Design Guide

Genetics: nLp patnpatn
Locus: Lp | Modified by patn​
nLp = Snowflake Appaloosa, nLp patn = Blanket Appaloosa, nLp patnpatn = Leopard Appaloosa
LpLp patn = Snowcap Appaloosa, LpLp = Varnish Roan, LpLp patnpatn = Fewspot Appaloosa

Overview:

• Makes the coat white, with spots of the base color all over the body.
• Size of spots should generally be around eye to hoof sized, and should not be too sparse.
• Spots should generally be somewhat oblong. Can range in amount of spots, from light to very heavy.
• Spots should be present on all parts of the body, including head and legs.
• Mane/Tail: ​Mane will be white with streaks where spots touch. White or optionally streaked tail.
• Skin: Pink skin beneath white markings, optional pink mottling on unaffected skin.
• Hooves: Optional tan/shell striping.
• Eyes: No effect
  
  

Blue Roan Leopard Appaloosa

Black Pearl Leopard Appaloosa

Bay Leopard Appaloosa Rapunzel

Genetics: LpLp patnpatn
Locus: Lp | Modified by patn​
nLp = Snowflake Appaloosa, nLp patn = Blanket Appaloosa, nLp patnpatn = Leopard Appaloosa
LpLp patn = Snowcap Appaloosa, LpLp = Varnish Roan, LpLp patnpatn = Fewspot Appaloosa

Overview:

• Makes the coat white, with patches of color at the armpit/groin (required) and optionally the knee/hock, eyes, and muzzle.
• A few small spots of base color are strewn across the coat, around eye-sized or smaller. Spots should be sparse.
• Mane/Tail: ​White, with optional streaks (must be minimal/few).
• Skin: Pink skin beneath white markings, optional pink mottling on unaffected skin.
• Hooves: Optional tan/shell striping.
• Eyes: No effect
  
  

Sooty Chestnut Fewspot Appaloosa

Chestnut Fewspot Appaloosa

Black Fewspot Appaloosa

Face Markings:

• Fairly smooth in appearance, and should not have overly jagged/irregular edges. Will have variance and tapering, but not excessively.
• Should be oriented vertically, not horizontally. Markings should not be wider than they are tall.
• Widest points tend to be at forehead and muzzle - markings on bridge of nose are typically thinner.
• Will not be split into more than 2-3 segments. Will not split into side-by-side pieces.
• The images below only represent a few examples and are not exhaustive!
  
  

Leg Markings:

• Must start from the hoof/coronet, filling upward. Will not originate from a different point on the leg.
• May have 1-2 small spots on the coronet band that cause striping on the hoof (must match where white covers).
• Should not be overly irregular/jagged, but may have one side reach slightly higher than the other.
• Small markings (i.e. on the heel) may hug one side, but shouldn't exceed the fetlock in height.
• Each leg is independent of the others; may be anywhere from none to max on each one.
• The images below only represent a few examples and are not exhaustive!

Genetics: rp_
* Must be homozygous to show; otherwise carried
Locus: rp

Overview:

• This mutation does not affect the coat, only the tailbone length.
• For more details, please see our Tail Tutorial page!
  
  

Sooty Pangare Chestnut Dutch Lapin Rapunzel

 

 

Genetics: Sf_
Locus: Sf

Overview:

• Causes speckling as if snow has collected on the topline and/or around white markings. You may choose one or both when designing!
  • Topline: Concentrated on the withers/back, as if snow has been sprinkled on the horse.
  • Marking: Concentrated on the border of the markings, and sprinkled slightly outward.
• Spots can vary in density and size, but should be smaller than the eye. Bigger patches are caused by dense spotting that merges.
• Spots should become sparser the further they are from the main concentration area, so that there is noticeable taper in density.

Range:

• Minimum: Must cover the withers or attach to at least one white marking - it cannot be completely hidden.
• Maximum: Snowfall along the topline and all markings. Topline concentration should only cover about 1/4 of the barrel vertically.
  
  

Perlino Splash Snowfall

Black Snowfall

Black Pearl Snowfall

Genetics: Co_
Locus: Co​

Overview:

• Causes a white band around the barrel.
• Should not be perfectly smooth; edges should have some degree of variance.
• Thickness can vary slightly, but should be fairly consistent from top to bottom.
• Must begin at some point on the first 1/3 of the back (measured from start of withers to point of hip).
• Cannot start further up than the start of the withers, nor end further back than the hip.
• Mane/Tail: No effect
• Skin: Pink where covering
• Eyes: No effect

Range:

• Minimum: Should be at least as wide as the withers.
• Maximum: May cover the entire barrel from withers to hip.
  
  

Almond Corset

Pangare Sakura Corset Orchid

Grullo Corset

Genetics: St_
Locus: St​

Overview:

• Stained may present in two different forms. You may freely choose either form when designing, but not both.
• Causes parts of the coat to be darkened - area/amount is dependent on the version chosen.
• Darkening should be medium/low-opacity, keeping underlying variance intact (dapples, countershading, etc).
• May exhibit darker or lighter mapping around the stained markings.
• Version A:
  • Causes 1-3 random independent patches of the coat to be darker.
  • ​Patches should have edges with cutouts, similar to the shape/edges of Overo.
• Version B:
  • Darkens some or all of the white markings on the horse. Adheres to all rules/bounds for the marking, just makes them dark.
  • If a marking is darkened, it must affect all white that physically touches it, even if caused by two different genes.
  • Natural white may be applied on top after staining if desired (this is the only exception to the "all white that touches" rule above).
  • Affects everything listed under "White Markings" on the Visual Hierarchy page.

Interactions:

• Halo: Mapping on Version B can be affected by Halo, darkening the Halo as well if the main marking is Stained.

Range:

• Minimum:
  • Version A: At least one marking as large as the head.
  • Version B: At least one marking affected.
• Maximum:
  • Version A: Up to three different markings, not exceeding more than 1/3 of the body total on each side.
  • Version B: All white markings are affected.
    
    

Version A Examples:

Stained Smoky Cream

Stained Silver Abyss Husky Dun Tobiano Rapunzel + Wulf

Stained Grey on Chestnut Splash

Version B Examples:

Stained Bay Roan Splash

Stained Dominant White on Liver Chestnut

Stained Grullo Tobiano

Genetics: Bl_
Locus: Bl

Overview:

• Creates numerous holes in white patterns.
• Holes can vary in distribution/amount but should be somewhat oval in shape.
• Size of the holes should generally mirror Appaloosa spots, but can be a bit smaller (should not resemble fleabites).
• Can affect some or all white markings on the body, including natural white (face/leg markings).
• Affects everything listed under "White Markings" on the Visual Hierarchy page.

Range:

• Minimum: May be fully hidden.
• Maximum: May affect all white markings on the body. Must be clearly identifiable as spots/holes, not large patches.
  
  

Blotted Smoky Cream Overo

Blotted Bay Pearl Splash

Blotted Bay Roan Overo

Genetics: Dt_
Locus: B | Ty | Cv | Dt | D​
CvDt = Civet, TyDt = Tabby, BDt = Bengal, DtD = Primitive Dun, nDt/DtDt = Primitive Dun

Overview:

• Dilutes the body, leaving the legs and head alone (may reach the cheek slightly).
• A modified form of Dun. Causes an exaggerated expression of primitive markings.
  • Leg barring and dorsal stripe are required, while shoulder barring and facial cobwebbing are optional.
  • Will extend, thicken, and overall exaggerate the stripes in these areas.
• Stripes must clearly radiate from normal dun markings, and should taper at the edges. 
• Stripes on the front half of the body should be vertical, may not cross the throat/underside of the neck, and should stop just after the withers.
• Stripes on the back half of the body should be horizontal, stop at the dock of the tail (not continue on to the back), and should not pass the hip.
• Stripes on the front legs will gradually transition to become more vertical as they meet the markings coming from the topline.
• Primitive markings should be a few shades darker than the points, or black if points are already black.
• Mane/Tail: May exhibit light "frosting" blended at the roots of the hair.
• Skin: No effect
• Eyes: No effect

Interactions:

• Civet, Bengal, and Tabby: When paired with these genes, Primitive Dun will be hidden and have no effect.
• On renamed Dun combos, "Primitive" will be written before the color rather than after (Primitive Grullo, Primitive Red Dun, Primitive Dunalino, etc).

Range:

• Minimum: Dilution (lightening) of the body, as well as leg barring and dorsal stripe. May look like normal Dun at minimum.
• Maximum: Extension of all primitive markings (leg barring, shoulder barring, facial cobwebbing) to the bounds described above.
  
  

Bay Pearl Primitive Dun Tobiano + Wulf

Dawn Primitive Dun Splash

Primitive Grullo + Birdcatcher spots

Genetics: Cw_
Locus: Cw | Rm | R​
CwRm = Cowspot, CwR = Cowspot Roan, nCw/CwCw = Cowspot

Overview:

• Inspired by cattle coat patterns, particularly Texas Longhorns, Dairy Shorthorns, White Park, etc.
• Causes a white marking on the body of the horse, with rounded patches of the base color showing through.
• The majority of the patches should be at least as large as the hoof, but often cluster together to make larger patches.
• Edges of the white marking should have patches "cutting in" to them rather than being a smooth edge.
• The white marking should be densely speckled with spots of the base color, similar to Flecked or fleabitten grey.
• Mane/Tail:
  • Mane white where white touches
  • Tail solid colored, solid white, or partial white that covers up to 3/4 of the tail
• Skin: Pink where covering.
• Eyes: No effect

Interactions:

• May interact with Patchwork, Inverse, Blotted, Halo, and Stained.

Range:

• Minimum: White marking should cover at least from the withers back, with at least a few patches.
• Maximum: White marking may cover everything except the muzzle, eyes, ears, and pasterns/coronets.
  
  

Bay Plum Cowspot

Gold Champagne Cowspot Roan + Wulf, Halo

Blueberry Cowspot

Genetics: Cd_
Locus: Cd​

Overview:

• The mutation was named for its likeness to mountain ranges.
• Edges will not be overly jagged, contain holes, or double back, and should overall suggest the shape of a natural mountain range.
• Peaks should not exceed roughly 2/3 of the barrel in height, nor be so small as to be undiscernible as peaks.
• Peaks should vary in height and width, not be the same all the way across. Should have angles at the peaks and valleys, not be rounded.
• Leg markings should end somewhere between the stomach line and the top of the knee/hock.
• When paired with Halo, this can cause the illusion of two layers of peaks.
• Mane/Tail: No effect
• Skin: Pink where covering.
• Eyes: No effect

Interactions:

• May interact with Patchwork, Inverse, Blotted, Halo, and Stained.

Range:

• Minimum: White must extend from the buttock to the armpit, or from the chest to the groin.
• Maximum: Marking may cover from chest to butt, not exceeding roughly 2/3 of the barrel in height.
  
  

Chestnut Cordillera

Pangare Almond Orchid Cordillera

Stained Sooty Slate Cordillera + Halo, Chimera (Sooty Slate)

Genetics: Tx_
Locus: Tx​

Overview:

• A single unbroken white marking that follows the underside of the horse's neck, chest, and belly.
• Also causes a "collar" within the top half of the neck; must be at least as wide as the hoof.
• Markings should be relatively smooth, with subtle variance - not jagged or abrupt.
• Should not reach the head or legs.
• Note: Tuxedo is not always visible in the chest area when viewed from the side. As long as it is clearly visible on the neck and belly, and the marking is unbroken when drawn at an angle that shows the chest, you're good to go! Click here for an example.
• Mane/Tail:
  • Mane is always white where touching.
  • Tail optionally may have white at the end. On non-Rapunzel, it may cover up to 1/3. On Rapunzel, it may cover up to 1/4.
• Skin: Pink where covering
• Eyes: No effect

Range:

• Minimum:
  • White from the throatlatch to just behind the armpit, wide enough to be clearly visible.
  • Collar on the upper half of the neck that is at least as wide as the hoof.
• Maximum:
  • White from the throatlatch to about 3/4 down the belly, stopping before reaching the groin.
  • Collar covers the entire upper half of the neck.

Perlino Tuxedo

Black Tuxedo

Pangare Sakura Tuxedo Rapunzel

Genetics: Or_
Locus: Or​

Overview:

• Causes the skin to be pink, even on base colors where this is not usually the case.
• Depending on coat shade, skin will range from light pink to a more blended darker pink.
• May slightly dilute the coat toward warmer, peachy shades. Especially true of particularly dark/cool coats like black, blue roan, etc.
• Dilution effect should be kept fairly minimal and lean toward brown/warm tones, not simply tint the horse pink!
• Mane/Tail: No effect
• Skin: Pink
• Eyes: Pink

Dominant White on Grey on Chestnut Orchid

Grey on Chestnut Orchid (Carries Silver)

Buttermilk Buckskin Orchid

Genetics: Rm_
Locus: Cw | Rm | R​
CwRm = Cowspot, RmR = Merle Roan, nRm/RmRm = Merle Roan

Overview:

• Originally thought to be an odd type of corn spots, this mutated form of Roan presents similarly to Merle in dogs.
• Causes a "double layer" of roaning with patches that cut through one or both layers, being either the base color, half-opacity, or both.
• Most patches should be close to the size of the head, with some bigger or smaller.
• Edges should either be rounded/cut inward, like Overo, or rounded outward (small rounded edges, not large blobs).
• Patches must be substantial in amount and scattered across the body, not focused on just one area.
• Roaning may extend on to the cheek/head, and any patches there should cut all the way through rather than at half-opacity.
• Mane/Tail: No effect
• Skin: No effect
• Eyes: No effect

Interactions:

• May interact with Blotted.

Range:

• Minimum: Numerous patches at least along the top 2/3 of the body from poll to dock.
• Maximum: Numerous patches on the entire body, including the head (except for bridge of nose/muzzle) but excluding the legs.
  
  

Sooty Slate Tuxedo Merle Roan

Lilac Merle Roan Splash

Pangare Onyx Merle Roan Tobiano + Wulf, Birdcatcher Spots

Genetics: Ok_
Locus: Ok​

Overview:

• Inspired by real-life Okapis, this mutation can add black and white markings to the head, legs, and hindquarters.
• The following guidelines apply to each area, with the hindquarters/back legs being required, and the other two areas optional.
• Back legs (required):
  • Back legs are white to cover the hocks. "Cut-outs" may be present on the hocks or pasterns (may connect); base color or darker.
  • White stripes start above the hock, extending all the way up to the tail. Should not be long enough to cross the vertical line of the hip.
• Head (optional):
  • White mask should cover most of the face, at least covering the eyes and going down to the jaw.
  • "Cut-outs" may be present on the face as simple shapes following the shape of the facial features; base color or darker.
• Front legs (optional):
  • Front legs are white to cover the knees . "Cut-outs" may be present on the knees or pasterns (may connect); base color or darker.
  • White stripes start above the knee, extending all the way up to the belly line. Will not go further up than this.

Sooty Chestnut Okapi

Blueberry Okapi + Wulf

Classic Champagne Bengal Okapi

Genetics: Hd_
Locus: Hd​

Overview:

• Inspired by hooded rats, causing extensive white coverage that leaves color only on the head/topline and legs.
• Markings should not be perfectly smooth nor overly jagged; color should be fairly rounded off.
• May have some stray spots or patches of color, but should mostly be connected.
• White must always cover the underside of the horse, including the throat.
• Mane/Tail: White where touching
• Skin: Pink where covering
• Eyes: Optional - Dark Brown | Detail Guide

Range:

• Minimum:
  • White markings follow the throat down to the chest. Besides the legs, no color should be present below the horizontal center line of the barrel.
  • Color remains on the head and may also be present on the legs, up to a little bit past the knee/hock.
• Maximum:
  • White markings extend to the cheek/jaw area, and cover the entirety of the body except for the neck and the rest of the head.
  • Unbroken color (if no other patterns are covering) must be present all the way down to the end of the withers, and should be thick enough to be clearly visible.

Hooded Poppy Orchid Rapunzel + Wulf, Gemstone, Halo

Hooded Bay + Grease Spots

Hooded Grey on Merlot Rapunzel

Genetics: B_
Locus: B | Ty | Cv | Dt | D​
BCv = Bengal, BTy = Bengal, BD = Dun Bengal, BDt = Bengal, nB/BB = Bengal

Overview:

• Vertical stripes should cover the entirety of the neck and body, becoming horizontal on the legs and stopping at the knee/hock.
• Stripes should always be darker than whatever is below them, either in one solid color that is darker than all other points or darkened to follow the body gradients.
• Stripes should vary in thickness, have tapered ends, and should not be perfectly straight nor overly wavy. They should follow the flow/curves of the body, striping vertically from topline to underside. Stripes may merge but not cross.
• If present on the face (optional), stripes should be smaller and focused around the eye/forehead/cheek area rather than the entire head. Head markings should look fairly cat-like (similar to tiger or tabby face markings), rather than radiating out like Dun cobwebbing.
• May optionally cause subtle/medium lightening beneath the stripes on the underside, inner legs, muzzle, and cheeks.
• May optionally cause a white spot within the stripe pigment color on the back of the ears, similar to false eye markings on real tigers.
• Mane/Tail: Neck stripes may continue into the mane. Tail may be striped, following the direction of the hair.
• Skin: No effect
• Eyes: No effect

Interactions:

• Dun Bengal: When Dun and Bengal are present on the same horse, both will co-exist.
  • Causes body dilution under the Bengal markings.
  • Also causes dorsal stripe and leg barring, but not shoulder barring.
  • Dorsal stripe will be underneath Bengal markings.
  • Only applies to normal Dun, not Primitive Dun.
• Primitive Dun, Tabby, and Civet: Does not interact with these genes. Will display as normal Bengal, hiding the other gene.

Range:

• Minimum: Exhibits striping on the entire body, excluding the head.
• Maximum: Exhibits striping on the entire body, including the head.
  
  

Ginger Bengal Sabino

Palomino Bengal Splash Rapunzel + Birdcatcher Spots

Silver Buckskin Bengal Splash + Wulf

Genetics: tcktck*
Locus: tck​
​ *Must be tcktck and accompany nD/DD, nDt/DtDt, nB/BB, DtD, BDt, or BD to show; otherwise carried

Overview:

• Ticked is a modifier gene that interacts only with the Dun locus.
• Mane/Tail: No effect
• Skin: No effect
• Eyes: No effect

Interactions:

• Dun:
  • Presentation is normal for the most part, but the body (particularly along the topline) exhibits dark ticking.
  • Similar to roan, but with a dispersal of darker hairs rather than lighter ones. Should be visually textured, not flat/smooth darkening.
• Primitive Dun:
  • Primitive markings follow their normal flow patterns, but are broken up/interrupted.
  • May cause some stripes to appear somewhat spotty. Must still be clearly linear, not randomly spotted.
• ​Bengal:
  • Stripes follow their normal flow patterns, but are broken up/interrupted.
  • May cause some stripes to appear somewhat spotty. Must still be clearly linear, not randomly spotted.
•  

Ticked Slate Dun

Ticked Bay Bengal

Ticked Primitive Red Dun Roan

Genetics: Hq_
Locus: Hq

Overview:

• Causes white markings that push from the outer "frame" of the horse.
• Edges should have rounded cutouts, and will exhibit smaller speckles/spots close to the edge.
• Coverage should be relatively symmetrical on both sides of the horse (not perfect symmetry, just similar amount/areas).
• Top and bottom markings should each be one unbroken marking (or touch/become one), not multiple split up along the area.
• The blue areas in the grey chart below indicate the last areas that Harlequin will fill in; it will begin to "close off" the spaces in between by curving up/down to converge before covering those actual areas. The first and last examples below demonstrate heavier coverage in this manner.

• Mane/Tail: Optional effect; may be white where touching or remain solid.
• Skin: Pink where touching
• Eyes: No effect

Interactions:

• May interact with Patchwork, Inverse, Blotted, Halo, and Stained.

Range:

• Minimum: 
  • White must cover at least half of the distance from poll to tail, and from throatlatch to buttock.
  • Where white crosses the legs, it must at least extend down to a bit below the belly line.
• Maximum: White covers almost the entire body, leaving at least 3 of the head or body areas in the chart below colored. Leg areas optional.
  
  

Chestnut Harlequin

Palomino Harlequin

Dusk Harlequin Splash (Carries Rapunzel) + Wulf

Genetics: Hk
Locus:​ Hk | P
HkP = Husky, nHk/HkHk = Husky

Overview:

• Husky is a dramatic lightening pattern that mirrors the appearance of the dog breed that shares its name.
• Lightening should be very pale and visible, sometimes near-white. It should be blended, but should generally be a little sharper than Pangare.
• Lightening must affect the face, neck/throat, chest, armpit, and belly, and may also affect the hindquarters and legs.
• Areas of lightening should follow/hug the curves of the body, coming up highest at the sides of each curved section.
• Face lightening should be a mask centering around the eye and muzzle, often filling in to connect the two and lighten the chin/cheek as well.
  • May lighten the brow spot above the eyes as well, as long as the edge is still blended rather than solid.
  • May also cause a softly-blended star or stripe marking down the center of the face (example).
• Leg lightening should hug the back side of the legs, leaving the most color on the knee/hock and coronets/pasterns.
• Optional darkening may be present along the topline, similar to Sooty, but this is not a requirement.
• Mane/Tail: ​Optional; blended lightening from the ends of the hair, up to halfway
• Skin: No effect
• Eyes: Optional; Blue | Detail Guide

Range:

• Minimum: Lightening present on the eyes, muzzle, neck/throat, chest, armpit, and groin.
• Maximum: Lightening present on the face (eyes/muzzle/brows/forehead), muzzle, neck/throat, chest, armpit, groin, legs, and hindquarters. Darkening along the topline. Light gradient from the tips of the hair.
  
  

Black Husky

Chestnut Husky Splash

Black Pearl Husky