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Appaloosa

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The Appaloosa is an American horse breed best known for its colorful spotted coat pattern. There is a wide range of body types within the breed, stemming from the influence of multiple breeds of horses throughout its history. Each horse's color pattern is genetically the result of various spotting patterns overlaid on top of one of several recognized base coat colors. The color pattern of the Appaloosa is of interest to those who study equine coat color genetics, as it and several other physical characteristics are linked to the leopard complex mutation (LP). Appaloosas are prone to develop eq

Key facts

Horse breed.name
Appaloosa
Horse breed.image
THIEL 619.jpg
Horse breed.image_size
210px
Horse breed.image_caption
Appaloosa horse
Horse breed.image_alt
A dark brown horse with a white and brown spotted rump running in a field.
Horse breed.features
Most representatives have colorful spotted coat patterns, striped hooves, mottled skin, and white sclera visible around the iris when the eye is in a normal position.
Horse breed.country
United States
Horse breed.group1
Appaloosa Horse Club
Horse breed.std1
http://www.appaloosa.com/

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Appaloosa stallion.JPG
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Appaloosa
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~35 min read

Article

19 sections
Contents
  • Breed characteristics
  • Color and spotting patterns
  • Color genetics
  • History
  • Nez Perce people
  • Nez Perce War
  • Aftermath of the Nez Perce War
  • Revitalization
  • Registration
  • Color rule controversy
  • Uses
  • Influence
  • Health issues
  • Genetically linked vision issues
  • Drug rules
  • Notes
  • Footnotes
  • References
  • External links

The Appaloosa is an American horse breed best known for its colorful spotted coat pattern. There is a wide range of body types within the breed, stemming from the influence of multiple breeds of horses throughout its history. Each horse's color pattern is genetically the result of various spotting patterns overlaid on top of one of several recognized base coat colors. The color pattern of the Appaloosa is of interest to those who study equine coat color genetics, as it and several other physical characteristics are linked to the leopard complex mutation (LP). Appaloosas are prone to develop equine recurrent uveitis and congenital stationary night blindness; the latter has been linked to the leopard complex.

Artwork depicting prehistoric horses with leopard spotting exists in prehistoric cave paintings in Europe. Images of domesticated horses with leopard spotting patterns appeared in artwork from Ancient Greece and The Han dynasty China through the early modern period. In North America, The Nez Perce people of what today is the United States Pacific Northwest developed the original American spotted breed. Settlers once referred to these spotted horses as the "Palouse horse", possibly after the Palouse River, which ran through the heart of Nez Perce country. Gradually, the name evolved into Appaloosa.

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