My Paint Horse Research Paper

Ever since a young age, I have been around horses; however, most of my time is spent with my paint horse. My paint horse is a bi-colored paint while another paint horse I am frequently around is a tri-colored paint. These differences caused me to wonder at a young age if there were different types of paints. I have since learned that there are three types but did not know the particular names. To further my knowledge on this specific subject, I gathered information regarding the breed of paint horses using sources such as books, journal entries, and websites. A pdf format of a book found on Google, American Paint Horse Association’s Guide to Coat Color Genetics, was full of information about each of the types, the genetics, breeding tips, coat colors and descriptions, and the Overo Lethal White Syndrome. The

The article written by Correa, Reyes, Pardo, and Cavadia contained information regarding the overo type as well: “Given that the (O) [gene] is dominant, white spots are present from the ventral region towards the dorsal region; the spots are usually small and can be present on the legs and the case.” The American Paint Horse Association’s Guide to Coat Color Genetics explains the background of the word overo: “a Spanish word, originally meaning ‘like an egg.’ In this case, it refers to speckling or spotting...The term overo covers three genetically distinct patterns: frame overo, sabino and splashed white.” The article goes on to describe, with words and pictures, the three different patterns. Frame overo has “white patches centered in the body and neck [which is] framed by colored areas,” sabinos “usually have four white feet and white legs [which]...extends up...in ragged patches...onto the horse’s body from the belly,” and splashed white “pattern usually makes the horse look as though it has been dipped in white paint.” The splashed white overo is not very common as most of these horses are “deaf”