Appaloosa

Music Home >> Music Genres >> Undetermined Music



< < < < < > > > > > More Info on Appaloosa Similar Undetermined Music Search Artistopia

Biography

The Appaloosa is a list of horse breeds|horse breed best known for its colorful leopard complex|leopard -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 great 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|equine recurrent uveitis and Nyctalopia|congenital stationary night blindness ; the latter has been linked to the leopard complex.

Artwork depicting prehistoric horses with leopard spotting existed in cave paintings . domestication of the horse|Domesticated horses with leopard spotting patterns exists from Ancient Greece through the Early modern period ; the Nez Perce tribe|Nez Perce people of the United States Pacific Northwest developed the original American breed. Appaloosas were once referred to by American pioneer|settlers as the "Palouse horse", possibly after the Palouse River , which ran through the heart of Nez Perce country. Gradually, the name evolved into "Appaloosa". The Nez Perce lost most of their horses after the Nez Perce War in 1877, and the breed fell into decline for several decades. A small number of dedicated breeders preserved the Appaloosa as a distinct breed until the Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) was formed as the breed registry in 1938. The modern breed maintains bloodlines tracing to the foundation bloodstock of the registry, and has a partially open stud book that allows addition of some Thoroughbred , American Quarter Horse and Arabian horse|Arabian blood.

Today, the Appaloosa is one of the most popular breeds in the United States; it was named the official state horse of Idaho in 1975. It is best known as a stock horse used in a number of western riding disciplines, but is also a versatile breed with representatives seen in many other types of equestrianism|equestrian activity. Appaloosas have appeared in many movies and one is a mascot for the Florida State Seminoles . Appaloosa bloodlines have influenced other horse breeds, including the Pony of the Americas , the Nez Perce Horse , and several gaited horse breeds.

Breed characteristics

The Appaloosa is best known for its distinctive, preferred leopard complex spotted coat. Spotting occurs in several overlay patterns on one of several recognized base Horse coat color|coat colors . There are three other distinctive, "core" characteristics: mottle d skin, striped hooves, and eyes with a white sclera . Skin mottling is usually seen around the muzzle, eyes, anus, and genitalia. Striped hooves are a common trait, quite noticeable on Appaloosas, but not unique to the breed. The sclera is the part of the eye surrounding the Iris (anatomy)|iris . Although all horses show white around the eye if the eye is rolled back, to have a readily visible white sclera with the eye in a normal position is a distinctive characteristic seen more often in Appaloosas than in other breeds. Because the occasional individual is born with little or no visible spotting pattern, the ApHC allows "regular" registration of horses with mottled skin plus at least one of the other core characteristics. Horses with two ApHC parents but no "identifiable Appaloosa characteristics" are registered as "non-characteristic," a limited special registration status.

There is a wide range of body types in the Appaloosa, in part because the leopard complex characteristics are its primary identifying factors, and also because several different list of horse breeds|horse breeds influenced its development. The weight range varies from , and heights from . However, the ApHC does not allow pony or draft horse|draft breeding.

The original "old time" or "old type" Appaloosa was a tall, narrow-bodied, rangy horse.Bennett, Conquerors , p. 392 The body style reflected a mix that started with the traditional Iberian horse|Spanish horses already common on the plains of America before 1700. Then, 18th-century European bloodlines were added, particularly those of the "pied" horses popular in that period and shipped en masse to the Americas once the color had become unfashionable in Europe.Bennett, Conquerors , p. 391 These horses were similar to a tall, slim Thoroughbred - Andalusian horse|Andalusian type of horse popular in Enlightenment in Spain|Bourbon-era Spain .Bennett, Conquerors , p. 170 The original Appaloosa tended to have a convex facial profile that resembled that of the warmblood - Jennet crosses first developed in the 16th century during the reign of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V .Bennett, Conquerors , p. 308 The old-type Appaloosa was later modified by the addition of draft horse blood after the 1877 defeat of the Nez Perce, when U.S. Government policy forced the Indians to become farmers and provided them with draft horse mares to breed to existing stallions. The original Appaloosas frequently had a sparse mane (horse)|mane and tail (horse)|tail , but that was not a primary characteristic as many early Appaloosas did have full manes and tails.Richardson, Appaloosa , pp. 27–28 There is a possible genetic link between the leopard complex and sparse mane and tail growth, although the precise relationship is unknown.Sponenberg, Equine Color Genetics , pp. 90–91

After the formation of the Appaloosa Horse Club in 1938, a more modern type developed after the addition of American Quarter Horse and Arabian horse|Arabian bloodlines. The addition of Quarter Horse lines produced Appaloosas that performed better in horse racing|sprint racing and in halter (horse show)|halter competition. Many cutting and reining horses resulted from old-type Appaloosas crossed on Arabian bloodlines, particularly via the Appaloosa foundation bloodstock|foundation stallion Red Eagle.Bennett, Conquerors , p. 393 An infusion of Thoroughbred blood was added during the 1970s to produce horses more suited for racing.Harris, Horse Breeds of the West , p. 12 Many current breeders also attempt to breed away from the sparse, "rat tail" trait, and therefore modern Appaloosas have fuller manes and tails.

Color and spotting patterns

The coat color of an Appaloosa is a combination of a base color with an overlaid spotting pattern. The base colors recognized by the Appaloosa Horse Club include bay (horse)|bay , black (horse)|black , chestnut (coat)|chestnut , palomino , Buckskin (horse)|buckskin , cream gene|cremello or perlino , roan (horse)|roan , gray (horse)|gray , Dun gene|dun and grullo|grulla . Appaloosa markings have several pattern variations. It is this unique group of spotting patterns, collectively called the "leopard complex", that most people associate with the Appaloosa horse. Spots overlay darker skin, and are often surrounded by a "halo", where the skin next to the spot is also dark but the overlying hair coat is white.

It is not always easy to predict a grown Appaloosa's color at birth. Foals of any breed tend to be born with coats that darken when they shed their baby hair. In addition, Appaloosa foals do not always show classic leopard complex characteristics. Patterns sometimes change over the course of the horse's life although some, such as the blanket and lepoard patterns, tend to be stable. Horses with the varnish roan and snowflake patterns are especially prone to show very little color pattern at birth, developing more visible spotting as they get older.Sponenberg, Equine Color Genetics , p. 92

The ApHC also recognizes the concept of a "solid" horse, which has a base color "but no contrasting color in the form of an Appaloosa coat pattern". Solid horses can be registered if they have mottled skin and one other leopard complex characteristic.

Base colors are overlain by various spotting patterns, which are variable and often do not fit neatly into a specific category. These patterns are described as follows:

Pattern

Spots

Blanket or snowcap

Blanket with spots

Leopard

Few spot leopard

Snowflake

Appaloosa& nbsp;roan,& nbsp;marble
& nbsp;& nbsp;or varnish roan

Mottled

Roan blanket or Frost

Roan blanket with spots

Color genetics

Any horse that shows Appaloosa core characteristics of coat pattern, mottled skin, striped hooves, and a visible white sclera, carries at least one allele of the dominant "leopard complex" (LP) gene . The use of the word "complex" is used to refer to the large group of visible patterns that may occur when LP is present. LP is an autosomal Dominance relationship#Incomplete and semi-dominance|incomplete dominant mutation in the TRPM1 gene located at horse chromosome 1 (ECA 1). All horses with at least one copy of LP show leopard characteristics, and it is hypothesized that LP acts together with other patterning genes (PATN) that have not yet been identified to produce the different coat patterns. Horses that are heterozygous for LP tend to be darker than homozygous horses, but this is not consistent.Sponenberg, Equine Color Genetics , p. 93

Three single-nucleotide polymorphism s (SNPs) in the TRPM1 gene have been identified as closely associated with the LP mutation, although the mechanism by which the pattern is produced remains unclear. A commercially available DNA based test is likely to be developed in the near future, which breeders can use to determine if LP is present in horses that do not have visible Appaloosa characteristics.

Not every Appaloosa exhibits visible coat spotting, but even apparently solid-colored horses that carry at least one dominant LP allele will exhibit characteristics such as vertically striped hooves, white sclera of the eye, and mottled skin around the eyes, lips, and genitalia. Appaloosas may also exhibit sabino horse|sabino or pinto horse|pinto type markings, but because pinto genes may cover-up or obscure Appaloosa patterns, pinto breeding is discouraged by the ApHC, which will deny registration to horses with excessive white markings. The genes that create these different patterns can all be present in the same horse. The Appaloosa Project, a genetic study group, has researched the interactions of Appaloosa and pinto genes and how they affect each other.

History

Recent research has suggested that prehistoric cave paintings depicting leopard-spotted horses may have accurately reflected a phenotype of ancient wild horse. Domesticated horses with leopard complex spotting patterns have been depicted in art dating as far back as Ancient Greece, Persian Empire|Ancient Persia , and the Han Dynasty in China; later depictions appeared in 11th-century France and 12th-century England. French paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries show horses with spotted coats being used as riding horses, and other records indicate they were also used as coach horses at the court of Louis XIV of France .Richardson, Appaloosa , pp. 12–16 In mid-18th-century Europe, there was a great demand for horses with the leopard complex spotting pattern among the nobility and royalty. These horses were used in the schools of horsemanship, for parade use, and other forms of display. Modern horse breeds in Europe today that have leopard complex spotting include the Knabstrupper and the Pinzgau, or Noriker horse .

The Spanish probably obtained spotted horses through trade with southern Austria and Hungary, where the color pattern was known to exist. The Conquistador s and Spanish settlers then brought some vividly marked horses to the Americas when they first arrived in the early 16th century.Crowell, Cavalcade , p. 299Richardson, Appaloosa , pp. 17–18 One horse with snowflake patterning was listed with the 16 horses brought to Mexico by Hernán Cortés|Cortez ,Bennett, Conquerors, p. 196 and additional spotted horses were mentioned by Spanish writers by 1604.Bennett, Conquerors, p. 207 Others arrived in the western hemisphere when spotted horses went out of style in late 18th-century Europe,Bennett, Conquerors, p. 391 and were shipped to Mexico, California and Oregon.

Nez Perce people

The Nez Perce people lived in what today is eastern Washington (U.S. state)|Washington , Oregon , and western Idaho ,West, "Nez Perce and Their Trials", p. 7 where they engaged in agriculture as well as horse breeding .Malone, Roeder and Lang, Montana , p. 134 The Nez Perce first obtained horses from the Shoshone around 1730. They took advantage of the fact that they lived in excellent horse-breeding country, relatively safe from the raids of other tribes, and developed strict breeding selection practices for their animals, establishing breeding herds by 1750. They were one of the few tribes that actively used the practice of gelding inferior male horses and trading away poorer stock to remove unsuitable animals from the gene pool, and thus were notable as horse breeders by the early 19th century.

Early Nez Perce horses were considered to be of high quality. Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition wrote in his February 15, 1806, journal entry: "Their horses appear to be of an excellent race; they are lofty, eligantly formed, active and durable: in short many of them look like fine English coarsers and would make a figure in any country."Moulton, Lewis and Clark Journals , p. 333 Lewis did note spotting patterns, saying, "... some of these horses are pided with large spots of white irregularly scattered and intermixed with the black brown bey or some other dark colour". By "pied", Lewis may have been referring to leopard-spotted patterns seen in the modern Appaloosa,Bennett, Conquerors , p. 390 though Lewis also noted that "much the larger portion are of a uniform colour". The Appaloosa Horse Club estimates that only about ten percent of the horses owned by the Nez Perce at the time were spotted. While the Nez Perce originally had many solid-colored horses and only began to emphasize color in their breeding some time after the visit of Lewis and Clark, they had many spotted horses by the late 19th century.Bennett, Conquerors , pp. 390, 392 As white settlers moved into traditional Nez Perce lands, a successful trade in horses enriched the Nez Perce, who in 1861 bred horses described as "elegant chargers, fit to mount a prince."West, "Nez Perce and Their Trials", p. 14 At a time when ordinary horses could be purchased for $15, non-Indians who had purchased Appaloosa horses from the Nez Perce turned down offers of as much as $600.

Nez Perce War

Peace with the United States dated back to an alliance arranged by Lewis and Clark, but the encroachment of gold miners in the 1860s and settlers in the 1870s put pressure on the Nez Perce.Malone, Roeder and Lang, Montana , pp. 135–136 Although a treaty of 1855 originally allowed them to keep most of their traditional land, another in 1863 reduced the land alloted to them by 90& nbsp;percent.West, "Nez Perce and Their Trials", p. 9 The Nez Perce who refused to give up their land under the 1863 treaty included a band living in the Wallowa Valley of Oregon, led by Heinmot Tooyalakekt, widely known as Chief Joseph .West, "Nez Perce and Their Trials", p. 4 Tensions rose, and in May 1877, General Oliver Howard called a council and ordered the non-treaty bands to move to the reservation.West, "Nez Perce and Their Trials", pp. 14–15 Chief Joseph considered military resistance futile, and by June 14, 1877, had gathered about 600 people at a site near present-day Grangeville, Idaho .West, "Nez Perce and Their Trials", pp. 5–6 But on that day a small group of warriors staged an attack on nearby white settlers, which led to the Nez Perce War. After several small battles in Idaho, more than 800& nbsp;Nez Perce, mostly non-warriors, took 2000 head of various livestock including horses and fled into Montana , then traveled southeast, dipping into Yellowstone National Park . A small number of Nez Perce fighters, probably fewer than 200, successfully held off larger forces of the U.S. Army in several skirmishes, including the two-day Battle of the Big Hole in southwestern Montana. They then moved northeast and attempted to seek refuge with the Crow Nation ; rebuffed, they headed for safety in Canada.

Throughout this journey of about the Nez Perce relied heavily on their fast, agile and hardy Appaloosa horses.Haines, Appaloosa , pp. 92–95 The journey came to an end when they stopped to rest near the Bears Paw Mountains in Montana, from the Canadian border. Unbeknownst to the Nez Perce, Colonel Nelson A. Miles had led an infantry-cavalry column from Fort Keogh in pursuit. On October 5, 1877, after a five-day fight, Joseph surrendered. The battle—and the war—was over.Malone, Roeder and Lang, Montana , p. 138 With most of the war chiefs dead, and the noncombatants cold and starving, Joseph declared that he would "fight no more forever".Richardson, Appaloosa , p. 23

Aftermath of the Nez Perce War

When the U.S. 7th Cavalry accepted the surrender of Chief Joseph and the remaining Nez Perce, they immediately took more than 1,000 of the tribe's horses, sold what they could and shot many of the rest. But a significant population of horses had been left behind in the Wallowa valley when the Nez Perce began their retreat, and additional animals escaped or were abandoned along the way. The Nez Perce were ultimately settled on Nez Perce tribe#Nez Perce Indian Reservation|reservation lands in north central Idaho, were allowed few horses, and were required by the Army to crossbreed to draft horse s in an attempt to create farm horses.Richardson, Appaloosa , p. 24-25 The Nez Perce tribe never regained its former position as breeders of Appaloosas, but in the late 20th century they began a program to develop a new horse breed, the Nez Perce horse , with the intent to resurrect their horse culture, tradition of selective breeding, and horsemanship.

Although a remnant population of Appaloosa horses remained after 1877, they were virtually forgotten as a distinct breed for almost 60& nbsp;years. A few quality horses continued to be bred, mostly those captured or purchased by settlers and used as working ranch horses. Others were used in circuses and related forms of entertainment such as Buffalo Bill's Wild West|Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show .Haines, Appaloosa , pp. 96–98 The horses were originally called "Palouse horses" by settlers, a reference to the Palouse River that ran through the heart of what was once Nez Perce country.Crowell, Cavalcade , pp. 296–97 Gradually, the name evolved into "Apalouse", and then "Appaloosa". Other early variations of the name included "Appalucy", "Apalousey" and "Appaloosie". In one 1948 book, the breed was called the "Opelousa horse", described as a "hardy tough breed of Indian and Spanish horse" used by backwoodsmen of the late 18th century to transport goods to New Orleans for sale. By the 1950s, "Appaloosa" was regarded as the correct spelling.

Revitalization

The Appaloosa came to the attention of the general public in January 1937 in Western Horseman magazine when Francis D. Haines, a history professor from Lewiston, Idaho , published an article describing the breed's history and urging its preservation.Ciarloni, "Shaping Stock Horses", p. 82 Haines had performed extensive research, traveling with a friend and Appaloosa aficionado named George Hatley, visiting numerous Nez Perce villages, collecting history, and taking photographs.Ciarloni, "Shaping Stock Horses", p. 83 The article generated strong interest in the horse breed, and led to the founding of the Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) by Claude Thompson and a small group of other dedicated breeders in 1938.Haines, Appaloosa , p. 98 The registry was originally housed in Moro, Oregon ; but in 1947 the organization moved to Moscow, Idaho , under the leadership of George Hatley. The Appaloosa Museum foundation was formed in 1975 to preserve the history of the Appaloosa horse. The Western Horseman magazine, and particularly its longtime publisher, Dick Spencer, continued to support and promote the breed through many subsequent articles.Ciarloni, "Shaping Stock Horses", pp. 83–84

A significant crossbreed ing influence used to revitalize the Appaloosa was the Arabian horse , as evidenced by early registration lists that show Arabian-Appaloosa crossbreeds as ten of the first fifteen horses registered with the ApHC.Appaloosa Horse Club, Appaloosa Horse Club Stud Book, Vol. 1 For example, one of Claude Thompson's major herd sires was Ferras, an Arabian stallion bred by Will Keith Kellogg|W.K. Kellogg from horses imported from the Crabbet Arabian Stud of England. Ferras then sired Red Eagle, a prominent Appaloosa stallion, who was added to the Appaloosa Hall of Fame in 1988. Later, Thoroughbred and American Quarter Horse|Quarter Horse lines were added, as well as crosses from other breeds, including Morgan horse|Morgans and Standardbred horse|Standardbreds .Appaloosa Horse Club, Appaloosa Horse Club Stud Book, Vol. 2& 3 In 1983 the ApHC reduced the number of allowable outcrosses to three main breeds: the Arabian horse, the American Quarter Horse and the Thoroughbred.

By 1978 the ApHC was the third largest horse registry for light horse breeds. From 1938 to 2007 more than 670,000& nbsp;Appaloosas were registered by the ApHC. The state of Idaho adopted the Appaloosa as its official state horse on March 25, 1975, when Idaho Governor Cecil D. Andrus|Cecil Andrus signed the enabling legislation. Idaho even offers a custom license plate featuring an Appaloosa horse, the first state to offer a plate featuring a state horse.

Registration

Located in Moscow, Idaho, the ApHC is the principal body for the promotion and preservation of the Appaloosa breed and considers itself an international organization. Affiliate Appaloosa organizations exist in many South American and European countries, as well as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico and Israel. The Appaloosa Horse Club has 33,000 members as of 2010, and the circulation of the Appaloosa Journal , which is included with most types of membership, was at 32,000 in 2008. Other organizations exist; the American Appaloosa Association was founded in 1983 by members opposed to the registration of plain-colored horses as a result of the Appaloosa#Color rule controversy|color rule controversy . Based in Missouri, it has a membership of more than 2,000 as of 2008. There are other "Appaloosa" registries not affiliated with the ApHC for horses with leopard complex genetics. These registries tend to have different foundation bloodstock|foundation breeding and histories than the North American Appaloosa. However, the ApHC is by far the largest Appaloosa horse registry, and it hosts one of the world's largest breed shows.Evans, Horses , p. 132

The Appaloosa is "a breed defined by ApHC bloodline requirements and preferred characteristics, including coat pattern". In other words, the Appaloosa is a distinct breed from limited bloodlines with distinct physical traits and a desired color, referred to as a "color preference". Therefore Appaloosas are not strictly a " color breed ". All ApHC-registered Appaloosas must be the offspring of two registered Appaloosa parents or a registered Appaloosa and a horse from an approved breed registry, which includes Arabian horses, Quarter Horses, and Thoroughbreds. In all cases, one parent must always be a regular registered Appaloosa. The only exception to the bloodline requirements is in the case of Appaloosa-colored geldings or spayed mares with unknown pedigrees; owners may apply for "hardship registration" for these non-breeding horses. The ApHC does not accept horses with draft, pony, Pinto, or Paint breeding, and requires mature Appaloosas to stand, unshod, at least . If a horse has excessive white markings not associated with the Appaloosa pattern (such as those characteristic of a pinto) it cannot be registered unless it is verified through DNA testing that both parents have ApHC registration.

Certain other characteristics are used to determine if a horse receives "regular" registration: striped hooves, white sclera visible when the eye is in a normal position, and mottled (spotted) skin around the eyes, lips, and genitalia. The Appaloosa is one of the few horse breeds to exhibit skin mottling, and therefore this characteristic "...is a very basic and decisive indication of an Appaloosa." Appaloosas born with visible coat pattern, or mottled skin and at least one other characteristic, are registered with "regular" papers and have full show and breeding privileges. A horse that meets bloodline requirements but is born without the recognized color pattern and characteristics can still be registered with the ApHC as a "non-characteristic" Appaloosa. These solid-colored, "non-characteristic" Appaloosas may not be shown at ApHC events unless the owner verifies the parentage through DNA testing and pays a supplementary fee to enter the horse into the ApHC's Performance Permit Program (PPP). Solid-colored Appaloosas also have breeding restrictions.

Color rule controversy

During the 1940s and 1950s, when both the Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) and the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) were in their formative years, minimally marked or roan Appaloosas were sometimes used in Quarter Horse breeding programs.Holmes, Spotted Pride , p. 165 At the same time, it was noted that two solid-colored registered Quarter Horse parents would sometimes produce what Quarter Horse aficionados call a " cropout ", a foal with white coloration similar to that of an Appaloosa or pinto horse|Pinto . For a considerable time, until DNA testing could verify parentage, the AQHA refused to register such horses. The ApHC did accept cropout horses that exhibited proper Appaloosa traits, while cropout pintos became the core of the American Paint Horse Association . Famous Appaloosas who were cropouts included Colida, Joker B, Bright Eyes Brother and Wapiti.

In the late 1970s the color controversy went in the opposite direction within the Appaloosa registry. The ApHC's decision in 1982 to allow solid-colored or "non-characteristic" Appaloosas to be registered resulted in substantial debate within the Appaloosa breeding community.Stanger, Fifty Years of Appaloosa History , p. 163 Until then, a foal of Appaloosa parents that had insufficient color was often denied registration, although non-characteristic Appaloosas were allowed into the registry. But breeder experience had shown that some solid Appaloosas could throw a spotted foal in a subsequent generation, at least when bred to a spotted Appaloosa. In addition, many horses with a solid coat nevertheless exhibited secondary characteristics such as skin mottling, the white sclera, and striped hooves. The controversy stirred by the ApHC's decision was intense, and a number of Appaloosa breeders formed a breakaway organization in 1983.

Uses

Appaloosas are used extensively for both Western riding|Western and English riding . Western competitions include cutting (sport)|cutting , reining , Team Roping|roping and Gymkhana (equestrian)|O-Mok-See sports such as Barrel Racing|barrel racing (known as the Camas Prairie Stump Race in Appaloosa-only competition) and pole bending (called the Nez Percé Stake Race at breed shows). English disciplines they are used in include eventing , show jumping , and fox hunting . They are common in endurance riding competitions, as well as in casual trail riding . Appaloosas are also bred for horse racing , with an active breed racing association promoting the sport. They are generally used for middle-distance racing at distances between and ; an Appaloosa holds the record for the distance, set in 1989.Dutson, ''Storey's Illustrated Guide to 96 Horse Breeds of North America , pp. 74–78

Appaloosas are often used in Western Movie|Western movie s and television series. Examples include "Cojo Rojo" in the Marlon Brando film The Appaloosa ,Wilson, Animal Movies Guide , p. 161 "Zip Cochise" ridden by John Wayne in the 1966 film El Dorado (1966 film)|El Dorado and "Cowboy", the mount of Matt Damon in True Grit (2010 film)|True Grit . An Appaloosa horse is part of the controversial mascot team for the Florida State Seminoles, Chief Osceola and Renegade , even though the Seminole people were not directly associated with Appaloosa horses.

Influence

There are several American horse breeds with leopard coloring and Appaloosa ancestry. These include the Pony of the Americas and the Colorado Ranger . Appaloosas are Crossbreed|crossbred with gaited horse breeds in an attempt to create a leopard-spotted ambling horse. Because such crossbred offspring are not eligible for ApHC registration, their owners have formed breed registries for horses with leopard complex patterns and gaited ability. In 1995 the Nez Perce tribe began a program to develop a new and distinct horse breed, the Nez Perce Horse , based on crossbreed ing the Appaloosa with the Akhal-Teke breed from Central Asia. Appaloosa stallions have been exported to Denmark, to add new blood to the Knabstrup breed.

Health issues

Genetically linked blindness

Appaloosas have an eightfold greater risk of developing Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU) than all other breeds combined. Up to 25& nbsp;percent of all horses with ERU may be Appaloosas. Uveitis in horses has many causes, including eye trauma, disease, and bacterial, parasitic and viral infections, but ERU is characterized by recurring episodes of uveitis, rather than a single incident. If not treated, ERU can lead to blindness, which occurs more often in Appaloosas than in other breeds. Eighty& nbsp;percent of all uveitis cases are found in Appaloosas with physical characteristics including roan or light-colored coat patterns, little pigment around the eyelids and sparse hair in the mane and tail denoting the most at-risk individuals. Researchers may have identified a gene region containing an allele that makes the breed more susceptible to the disease.

Appaloosas that are homozygous for the leopard complex (LP) gene are also at risk for Nyctalopia|congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB). This form of night blindness has been linked with the leopard complex since the 1970s, and in 2007 a "significant association" between LP and CSNB was identified. CSNB is a disorder that causes an affected animal to lack night vision, although day vision is normal. It is an inherited disorder, present from birth, and does not progress over time. Studies in 2008 and 2010 indicate that both CSNB and leopard complex spotting patterns are linked to TRPM1 .

Drug rules

In 2007 the ApHC implemented new drug rules allowing Appaloosas to show with the drugs furosemide , known by the trade name of Lasix, and acetazolamide . Furosemide is used to prevent horses who bleed from the nose when subjected to strenuous work from having bleeding episodes when in competition, and is widely used in horse racing. Acetazolamide ("Acet") is used for treating horses with the genetic disease hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HYPP), and prevents affected animals from having seizures. Acet is only allowed for horses that test positive for HYPP and have HYPP status noted on their registration papers. The ApHC recommends that Appaloosas that trace to certain American Quarter Horse bloodlines be tested for HYPP, and owners have the option to choose to place HYPP testing results on registration papers. Foals of AQHA-registered stallions and mares born on or after January 1, 2007 that carry HYPP will be required to be HYPP tested and have their HYPP status designated on their registration papers.

Both drugs are controversial, in part because they are considered drug maskers and diuretic s that can make it difficult to detect the presence of other drugs in the horse's system. On one side, it is argued that the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), which sponsors show competition for many different list of horse breeds|horse breeds , Note: Specifically lists Furosemide. and the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI), which governs international and Equestrian at the Summer Olympics|Olympic equestrian competition, ban the use of furosemide. Note: Specifically lists Furosemide. On the other side of the controversy, several major stock horse registries that sanction their own shows, including the American Quarter Horse Association , American Paint Horse Association , and the Palomino Horse Breeders of America, The PHBA does not allow Lasix within 24& nbsp;hours of show and only allows Acetazolamide for HYPP horses. allow acetazolamide and furosemide to be used within 24& nbsp;hours of showing under certain circumstances.

Notes

Footnotes

Copyright Citations

This article is licensed under the GNU License
Click here for original article: Appaloosa


1. Chan Marshall 2. Linda McCartney 3. Tommy Tutone 4. Fred Small 5. Gino Vanelli 6. Resolution 7. Viggo Mortensen

Undetermined Music Artists