Please Note that Horses must only be of one of the accepted Paint patterns below, Any Horse sporting any Appaloosa Traits will not be accepted
Tobiano
The dark color usually covers one or both flanks. Generally, all four legs are white, at least below the hocks and knees. Generally, the spots are regular and distinct as ovals or round patterns that extend down over the neck and chest, giving the appearance of a shield. Head markings are like those of a solid-colored horse--solid, or with a blaze, strip, star or snip. A tobiano may be either predominantly dark or white. The tail is often two colors.
Horse #1 has only a tiny white spot in her mane, but she is nevertheless a tobiano.
Horses #6 & 7 both are homozygous tobianos, showing the "paw prints" (small, irregular dark spots within their white areas) that these often display.
The tiny dark dots on horse #5 are just that --- dots. Only one of her parents was tobiano, so she cannot be homozygous.
Overo
The white usually will not cross the back of the horse between its withers and its tail. Generally, at least one and often all four legs are dark. Generally, the white is irregular, and is rather scattered or splashy. Head markings are distinctive, often bald-faced, apron-faced or bonnet-faced. An overo may be either predominantly dark or white. The tail is usually one color.
Overo's can never be homozygous (carry 2 overo genes)
<--------These horses are all frame overos.
Horse #1 is a crop-out --- a pinto out of 2 non-pinto parents. Since it has no tobiano parent, it must be an overo despite the solid colored head.
Both #3 & #5 display some sabino overo characteristics, and may carry that gene as well.
Sabino*Commonly registered as Overo*
The sabino pattern is nearly as common in Paints as the frame overo and tobiano patterns.
The sabino pattern is usually the one called "overo" in South America, so terminology is confusing at best.
The term "sabino" in literal Spanish means pale or speckled, and in Mexico and Argentina this term is used to describe fleabitten grey horses, or other mottled patterns. In Europe, and increasingly in the United States, sabino is used to describe a unique and interesting pattern of white spotting in horses. Sabino horses usually have four white feet and white legs.
The white usually extends up the legs in ragged patches, and then extends onto the horse's body from the belly. The head is usually fairly white, and the eyes are commonly blue. Many sabino horses have eyes that are partially blue and partially brown. Flecks, patches and roan areas are common on sabinos, in contrast to the frame overos that are usually more crisply marked.
Sabino's can be homozygous sabino but the sabino gene is located in the same place as several other genes(White & Tobiano) so a Tobiano/Sabino Tovero can only carry one of each gene.
<--------These horses are sabino overos.
Horse #3 is almost all white. His pinto markings show up only as a light roaning, but become very obvious when he is wet.
Horse #1 displays the sabino pattern so typical of many Clydesdales, Tennessee Walkers, Paso Finos, Arabians and many other breeds.
Splashed White*Depending on the exact markingsthey are commonly registered as Overo and sometimes Tobiano or Tovero*
Splashed white is the least common of the spotting patterns in horses, although it is increasing in frequency as breeders use more and more splashed white horses in their breeding programs. It occurs sporadically in a number of widely divergent breeds, such as Welsh Ponies, Finnish Draft Horses, Icelandic Horses and Paints. The pattern usually makes the horse look as though it has been dipped in white paint. On a dark horse, the effect can be that of an ice cream cone dipped in chocolate. The legs are usually white, as are the bottom portions of the body. The head is also usually white, and the eyes are frequently blue. The edges of the white are consistently crisp and clean, with no roaning. Some of these splashed whites have dark toplines, but on some the white crosses the topline.
Splashed White can be homozygous
<--------These are splashed white overos
Notice how these horses look as if they have been dipped or rolled in white paint.
Horse #8 is out of both splashed white parents.
Horse #9, despite the fact that the white crosses her back, is a splashed white overo. Her damis horse #4 and her full sister is horse #6, and the sireis non-pinto.
Tovero Tovero is the term usually used for a horse that displays both tobiano and overo characteristics. This can be a difficult pattern to identify at times, and sometimes only the horse's offspring can determine if it is truly a tovero. (That is, if it produces both tobiano and overo foals out of non-pinto mates.) Most toveros, like most overos, have bald or apron faces. This is frequently the only visible sign of the overo gene they carry. Many are marked on their body and legs just like tobiano pintos. More white than color is typical of toveros, but not a hard and fast rule. Toveros, since they carry two different pinto genes, produce a higher percentage of pinto foals than anything besides homozygous tobianos. (See ***Note below.) A few toveros are shown in the examples below.
Tovero *Horses carry at least one copy of the Tobiano gene and at least one overo gene, sabino and splash are considered overo genes as well*
Dark pigmentation around the ears, which may expand to cover the forehead and/or eyes. One or both eyes blue. Dark pigmentation around the mouth, which may extend up the sides of the face and form spots. Chest spot(s) in varying sizes.
These may also extend up the neck. Flank spot(s) ranging in size.
These are often accompanied by smaller spots that extend forward across the barrel, and up over the loin. Spots, varying in size, at the base of the tail.
Tovero's maybe homozygous when carrying the Frame Overo and/or Splashed White genes but not when carrying the Sabino gene, They may also carry more that one of the "Overo" genes so you may get a Tobiano/Frame/Splash/Sabino
<--------These are toveros.
Horse #6 is in fact for the tobiano gene and also carries an overo gene. His sire was a tobiano and his dam a tovero. He will be able to produce tobianos and toveros, but no solids and no overos, since all of his foals will carry the tobiano gene and thus will display the tobiano pattern.
Difficult to distinguish patterns.
Horse #1 could be easily mistaken for an overo, if not for the fact that both parents are tobianos. This horse is, in fact, homozygous for the tobiano gene.
Horse #2 is definitely an overo, but could be either a frame or a sabino.
Horse #3 looks like a tovero, but is a full brother to #6 & 9 in the splashed white overo chart. He is Rosa Roca's Willy Bea Star, a splashed white overo by Rosa Roca's Tailor Made, who is a non-pinto bay.
*NOTE: Homozygous (pronounced ho-mo-zi-gus) tobianos will always produce tobiano foals (or toveros, if they or their mate carry the overo gene) regardless of what they are bred to, because they carry two tobiano genes, instead of one like most other pintos. They MUST have both tobiano pinto parents in order to be homozygous, but there is only a 25% percent chance that a foal from two tobiano parents will be homozygous. They can sometimes be distinguished by the presence of "paw prints," irregular spots of color within their white areas. But the only way to tell for certain is through progeny or blood testing. The University of California at Davis is one of the primary testing centers, and can be contacted over the Internet. There are no homozygous overos, apparently.
