My 1943 book of horses says....

Ok so going through my Granny's things we found this Observers Book of Horses and Ponies. It was revised in 1968, so it's not thaaaaat ancient, haha! Anyway, I was reading and it has an Albino breed: [quote] Many breeds of animals and brids produce from time to tie pure white specimens, and the white or Albino horse, which is of course a colour type, dnot a breed, has since 1937 been fostered and developed in America by the American Albino Horse Club. The foundation sire is said to have been "Old King," foaled in 1906, with breeding unknown, though he is believed to have been of Arabian-Morgan stock. Although with very careful selection, particularly in regard to colour, any type of Albion horse can be developed, whether for riding or for draught, since "Old King" is regarded as the foundation sire, and as a great many Albino horses used for circuses and parades are descended from him, a short description is desirable. This horse was 15.2 hands high and strongly built. [b]No dark spots appeared on his skin, which was of the necessary pink colour, and his hair was snow-white and silky, both mane and tail being very full.[/b] Possessed of sound endurance and of a vigorous character, he had nevertheless a quiet disposition; his action was commanding and his intelligence considerable. He is further described as having a short, heavily muscled back with a well-rounded, close-ribbed body, legs of flat bone and white hair around the hoofs. Albino horses are bred for those to whom a white horse appeals, and naturally many of them are used for ceremonial purposes and in the circus ring. Such being the case, a large number of these horses have been taught.........blahblahblah..... [/quote] So besides the whole arabian part, it sounds like a cremello or perlino or smokey cream, that sort of thing. It doesn't mention eye color. But what I found interesting was the description of a Palomino. [quote] The term "Palomino" as applied to this beautiful horse of North America, appropriately known as "the golden horse of the west," is not yet strictly a breed, but a colour. This colour is litterally gold, though vasriations from a soft cream or light blonde chestnut to the darker shades are admissible. At its best the coat has been described as metallic in sheen comparable to a United States gold coin. The mane and tail should be very light, almost white, and except for white on the face and legs no other colours or markinds are admited; [b]albino and pinto parentage are forbidden.[/b] [i](so if I'm right in guessing that what they are calling an albino is a DD, then....wtf is going on there haha!)[/i] The eyes are dark, and blue or chalk eyes are not accepted. The ultimate origin of this attractive colouring goes back to remote ages, its being mentioned in Homeric times. For practical purposes, however, it appears to be of Spanish origin from Saracen and Moorish stock, and there is no doubt that the type contains Arab and Barb blood. Horses of this colour became highly prised in Spain, and Queen Isabella, the sponsor of Columbos, encouraged their breeding. It is possible that such animals were taken to the West Indies by Columbus, but it is on record that Cortes had them in Mexico in 1519. In Spain these horses were called "Ysabellas" in honour of the famous queen. It is said that they take their present name from Juan de Palomino, to whom Cortes presented one of them. blahblahblah The breeding is generally a cross between Palomino and light chestnuts of the light horse breeds, and also Palomino to Palomino. A cross between a chestnut mare with light mane and tail and a Palomino stallion will usually produce a Palomino foal in 80 per cent. of crosses. But the breeding is still in the experimental stage and by no means fixed. Foals are usually true Palomino at birth, with blue eyes. The colour chnages somewhat with age, and the eyes darken. Manes and tails start by being chestnut, but whiten with age. blahblahblah [/quote] Anyway, I just thought it was neat reading what they thought back then. The glossery was neat too, lots of terms I've never heard of like "Toad eye - Found only in the Exmoor pony. A distinct and wide mealy rim to both eyelids, and practically running around the eye, which is prominent, thus giving the effect of the eye of the toad."