Description

Typically in the heterozygous state, the Sabino coat pattern usually involves a horse having two or more white feet or legs. The white color will often extend up the legs of the horse to the belly in irregular or fragmented patches. These jagged white patches are commonly referred to as barrel spots or belly spots. The head of a Sabino horse is moderately white. It commonly has a blaze or white patch that expands the length of the face. The white areas of a Sabino horse lack pigment, both in the hair and skin.

Same horse as on left but mature Courtesy of Joanne Abramson

nSb1 Foal Courtesy of Joanne Abramson

Many Sabinos are characterized by flecks, patches, and roan areas. Roaning (interspersed white hairs throughout the coat) is generally seen around the midsection of the horse. The roaned areas on a Sabino horse can be minimal and only see at the edges of the white pattern to extensive roaning throughout the entire body of the horse. Cases where a Sabino horse exhibits extensive roaning can sometimes be confused with classic roan. However, Classic Roan does not involve the splashy white markings of a Sabino and the head and legs are usually darker than the body.

In the homozygous state, the white often covers greater than 90% of the horse's body. This is referred to as a maximum white sabino. There are instances where a heterozygous horse appears all white but they usually carry another pattern such as Tobiano or Frame Overo. A horse with both Tobiano and Sabino is referred to as a Tovero.

Another distinguishing trait amongst sabinos is their eye color. They commonly have blue eyes or partially blue and brown eyes.

This chart shows the possibilities of offspring when mating two horses.

nSb1 - one normal/one Sabino1- probable Sabino pattern
nn - Sabino1 mutation not present.
Sb1Sb1 - Maximum Sabino

Reference:

Brooks SA, Bailey E. Exon skipping in the KIT gene causes a Sabino spotting pattern in horses.
Mamm Genome. 2005 Nov;16(11):893-902. Epub 2005 Nov 11.

Sabino 1 Testing

Animal Genetics offers DNA testing and detection of the gene mutation responsible for the Sabino 1 coat pattern.

Cost

$25.00 US per sample.

Collect sample by pulling (not cutting) 20-30 mane or tail hairs with roots attached. It is important that you pull the hairs and confirm that the actual root of the hair is being collected. The root contains the genetic material of your horse that is needed for DNA testing. Therefore, cut hairs do not provide an adequate sample of your horse. Place the collected hairs of each horse in a separate zip-lock bag labeling the bags accordingly with the horses name or identification number. Download and complete a submission form for each sample and send along with payment to Animal Genetics for testing.

Submission Form -

Results

Results are given using the following symbolic notation: