# Colour Question - Palomino with Spots?



## rocky pony (Oct 5, 2007)

This is something I've never seen before and can't figure anything out about...
There's a pure QH gelding at my stable - a palomino with brown spots all over him. They're about mid-size and a little bit spread out, not like a ton of them. It reminds me a little bit of some leopard appaloosas I've seen, which confuses me. He has some brown hairs spread throughout his mane and tail and one thicker brown streak in his tail.
Is there an explanation for this? It's been confusing me ever since he moved in :lol: I'm pretty interested in equine colour genetics and such, but don't know a ton about all of that yet.


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## Supermane (Sep 23, 2007)

It would help to see a picture, but they could be Bend Or spots.


So, I just googled it and came up with this picture


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## soileddove (Jul 27, 2010)

I was just going to suggest smut (bend-or) spots. I've had a couple horses that have had them in the past.. Some horses get just one or two like my old palomino QH gelding, but I've seen horses with so many that they look like an Appaloosa before too.

They're named for the TB stud that had them (Bend Or), so I suppose that's similar for birdcatcher spots.

Bend Or
Bend-Or spots - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## rocky pony (Oct 5, 2007)

Oh wow, I guess that probably is it...I felt like they looked like bend-or spots but I thought those only ever showed up with one or two spots, as I've known a few horses with them.
I had no idea they could come with that many! But his colouring is just like that picture. That explains it! Now my mind can finally be at rest when I look at him, lol


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## nrhareiner (Jan 11, 2009)

I have a sorrel mare that has them. Mostly on her legs. Almost look black.


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## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

Like everybody said they sound like bend-or spots, I think they are actually pretty common, just more noticeable on light colored horses obviously. I think every light colored horse I have ever owned/leased has had at least one. 

Here's Malibu's:










And then my old QH gelding:










Not the best picture, but he had several on his rump.


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## Amarea (May 25, 2010)

Aww! Malibu's is a heart!


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## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

heehee, yeah it was cute. That's how she got her name, reminded me of those barbie horses that always had a heart on their butt or something, that and I love the color pink, so originally she was Malibu Barbie, and it just got shortened to Malibu.


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## speedy da fish (May 7, 2009)

I would love to see a picture of this horse... Sounds like Bend Or spots as people have said to me though.
Bend Or spots are rare but most common on Palominos and Chestnuts (so red based colours).
We don't know yet what causes them but you might know that are named after the chestnut flaxen TB stallion Bend Or


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## rocky pony (Oct 5, 2007)

Well, his colouring is almost identical to the first picture posted of the palomino, there...I'd definitely have posted his picture but I don't have the owner's permission to do so and we don't personally really talk so it would probably be a little weird to approach her and ask, hahaha
And I've spent a lot of time recently on those topics that flared up recently with all of the arguing back and forth about whether or not it's okay to post a picture of someone else's horse online without asking and I don't want to start that all up again here :lol:

I was just a bit curious but I definitely think they're Bend-Or spots, especially after seeing that pally that was posted.


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