Quote:
Originally Posted by Sharaway
Technically, any horse with a chin-spot ( white on the bottom lip) or white above the midline of the knee or dimishing spear above the hock, is a genetic Sabino.
Features of the Sabino, A patch ( or patches) present on the underside at belly, girth or breast. Body white appears to run vertically up the body, terminating in irregular peaks or splashes of dimishing size. Chin spot or white bottom lip. White legs with white hooves. Ticking or white flecking. Diminishing spear on stocking edges or peaked or pointy edges to stockings, white fleckings also is often found on sabino’s legs just about stockings or socks . The sabino rarely has 4 dark legs even in minimal form , Even in VERY minimal form sabino can be found in as little as white (white skin) on the bottom lip. I have to say most Pinto/paint carry this gene along with there other patterns for example our Tobiano stallion is also Sabino. Our Splashed white mare also has the Sabino gene.
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Sabino as defined by a pinto society I think is very different to a genetic sabino. Sabino really is nearly every white marking we are yet to identify!!
The classic sabino has always been defined as the clydesdale markings say, but then the sb1 gene isn't really like that. It's more a roaning type gene that makes them nearly all white in homozygous form. The newly isolated so called dominant white genes are also some form of what is sometimes called sabino with a lot of roaning. Usually any white socks or white on the face (in the absence of frame and tobiano) is called sabino. So, no they don't need a chin spot. However a sabino defined by a pinto society I think does have to have the chin spot. Plus they need to have enough white elsewhere to be actually pinto. The more minimal sabinos are just your every day horses with a couple of socks and a star. No chin spots there. Splashed white in more minimal form is usually called sabino, although with no genetic test for either it's purely conjecture what is what when they aren't as obvious. Some sabino expressions cause some roaning, some don't. But basically if your horse has some white and isn't pinto, it's probably sabino!
Shetland ponies are thought not to have sabino as they don't get white socks. If a shetland pony has white socks it is usually minimal tobiano. Even if they don't visually look tobiano, you know when you see any white socks on a shetty they usually are. Shetlands however do have stars sometimes. It's thought that the star on a shetland is probably minimal splashed white. Or maybe it's another type of sabino that only puts white on the head, not the legs. Until there are tests we really have no idea!
So rather than sabino being specific chin spot or above the knee markings, that is just what makes a sabino a pinto!
Cheers
Danni