Appaloosa Horse
The spotted horse of the Nez Perce â a breed so prized that the US cavalry was ordered to kill every one to force the tribe's surrender. Those distinctive spots, that mottled skin, those striped hooves. Complete guide: the 5 coat patterns, the devastating ERU (moon blindness â 25% affected), the night blindness gene, and how the Nez Perce created the first American breed through selective breeding.
ð Breed Overview
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ðŠķ History â The Nez Perce & The US Cavalry
The Appaloosa is the only Native American-developed horse breed. The Nez Perce tribe of the Pacific Northwest were the first Native Americans to practice selective horse breeding â they gelded inferior males, culled unsuitable animals, and bred for color, endurance, and temperament. Their spotted horses were legendary â Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis & Clark expedition wrote about them in 1806. In 1877, the US Cavalry pursued the Nez Perce for 1,900 km (1,170 miles) in the Nez Perce War. The Army's strategy: kill every Appaloosa they found to deprive the tribe of mobility. After the tribe's surrender, surviving Appaloosas were confiscated, dispersed, and crossbred to oblivion. The breed was resurrected in the 1930s by Claude Thompson and others who scoured the West for horses with the characteristic spotted coat. The Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) was founded in 1938.
ðĻ 5 Coat Patterns â More Than Just Spots
- Leopard: White body covered with dark spots (like a Dalmatian)
- Blanket: Dark body with a white "blanket" over the hips â spots within the blanket or not
- Snowflake: Dark body with white flecks/snowflakes, increasing with age
- Frost: Dark body with white frosting over the loin and hips
- Marble/Roan: Dark base with white hairs mixed throughout â creates a "varnish" appearance
All Appaloosas must have three characteristics beyond the coat: mottled skin (particularly around the muzzle, eyes, and genitals), striped hooves (vertical dark/light stripes), and white sclera (the white of the eye is visible â other breeds have dark sclera).
â ïļ ERU (Moon Blindness) â 25% of Appaloosas Affected
Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU) is the #1 cause of blindness in horses â and Appaloosas are affected at a rate 4-8Ã higher than other breeds. Up to 25% of Appaloosas will develop ERU in their lifetime. The condition causes recurring bouts of inflammation inside the eye â each episode causes progressive damage to the retina, iris, and lens. Over years, the eye shrinks (phthisis bulbi) and blindness is permanent. Appaloosas with the leopard complex gene (LP) are at highest risk because LP depigmentation affects the uveal tract inside the eye. Early signs: squinting, tearing, cloudiness, sensitivity to light. There is no cure â only management with anti-inflammatory medication, cyclosporine implants, and in severe cases, eye removal.
ð Congenital Stationary Night Blindness (CSNB)
Appaloosas homozygous for the LP gene (LP/LP) are born with night blindness â they have severely impaired vision in low light. The retina lacks functional rod cells. Affected horses see fine during the day but are functionally blind in dark/dim conditions. DNA test available. Management: keep stall lights on at night, don't ride at dusk, and be aware the horse may spook in shadows.