Due to decreasing use over the years, I have decided to disable the forum functionality of the site.

Forums will still be available to view but new posts are no longer allowed.

Books about Equine color genetics

Itz June 16, 2011 June 16, 2011

Forums

I have been looking for some good books about equine color genetics for a while now. While internet is a fantastic recourse, I'm a fan of books as well and just like to have everything collected in one place;) Most of the books I've found so far are rather old though, and concidering how much new information they've discovered over the past few years, I'm wondering if most of the old books might be outdated. So what I'm basically asking for is tips of good books abouth equine colour genetics. Does anyone have a particular one that you like and think would be a good choise?

Maigray Thu, 06/16/2011 - 17:32

I don't believe any books on equine color genetics are current at the moment. Sponenberg has the most well known book, and though not perfect, it is the best resource on the subject in print. Updated editions have kept the information reasonably current, but it will still not keep up with what is currently known. There is a book by Bowling which is also a good resource, but old, and out of date. There are several other books which are interesting and have good pictures but they are not accurate.

Monsterpony Thu, 06/16/2011 - 21:59

Your best bet is to find current research rather than any published books. The field is expanding so quickly that most books are out-dated as they hit the shelves.

rabbitsfizz Sat, 06/18/2011 - 10:42

I find the problem with books on genetics (apart form a growing inability to understand them but that is just me getting old) is that by the time they are published they are pretty much out of date.
Although I cannot tell you how badly wrong the majority of Jeannette McGowan's book is (Just, really....[i]wrong[/i])I have to say that the colour illustrations are good in that book and it is not too expensive- so if you can ignore most of the text- maybe get it in a charity shop?- the pictures are good!
Mostly though, if you come on here and ask a question you will get answers that range from given from experience right through to text book, you need a PhD to understand them (but if you do need it broken down the authors will always do so happily, they just forget sometimes that not everyone who is not a moron can understand geekspeak)so I would just hang around and browse, jump in when you feel like it.
Even though we do get really heated sometimes we don't mean it and you only have to look at a few other sites and see the nasty little cliques and factions abounding to realise that!
No cliques here, and no real hate fests, either, we can be at one another's throats one minute and debating if a horse will go grey the next.
Stick around, pull up a chair, throw some prawns on the barby and ask away.
Oh, and Hi, welcome, bienvenue, willkommen.....

Itz Mon, 06/20/2011 - 14:22

Thank you for your replies!
Ah, so it was like I expected then? Most of them are more or less outdated. Might still try to get a copy of a Sponenberg book though, just to have [i]something[/i] to put in my book shelves!;)
I'm pretty much here on a daily basis, reading whatever new threads and topics there are, and I really like this forum. It's definitely a good place to get much of the new information available out there (and I actually do like the heated discussions;) ) The reason I was looking for a fairly updated book was mostly because I - in my own geeky way - really love books. And a good book about something that I find darn interesting would be fantastic. But since there doesn't seem to be any books out there atm that are up to date, I suppose I could stick to the internet for now.
Thanks for the tips though! I’ve heard of Sponenberg before, but I’m unfamiliar with McGowan. I’ll definitely look that one up as well (if only for those pictures ;) ).