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Foal colour query

Catherine July 10, 2009 February 22, 2011

Forums

Hello everyone New to the forum. We live in outback South Australia and in addition to the sheep breed Connemara ponies on a small scale. I'm attaching a photo of our colt born in February. He is purebred Connemara out of a bay mare and by a grey stallion. I have received advice from Connemara breeders that suggest he may be carrying the dilute gene or that the eyes are in fact due to lack of pigmentation and will go dark. Neither his sire nor dam have been dilute gene tested. His eyes are still very blue, at five months, but do appear to be darkening a little perhaps. We will have him tested once he is a bit older but in the mean time any thoughts would be appreciated. Though he was born black, he is going grey, quite of few grey hairs coming through now. Thanks, Catherine

Daylene Alford Fri, 07/10/2009 - 20:54

Hi Catherine glad to see you made it.

Blue eyes in cases like this are thought to be caused by a white pattern gene in minimal form. The most likely culprits are Frame and Splash.

[img]http://www.equine-color.info/gallery2/m…]

This guy here has tested positive for Frame (LWO)
Photo is cutesy of Celtic Mist Miniatures

Krickette Fri, 07/10/2009 - 21:15

very cute! What do the sire and dam look like? I think blue eyed greys are gorgeous! He's going to be soooo cute when he's grown! (cute now already!)

critterkeeper Fri, 07/10/2009 - 21:24

Oh, how adorable...he looks alot like the minimal frame example that Daylene posted that has blue eyes. :love

Welcome to the forum and feel free to post pixs of all your ponies (and sheep too in the "pets" section - only critter cutier than a new foal is a newborn lamb :flower )

Monsterpony Fri, 07/10/2009 - 22:42

If he is a purebred COnnemara, then the most likely white pattern is splash white since Connemaras shouldn't carry frame.

Catherine Sat, 07/11/2009 - 00:06

Thank you for your responses and the miniature is very striking. And yes thanks, he is quite cute and has a very friendly little personality too! His dam is dark bay and unfortunately I don't know the base coat of his grey sire (it wasn't recorded). As we don't breed for colour, I understand the basics for the solid or base colours and also how the dilute and grey factors operate in the Connemara, but generally speaking not a lot else!! So what exactly is white splash and is it something that can be tested for?

Thanks, Catherine

critterkeeper Sat, 07/11/2009 - 08:36

Splash white is a white spotting gene (very common in a lot of breeds just like sabino), if you go to the homepage of this site you will find info on the basic color genetics including the white genes. I don't see any white on you baby, not even in minimal form (is there some around his feet? it can be as small as a spot) which is the reason we all jump to the conclusion of frame (it can be and is found on solid colored horses like the mini in the example posted). :sad

MP or Horsegen, is it even possible to have a solid splash white? I don't think I have ever heard of one and I am sure I have never seen one. :hammer :HB

Edited once for spelling... :oops:

accphotography Sat, 07/11/2009 - 13:59

It is certainly possible just as it is possible to have solid frames or sabinos. RF has had LOTS of splashes with only blue eyes.

rabbitsfizz Sat, 07/11/2009 - 15:30

Yes, I have had one in a Shetland but I have never heard of Connies having Splash...more than possible, but never heard of it!!