horses from becoming worthless, and thus new breed registries formed, such as the American Paint Horse Association. [1] In recent years, as DNA testing has become available to verify parentage, breed registries that once excluded cropouts are now accepting them.

The term "cropout" is today most closely associated with horses of American Quarter Horse breeding. [2] These horse are often registered as American Paint Horses, where the term usually refers to horses with overo coloring and whose parents were solid horses not registered with the APHA. [3] It may also refer to sabino-patterned horses. [1] For a cropout horse to be registered as a Paint, both sire and dam must either be Quarter Horses registered with the AQHA, or Thoroughbreds registered with The Jockey Club, plus have coloring that qualifies it for the regular registry of the APHA. Since the AQHA modified its "white rule" to allow registration of cropouts as Quarter Horses, the APHA has also limited its registration of cropouts to those foaled prior to January 1, 2005. [4]

Cropouts also occur when two solid-colored Quarter Horses produce a foal with Appaloosa coloring. [5] The leopard (Lp) gene that creates the distinctive spotting pattern of the Appaloosa has several variations, including the Varnish roan, which may appear to be simple roan coloring to many observers. Thus, the foundation bloodlines of the American Quarter Horse contained some horses who carried the Leopard gene, particularly those from the breeding program of an individual named Coke Roberds. [5]

Though the term "cropout" is most closely associated with Quarter Horses, other breeds, such as the Morgan horse, use the term to describe horses with bold white markings, such as leg markings that up the legs to the belly with irregular, lacy and jagged edges. While the APHA is only open to horses of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse ancestry, some strongly marked sabino Morgans have been double-registered as Pintos. [6]

The overo gene is one of the most frequent genetic sources of cropouts in Paint horses, as there are some forms of overo that are recessive genes, and a significant number of cropout Paints are overos. [3] At one time, the overo gene was thought to be a dominant gene, though it was acknowledged that more than one gene seemed to influence overo color, and overo offspring from nonspotted Quarter Horse parents was known. [7] However, the full genetic basis for overo patterns is still not fully described. [2]

In the case of most pinto and some Paint cropouts, another cause is the sabino gene, which can exhibit its presence with anything from tall white stockings or bold face markings, known as "high white," to significant spotting patterns. [1] Research indicates that most Sabino patterning is probably polygenic, caused by a gene complex that is not the same as the gene or gene-complex which creates the overo pattern. One sabino gene, SB1, has been identified, but there appear to be others, as many sabino marked horses do not carry SB1. [8] [9] [10] People seeking to produce color via the Sabino gene have noticed that crossing horses who both exhibit at least minimal sabino traits will usually result in a foal with more "loud" (flashy) coloring. [6]

Usually a cropout will not be a tobiano. Because the tobiano gene is dominant, all tobianos have a least one tobiano parent. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Appaloosa</span> American horse breed noted for spotted color pattern

The Appaloosa is an American horse breed best known for its colorful 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 patterns overlaid on top of one of several recognized base coat colors. The color pattern of the Appaloosa is of interest to those who study equine coat color genetics, as it and several other physical characteristics are linked to the leopard complex mutation (LP). Appaloosas are prone to develop equine recurrent uveitis and congenital stationary night blindness; the latter has been linked to the leopard complex.

A color breed refers to groupings of horses whose registration is based primarily on their coat color, regardless of the horse's actual breed or breed type.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Paint Horse</span> American breed of 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 Association (APHA) breed registry is now one of the largest in North America. The registry allows some non-spotted animals to be registered as "Solid Paint Bred" and considers the American Paint Horse to be a horse breed with distinct characteristics, not merely a color breed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lethal white syndrome</span> Medical condition

Lethal white syndrome (LWS), also called overo lethal white syndrome (OLWS), lethal white overo (LWO), and overo lethal white foal syndrome (OLWFS), is an autosomal genetic disorder most prevalent in the American Paint Horse. Affected foals are born after the full 11-month gestation and externally appear normal, though they have all-white or nearly all-white coats and blue eyes. However, internally, these foals have a nonfunctioning colon. Within a few hours, signs of colic appear; affected foals die within a few days. Because the death is often painful, such foals are often humanely euthanized once identified. The disease is particularly devastating because foals are born seemingly healthy after being carried to full term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piebald</span> Animal with white markings on a darker coat

A piebald or pied animal is one that has a pattern of unpigmented spots (white) on a pigmented background of hair, feathers or scales. Thus a piebald black and white dog is a black dog with white spots. The animal's skin under the white background is not pigmented.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skewbald</span>

Skewbald is a colour pattern of horses. A skewbald horse has a coat made up of white patches on a non-black base coat, such as chestnut, bay, or any colour besides black coat. Skewbald horses which are bay and white are sometimes called tricoloured. These horses usually have pink skin under white markings and dark skin under non-white areas. Other than colour, it is similar in appearance to the piebald pattern. Some animals also exhibit colouration of the irises of the eye that match the surrounding skin. The underlying genetic cause is related to a condition known as leucism. The term is also used to describe spotting patterns in various other animals, such as goats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tricoloured horse</span>

Tri-coloured refers to a horse with three different coat colours in a pinto spotting pattern of large white and dark patches, usually bay and white. This colouring is also commonly called skewbald. In modern usage in British English, skewbald and piebald horses are collectively referred to as coloured, while in North American English, the term pinto is used to describe the colour pattern.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pinto horse</span> Horse with coat color that consists of large patches

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 patterns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tobiano</span> Spotted color pattern in horses

Tobiano is a spotted color pattern commonly seen in pinto horses, produced by a dominant gene. The tobiano gene produces white-haired, pink-skinned patches on a base coat color. The coloration is almost always present from birth and does not change throughout the horse's lifetime, unless the horse also carries the gray gene. It is a dominant gene, so any tobiano horse must have at least one parent who carries the tobiano gene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Overo</span> Group of colouration patters of horses

Overo refers to several genetically unrelated pinto coloration patterns of white-over-dark body markings in horses, and is a term used by the American Paint Horse Association to classify a set of pinto patterns that are not tobiano. Overo is a Spanish word, originally meaning "like an egg". The most common usage refers to frame overo, but splashed white and sabino are also considered "overo". A horse with both tobiano and overo patterns is called tovero.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Equine coat color</span> Horse coat colors and markings

Horses exhibit a diverse array of coat colors and distinctive markings. A specialized vocabulary has evolved to describe them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White horse</span>

A white horse is born predominantly white and stays white throughout its life. A white horse has mostly pink skin under its hair coat, and may have brown, blue, or hazel eyes. "True white" horses, especially those that carry one of the dominant white (W) genes, are rare. Most horses that are commonly referred to as "white" are actually "gray" horses whose hair coats are completely white. Gray horses may be born of any color and their hairs gradually turn white as time goes by and take on a white appearance. Nearly all gray horses have dark skin, except under any white markings present at birth. Skin color is the most common method for an observer to distinguish between mature white and gray horses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sabino horse</span> Color pattern in horses

Sabino describes a distinct pattern of white spotting in horses. In general, Sabino patterning is visually recognized by roaning or irregular edges of white markings, belly spots, white extending past the eyes or onto the chin, white above the knees or hocks, and "splash" or "lacy" marks anywhere on the body. Some sabinos have patches of roan patterning on part of the body, especially the barrel and flanks. Some sabinos may have a dark leg or two, but many have four white legs. Sabino patterns may range from slightly bold face or leg white markings—as little as white on the chin or lower lip—to horses that are fully white.

The American Paint Horse Association (APHA) is a breed registry for the American Paint Horse. It is currently headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It was founded in 1965 with the merging of two different color breed registries that had been formed to register pinto-colored horses of Quarter Horse bloodlines. One of these organizations was the American Paint Quarter Horse Association and the other was the American Paint Stock Horse Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Splashed white</span>

Splashed white or splash is a horse coat color pattern in the "overo" group of spotting patterns that produces pink-skinned, white markings. Many splashed whites have very modest markings, while others have the distinctive "dipped in white paint" pattern. Blue eyes are a hallmark of the pattern, and splash may account for otherwise "solid" blue-eyed horses. Splashed white occurs in a variety of geographically divergent breeds, from Morgans in North America to Kathiawari horses in India. The splashed white pattern is also associated with congenital deafness, though most splashed whites have normal hearing. Splashed white can be caused by multiple variants across two different genes, for which genetic testing is available.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominant white</span> Horse coat color and its genetics

Dominant white (W) is a group of genetically related coat color alleles on the KIT gene of the horse, best known for producing an all-white coat, but also able to produce various forms of white spotting, as well as bold white markings. Prior to the discovery of the W alllelic series, many of these patterns were described by the term sabino, which is still used by some breed registries.

The Pinto Horse Association of America (PtHA) registers horses, utility horses, ponies and miniature horses of various pedigrees with certain kinds of pinto coat colors. The word pinto is Spanish for "paint." In general terms, pinto can apply to any horse marked with unpigmented pink-skinned, white-haired areas on its coat. The Pinto Horse Association of America provides the owners and riders of pintos with a show circuit and a breed organization. The primary requirement for PtHA registration is coat color; the pinto is not a true breed, but a color breed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quarter Pony</span> American breed of horse

The Quarter Pony is a breed of pony that is similar to the American Quarter Horse. It stands up to 14.2 hands high and was developed from American Quarter Horse foundation bloodstock. The breed was originally developed from Quarter Horses that did not meet the American Quarter Horse Association's height requirement. It is bred to look like a small Quarter Horse, although the various registries also allow crosses with other breeds, including Paint horse, Appaloosa and Pony of the Americas, all stock types. It is one of the most versatile horse breeds there are. There are three registries for the Quarter Pony, all with slightly different registration requirements. The first registry was begun in 1964, and two more were started in the 1970s. The breed is used today in a variety of Western and English riding disciplines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roan (horse)</span> Horse coat color pattern characterized by an even mixture of colored and white hairs on the body

Roan is a horse coat color pattern characterized by an even mixture of colored and white hairs on the body, while the head and "points"—lower legs, mane, and tail—are mostly solid-colored. Horses with roan coats have white hairs evenly intermingled throughout any other color. The head, legs, mane, and tail have fewer scattered white hairs or none at all. The roan pattern is dominantly inherited, and is found in many horse breeds. While the specific mutation responsible for roan has not been exactly identified, a DNA test can determine zygosity for roan in several breeds. True roan is always present at birth, though it may be hard to see until after the foal coat sheds out. The coat may lighten or darken from winter to summer, but unlike the gray coat color, which also begins with intermixed white and colored hairs, roans do not become progressively lighter in color as they age. The silvering effect of mixed white and colored hairs can create coats that look bluish or pinkish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pintabian</span> Breed of horse

The Pintabian horse is an American part-Arabian horse breed. It has over 99% Arabian blood, but also exhibits the tobiano color pattern, which is not found in purebred Arabians. The registry began using the term "Pintabian" in 1992 and trademarked the word in 1995. which is the official registering authority for Pintabian horses worldwide.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.