[Vix]

If this is in the wrong section, please feel free to move it, I wasn't sure where to put it.

Looking through old pictures the other day I came across some of my aunt's old Appy gelding that we had to put down a few years ago due to colic when he was 27. To me when I look at those pictures, that is what I think of an Appaloosa being, the short mohawk, short tail, big body and full body color.

This was Cinder many many years ago: (Click to enlarge them)



Everywhere now I see what almost looks like a new generation of Appaloosas out there, smaller body almost like a TB or QH with long manes and tails and very little color, sometimes none at all.

Like this type: (even if it has a beautiful blanket and is gorgeous)



When did the breed change so much? Or was Cinder just a fluke and not at all what the standard should have been? Curious minds want to know!

Thanks!!

[Heavenly Jumper]

I think there are many types within the breed...it is like that with a lot of registries.

QHs have the big bulldoggy types, the tb types and all kinds

Arabs have the finer halter horses and the more sport horse types

Morgans have the old type (bigger and stockier look) and the new type (look like saddlebreds...)

I think it just depends on who bred them and what for...

[Vix]

Thanks HJ for replying so quickly. I know there are always different variations within a breed, there are in all of them but with Appaloosas it just seems you can find two registered horses that look nothing like one another. Moreso than other breeds sometimes, especially with a breed that has so many specific attributes.

I know our Polish Arab looks nothing like an Arab, he looks more like a TB, so much so its hard until he gets riled up to tell he's actually not.

It could be because all of the Appy's around here when I was growing up bred that 'type' of Appaloosa's. It just stuck in my head that Cinder was what they should look like. Strange how that happens.

[Bella]

Many Appaloosa's today DO have QH and TB blood... thus the variation in looks.

-Bella

[Lindsayanne]

I think it's a good lesson in the responsibility of breeders. At least with morgans the old type was "saved" but the true Nez Pierce type appies are gone forever.

[horseluvr4ever]

Usually the appaloosas w/ almost all appaloosa breeding for generations...until you go far back will have short tails. They call them the old styles apps at times.

However, they will have long tails and better manes (thicker) if they have some QH or TB breeding in them. My appys gelding tail drags the ground, his dad is full app, mom is reg. app but part QH.

[lilrider]

It is the introduction of QH and Tb blood that has changed the appy. The less mane and tail the more treasured they were to the native americans which is why foundation appies often have skimpy manes and tails.

[gallop3337]

There are several people who still believe in breeding only foundation lines and these old style Appies still exist, but the registry also includes TB, Arab, and QH crosses. This is one of the reasons the ApHC is in trouble. People have divided beliefs about what a "true" appaloosa is. Some say it's just color, others say it's color and a certain build or type. Appaloosa's are in fact a breed, not just a color like a Pinto. However, the breed association allows other breeds in, which is where it gets messy. Anyway, my Appaloosa is half quarter horse, but she is no less App to me. She has all the Appaloosa characteristics. She did inherit a QH tail, but the appaloosa characteristics don't say they MUST have a sparse mane and tail.

Like others said, it is just like most other breed registires, they change and evolve over time, some horses are left to be foundation stock and others evolve into something that looks like a new breed entirely.

There are foundation Apps out there, you just have to look hard enough to find them!

[AdamW]

Actually, he isn't supposed to be the image of an Appaloosa. lol

What I mean is that Appaloosas were originally slimmer and taller. Much more like a TB than a QH.

The breed that founded Appaloosas has slipped my mind.
Al Teke or something?

[Top Dun]

Actually that is not the case. Current breeders discussions have shown that the rat tail of the appaloosa is actually EXCENTUATED by cross breeding and the worst Rat tails are actually half breds not Appaloosa to appaloosa breedings.

just look at a couple comments

have found over the 40 years that we have raised Appaloosas that when we outcrossed to TB or Quarter horses, that even if both parents had full tails we would more often than not get some extreme sparse tails show up. It seemed that if both parents where Appaloosa, even if one had more of a sparse tail, we never got the extreme tails seen when we outcrossed.

In my experience, the worst expression I've achieved of the sparce tail is when I have crossed an Appaloosa with those genetics in their background to an out cross breed. The Appaloosa itself used for this breeding has a decent tail, but has a relative that had a sparce tail in their background. The AQHA horse of course has a full tail, so I always concluded this would gareentee a nice tail in the offspring. The exact opposite often happened, producing an offspring with way less tail than the Appaloosa parent. Also, this Appaloosa parent (usually a mare ), crossed with an Appaloosa stallion produced foals with nice tails
Therefore, this set me thinking whether the rat tail is a ressessive characteristic, with an opposing dominant gene in the Appaloosa that if present,suppressed the expression of the rat tail. Therefore the rat tail would be expressed in the Appaloosa only if both parents passed on the ressessive gene for it. Similarly the AQHA horse would not have the corresponding gene to supress the expression of the rat tail, would allow loud expression of that trait were the Appaloosa parent to pass on the gene for a sparce tail

Originally Posted by horseluvr4ever

However, they will have long tails and better manes (thicker) if they have some QH or TB breeding in them. My appys gelding tail drags the ground, his dad is full app, mom is reg. app but part QH.