# White flecks/spots on a Warmblood?



## IndiesaurusRex (Feb 23, 2011)

Hiya,

Sorry in advance if the answer is very obvious or has been posted before.

I used to exercise a Westphalian mare, and she had all the little white spots over her, mostly clustered around her head and ears, and a few on her hindquarters. I was just wondering what the genetic cause is? She had no (known) Appaloosa in her close breeding history, so I guess my question is, is she a funky colour, or is she bay (brown? Still not quite clued up on that debate) with a funky genetic quirk?

I'll post a few pictures so you can see what I mean.

Thanks!


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Birdcatcher spots

(from google)









Some horses have random white spots with no known meaning but she has enough I think to qualify for this. I believe birdcatcher spots are theorized to be caused by the sabino gene (which it looks like this mare does have a minimal expression of due to the lip white and pointed looking stocking RH). Most horses are not as dramatic as my example picture and express more like yours. She's cute.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

My horse had these last summer. Disappeared with her winter coat. I decided they were caused by a small allergic reaction to some kind of biting insect.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

odie has some of these. he is VERY obviously sabino so i think that theory makes sense.


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## cbako01 (Oct 21, 2016)

My clydie cross gelding has these; Some of them are quite big too. I don't have any photos on hand unfortunately, but he's got about 6-8 bird catcher spots and then roughly 8 grease patches too, as well as white ticking all through his coat- and he's definitely not no appaloosa in his breeding. He's got the big white socks with jaggard edges as well as a blaze and a white lip so I suspect some kind of sabino or W gene has had an impact on his white bits.


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## IndiesaurusRex (Feb 23, 2011)

Thanks for the replies guys!

I definitely think it is colouring at work, rather than reaction scarring. The first photo is late into her summer coat, the second is her winter coat (not much of one though :lol

I knew there was some sort of name for it, but I had no idea it was related to sabino, so you learn something new every day!


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Neat little thread!
Does anyone else have bird catcher spots to post?


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I'm not POSITIVE on the sabino thing, and when I was looking it up found my own post saying the same thing I said above LOL! I'm sure you could research it better than I can...maybe I will at some point.

I LOVE the mare I posted.... I used to have more pics somewhere but didn't see them this time...

For my own I have a gelding with a white spot, just the one "random marking". The pony has one on her lip but part of her blaze I feel and my pinto has several on her face but she's a pinto so... lol True birdcatcher marking are rare. In fact I can't think of any horses I've actually known that would qualify. It's pretty cool imo


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