The APHA also says that “The edges of the white are consistently crisp and clean, with no roaning. Some of these splashed whites have dark toplines, but on some the white crosses the topline. Some people have observed that many splashed white horses are deaf. This is not much of a problem if the trainer realizes the limitations of the horse in question, and many of these horses go on to lead full, normal and productive lives. If trainers rely on many verbal cues, though, these horses will be labeled as difficult, stubborn, and can be psychologically ruined by techniques inappropriate for a deaf animal. No homozygous splashed white horses have ever been documented, leading to the suspicion that this is yet another gene that cannot exist in homozygous form. If this is true, the loss of hearing probably occurs early in gestation rather than at term, so this is distinct from the lethal white foal problem where defective foals are born.”
For more information and pictures visit www.apha.com
-Bridget Decker
-Susan Decker
March 2013 32