HORSE MARKINGS

Markings on horses are usually distinctive white areas on a predominantly dark based horse. These markings are found in specific locations on a horse that help to distinguish one horse from the next. The markings a horse has at birth will not change throughout their lives. Most markings will have pink skin underneath the white hairs, although some faint markings may not.

With a grey horse, the markings will however appear to change as they age. This is due to the horse turning more white. The markings are actually still there, but to see them, you may have to trim the horse’s hair and wet down the coat to see the pink skin.

TYPES OF MARKINGS:

FACIAL MARKINGS - facial markings are determined by their general shape and location. There may be more than one marking on the face and will be identified with each named separately.

The following is a list of Common Facial Markings:

Blaze - a wide white strip down the middle of the face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bald Face or White Face - a very wide white blaze that extends to or past the eyes. Often bald face horses will have blue eyes.

 

 

 

  

 

 

Star - a white mark between or above the eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strip or Stripe - a narrow white stripe down the middle of the face. 

  

 

   

 

 

 

 

Snip - is short, narrow, white marking on the muzzle, between the nostrils.

 

 

 

 

 

Here are a few other terms used when describing Facial Markings:

Faint - a small marking usually made up of white hairs without any pink skin beneath it.

Interrupted - a marking, typically a blaze or strip, that is broken and not solid for the entire length of the face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Connected - used to describe two or more distinctively different markings that are joined to one another.

Irregular or Crooked - usually a blaze or strip that does not show a more or less straight path.

Lip Markings- there are no specific names for these, but are described by location, such as “chin”, “lower lip”, etc.  These markings may also be representative of the color pattern known as Sabino.

Leg Markings- leg markings are typically described by the highest part of the horse’s leg that is covered by white hair.  Generally, the horse’s hoof beneath a white marking at the coronay line will also be light in color (or white as it is often called).  If a horse has ermine spots or a partial marking at the coronary band, the hoof may be both dark and light, which corresponds with the hair coat directly above the hoof.  When a Leopard gene is present, the hoof may be striped even if the markings are not visible at the coronary band.

The following is a list of Common Leg Markings:

Stocking - white marking extending to at least the bottom of the knee or hock, and at times even higher.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sock or Fetlock- white marking extending higher than the fetlock, but not as high as the knee or hock.  Sometimes called a “boot.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pastern - white marking extending above the top of the hoof, but stopping below the fetlock.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coronet - white marking just above the hoof, around the coronary band, but usually no more than an inch above the hoof itself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are a few other terms used in describing White Leg Markings:

Irregular - a marking within the broad confines of a given height, but with significantly uneven edges.  This is indicated by the highest point of the white.  This term is most often used in describing certain types of stockings.

Partial - is an irregular marking that only extends up part of the leg to the height indicated, often with one side of the leg dark.  This is typically used when describing socks or other short markings.

High White - is used to refer to white stockings that extend above the knee or hock, sometimes extending past the stifle onto the flank or belly.  This is considered a characteristic of the color pattern known as Sabino.