Do both parents have to be pinto?

[esty]

Do the sire and Dam have to be pinto for the foal to be homozygous ?

 

[Lewella]

Yes, both parents need to be tobiano pintos in order for a foal to be homozygous tobiano pinto.

 

[Dona]

What Lewella says is true.

But, I might add, that they only need to be "genetic" Tobianos.

A Tobiano may not always "appear" to be a pinto. Sometimes, they may look just like a "solid", but may have only a small white spot somewhere inconspicuous...like inside a lip, in the tail or on a genital. Those horses are "genetic" Tobianos. They may not look like pintos...but still carry the Tobiano gene & can pass it to their offspring.

 

[Miniv]

YES and DITTO to both above posts.......

What gets confusing is that you will find a horse that is genetically pinto but may only have some socks or a white spot on it's belly and when you read the registration papers they are listed as SOLID.

I personally know of a situation where a foal came up as homozygous from a dam who was obviously a pinto. The stallion was listed as a solid with a white stocking. The breeder later was clipping her stallion, which she'd only had for a couple of years and had never body clipped........and she found a salad plate size spot on his tummy!

So, you just never know..........

MA