Extreme Sabino
At it's most maximum expression Sabino will cause the horse to be totally white, if any colour remains it's usually as flecked or ticked on areas such as the ears, tail base, chest and flanks, these areas may not have coloured hair, it may just be the coloured skin showing through the white hair. 

Foal photo 12 months - clipped

Sabino Stallion: Rapidash Boysenberry Echo  Sire: Bay Dam: extreme sabino  Bred and owned by Rapidash Miniature Horses   This boy has rather a lot of base colour for an extreme sabino - although when clipped it is hard to see.

In the past, a horse coloured like this was said to be "Dominant White". This dominant gene was thought to be lethal when homozygous, like overo. The problem with this theory was that many horses who were "Dominant White" didn't have the necessary "Dominant White" parent, the rule of dominant genes being that at least one parent must have it for the foal to have it. Research has shown that these "Dominant White" horses who are usually born from non-white parents are really Sabinos with the maximum expression of the pattern. The theory of the "Dominant White" gene has been left in the past, especially since there has never been any scientific evidence to support that it exists.

Roaning
Another common characteristic of Sabino is roaning, this is the most minimal expression of Sabino. This can vary from a small amount of roaning concentrated in one area of the horse to roaning that covers the entire body. It's also common for roaning to be found on the head and legs, especially if a white marking is present. 
This roaning will vary in extent from very minimal to very extreme and occurs to some extent in all breeds which have Sabino.

You can see in the example below that this horse is not a TRUE roan, as the legs and head have extensive "ticking" as well as the body.

Note... I have seen "typical" sabinos (blaze, white legs, chin white) who have also roaned off so much that they appear to be almost white by the time they are mature horses - with no grey parents.

<< Back to Sabino

>> Top of page