Appy genes

[sweetheart]

Hi!

I have a bay AMHA mare who has strong appy genetics on both sides, (sire was a loud leopard), but she herself has no appy characteristics at all. Is it possible for the appy genes to show up in her foals even if she's not bred to another appy? She has been exposed to an overo pinto stallion.

Thanks!

(my apologies if this has been covered recently, I haven't gotten to read the forum much lately)

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Appy genetics are so confusing. Sometimes they are loud sometimes they just aren't lol. My appy mare is a near leopard app and her sire is an loud leopard and her dam is a chestnut or silver bay, and has no appy in her background that I'm familiar with.

This mare is bred to an loud leopard appy stallion so this baby is appy bred so it will be interesting if this foal comes out sold or not lol.

 

[Little Wee Horse Farm]

A foal coming from even TWO leopard parents doesn't necessarily show its true colors right off. Here's a foal we had from two LOUD leopards this year. She was born solid "looking" but had app sclera. By the time she went to her new home at 3 months, she had striped hooves & mottling. She had inherited the Lp gene even tho she didn't show it at first. It CAN take as long as 10 years (current thinking) for app characteristics to show up.

Just because that foal isn't showing it (at even several years old) doesn't mean she can't pass it on. She/he may have the gene to give her new offspring, nonetheless. The ApHC has a non-characteristic category for registering non-characteristic foals from appy breedings. They even have an NC class in shows.

Now........just because the foal is from two appys, doesn't mean it inherits the Lp gene either. It may not have gotten it. Just like you can get a solid from the breeding of two tobys, you can get a solid from two apps, IF they are not homozygous for app. To date, it's only BELIEVED that snowcap & few spot patterns are most likely homozygous. It is NOT proven, but it is the current school of thot.

Confused? Sorry, but app genetics are some of the most confusing............and as I always say, that's what makes it such fun!!!.

Here's pairing I talked about:

Here's their offspring at 3 days old:

We also have a little girl yearling that was born from a black sabino mare and the same loud black leopard we have. She was born solid black, with app sclera. Now, at almost a year, she's got mottling coming on so much around her eyes, in her nostrils, on her lips and on her unmentionables. She's got the Lp gene too. I knew it! Here she is at just a few months. Sorry, don't have any more recent pix right now.

So, in less words, no it can't skip a generation, but what you see is not necessarily what you get in apps. You might not SEE it, but it might be there, waiting!

 

[Manyspots]

The appys are interesting in their genetics. I don't believe they can skip a generation but they can often hide that they are appy bred. Many times it may take a little age to see some skin mottling but it usually comes once it is started with one tiny dot. Some mares also may have minimal mottling between their teats too. Great hiding place! Check under the tail too. They can change up to seven years, so some times you start with what appears to be a solid, then a whole new horse in a year or two. How old is your mini and does she exhibit any other traits such as striped hooves?

 

[HGFarm]

To answer your question, YES, and I have seen it even skip two generations. If the genes are there, you always have a chance that they will show up somewhere.

Yes, go figure, I also had TWO leopards with extensive Appy backgrounds produce a solid foal, however I bet that SHE will produce lots of color.

I also saw a foal two or three years ago out of two Appy colored parents that came out as pinto as it could be with NO appy characteristics. Oopsie, the sire of the dam was a pinto!!! They were rather shocked.