# birdcatcher spots



## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

Very interesting. How old is he? I wonder if that will develop into lacing..


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

My horse has birdcatcher spots but they are on her neck and cheeks. Interesting.


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## SteadyOn (Mar 5, 2017)

Could also be lacing! https://www.horseandman.com/tag/equine-lacing/


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

It could be his color but the ones down his spine seem oddly symmetric. Definitely not from a saddle like you said but a harness or something could be the culprit. It could be his color but seems much more likely not to be. The one further down his hip seems like a classic "white spot" (I don't think every white spot = birdcatcher spots, those are usually more prolific while many horses have one or two little white spots like that). It's not in a place to rub but also does seem more... "color like".


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## Cedar & Salty (Jul 6, 2018)

Gus has birdcatcher spots on his butt.... people ask if he's an appaloosa, but he's a QH.


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## Ollie13 (Feb 24, 2016)

My mare has them too.


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## Filou (Jan 16, 2014)

What breed is he? They are more prevalent in certain breeds/lineages. It feels to me more like a harness scar as well, but hard to say.


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## Dria (Dec 5, 2018)

phantomhorse13 said:


> Very interesting. How old is he? I wonder if that will develop into lacing..


He is 5, that would be fun if it does develop lacings and if it is birdcatcher spots since he has little white hair all over his body, but they aren't like SPOTS like I think birdcatcher spots are supposed to be. I am starting to think that it could be from a pack harness though as other posters have mentioned :/ I remember his previous owners used him mostly as a pack horse for the year they had him. I'm not positive how quickly white spots start to show though and how long they take to go away, would scaring like this go away or think he might have those white spots forever?

He has some dapples coming in also, which is fun. I just love his color, I think he is considered a chestnut since he is sorrel but his mane and tail are black with some white and red running through it. He is a grade qh, I also think he has some mustang in him, but not positive. He originally came from Mexico which is where he got that giant brand you can see in the photo. He has another brand on the other side from New Mexico, which is kinda like a sun. He has been to a lot of places before I got him, I think i'm his 3rd home and he is only 5.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

He certainly is a handsome solid looking chap! I would think your thoughts about the white marks coming from a pack saddle could be right. Love his color and markings...and dapples. 
I am far from any expert on color but he looks like a very light bay to me. There are several on the forum who have real knowledge on the subject so hopefully they will chime in.
Whatever he is he looks like a dandy!


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## SteadyOn (Mar 5, 2017)

I wonder if his colouring is "wild bay," which tends to be a lighter bay without as much darkness down the legs (if I'm getting that right). https://horse-reality.fandom.com/wiki/Wild_bay


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## Dria (Dec 5, 2018)

SteadyOn said:


> I wonder if his colouring is "wild bay," which tends to be a lighter bay without as much darkness down the legs (if I'm getting that right). https://horse-reality.fandom.com/wiki/Wild_bay


How interesting! I have never heard of that color bay, I always thought they needed the dark points going up the leg. His right foreleg he has a black hoof and then grey/black darker sorrel (I dont really know what colors) going up his leg, I will have to get a picture. His other legs have the white socks so that's partly why I never thought of him as a bay.


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## SteadyOn (Mar 5, 2017)

Dria said:


> How interesting! I have never heard of that color bay, I always thought they needed the dark points going up the leg. His right foreleg he has a black hoof and then grey/black darker sorrel (I dont really know what colors) going up his leg, I will have to get a picture. His other legs have the white socks so that's partly why I never thought of him as a bay.


There's another example of it on this page. From what I can see in your pics, it looks pretty close! Those socks do make it harder to guess at, huh?  
Equine Color Genetics


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

When you get a minute, take a close up picture of where the hair meets the hoof on the leg that does NOT have a white marking.


From what I can see in the one you posted, it looks like the hair lightens around the coronary band on that leg, which is a sign of red. But the picture isn't very clear so may just be a trick of the light.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

I think there is more going on and if he were wild bay then the leg with no white would be black fur from the hoof up and around the fetlock. There are some nd1s that present darker legs on chestnut. Some chestnuts with sooty will have darker manes and tails.


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## Dria (Dec 5, 2018)

Ok. Got some photos of his front leg. He definitely has some dark spots on his leg, which continues at diff points of his body also. I also got some photos of his mane and tail too, you can see the red, black and white he has in it.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

IMO, he is red. He certainly has some darker tones, but I do not think he is bay.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

From those I am going to say sooty and nd1. He is red.


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## pasomountain (Dec 19, 2018)

Definitely the sooty/smutty gene. My peruvian has similar coloring. He also has a white spot on his shoulder that I don't remember being there so it's probably from a scar and will stay white. My arab was a chesnut rabicano and had white hairs all over and spots under his belly. He also had a black spot on his side, so that was interesting.


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