The Pinto Horse | Photo Requirements | NZ Pinto Colour Regulations | Patterns

Patterns

There are 4 recognised Pinto colour patters: Tobiano, Overo, Tovero and Pintaloosa.

 

The Tobiano

Pronounced (Toe-bee-ah'-no).

Common markings seen in Tobiano pattern:

• The dark colour usually covers one or both flanks.
• Generally, all four legs are white, at least below the hocks and knees.
• The spots are regular and distinct as ovals or round patterns that extend down over the neck and chest, giving the appearance of a shield.
• Head markings are like those of a solid-coloured horse-solid or with a blaze, strip, star or snip.
• May be either predominantly dark or white.
• The tail is often two colours.

Tobiano patterns

 

The Overo

Pronounced (O-vair-o)

Common markings seen in an Overo pattern

• The white usually will not cross the back of the horse between its withers and tail.
• At least one and often all four legs are dark. The white is irregular, and is rather scattered or splashy.
• Head markings are distinctive, often bald-faced, apron-faced or medicine hat.
• May be either predominantly dark or white.
• The tail is usually one colour.

Bald Face
The white marking on the face extends to the eyes or past (often there is at least one blue eye involved).

Apron Face
Similar to the bald face, except an apron face literally looks like it's wearing an apron of white over the colour. White extends along the jaw to the throat and generally covers the whole muzzle.

Medicine Hat
Is this a backwards marking. The horse's face is mainly white with dark markings around the ears.

 

 

Overo patterns

 

The Tovero

Pronounced: tow vair' oh

Common markings seen in Tovero pattern:

• Dark pigmentation around the ears, which may expand to cover the forehead and/or eyes.
• One or both eyes are blue.
• Dark pigmentation around the mouth, which may extend up the sides of the face and form spots.
• Chest spot(s) in varying sizes. These may also extend up the neck.
• Flank spot(s) ranging in size. These are often accompanied by smaller spots that extend forward across the barrel, and up over the loin.
• Spots, varying in size, at the base of the tail.

Tovero Patterns

 

The Pintaloosa

To qualify for registering as a Pintaloosa within the NZ Pinto Horse Society, the horse must have obvious Pinto patches that meet the required patch sizing requirements as in our colour sizing requirements. They must look like a Pinto with a spotted pattern instead of solid colouring. The Pintaloosa has the characteristic spotting of both the Tobiano pattern of a Pinto and the scattered spots of an Appaloosa. With the larger patches resembling a Tobiano and the smaller spots resembling the spotting of an Appaloosa, usually on the rump and/or sides. They can also have the Tobiano pattern with the typical blanket of an Appaloosa).

Pintaloosa patterns

 

 

The Sabino

Sabino is a pattern often confused with Overo it is NOT registerable with the NZ Pinto Society. It differs from Overo in these ways:

• The edges of the white areas of a Sabino are jagged, feathery or "roaned."
• The edges of the white areas of an Overo are more defined.
• Sabinos often have a white feathery-edged patch underneath their throat. Overos don't necessarily have this.
• Sabinos rarely have blue eyes. Overos often do.
• Sabinos often have hind stockings in which the white area seeps up the front side of the leg also, if they have no white stockings on their forelegs, they often have a white patch on the knee.
• Sabino markings are quite common in horses with Clydesdale or Draught horse bloodlines.

Sabino patterns

 

 

 

 

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