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History
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BREED
The Appaloosa is a distinctive horse breed, easily recognised by its
characteristic spotted coat colour and patterns, although non characteristic
[plain coloured] animals bred from Appaloosa parents are also registered.
The breed evolved in the USA where the Nez Perce Indians of the Palouse valley
in northern Idaho prized and selectively bred the spotted horses. They
valued these horses for their stamina, temperament and hardiness; such qualities
prevail in today's horses. When the tribe was defeated by the European
colonists the horses were all but destroyed. A handful of enthusiasts in
the USA set out to preserve the Appaloosa as a breed and established
the Appaloosa Horse Club [ApHC] 65 years ago. The Appaloosa is related to several other
spotted horse breeds, including the European Noriker and Knabstrub breeds.
It is believed to have been strongly influenced by the Barb and Andalusian
horses which included spotted strains that were imported into North America by
the European immigrants and the traits of these horses can be seen in many of
today's Appaloosa's.
APPALOOSA COLOUR AND COAT PATTERNS
Appaloosa horses exhibit a variety of patterns in any of the recognised
solid equine coat colours although the most distinctive are those with a dark
base coat colour, thus giving greater contrast between the dark spots and white
areas of the coat. The main patterns are "leopard" where dark spots occur
on white over the whole body; "few spot leopard" where there are very few
or no spots on the white coat; "white blanket" where the front part of the
horse is dark and white extends from the hind quarters, sometimes as far as the
shoulders; "spotted blanket" where dark spots are on the dark coat.
There are two types of appaloosa roan, the "varnish roan" where there is a fairly
even mixture of white hair throughout the dark coat and "varnish marks" of
darker hair, mainly in the areas of the body where the bone structure are near the
surface; there is little or no spotting present in the coat. The
other is a "marble roan" where there is an uneven mixture of white hair
throughout the coat, including white spots and or blotches, dark spots and dark
or white 'veins' of hair. In addition to the coat patterns horses that
passes the appaloosa [Ap] gene exhibit have typical characteristics of "mottled skin"
where the bare skin of the muzzle, dock, anus, genital areas and around the eyes
may be mottled, with irregular speckles and small blotches of pink [unpigmented]
and grey [pigmented] skin. The "white sclera" occurs when the area of the
eye-ball surrounding the dark iris lacks pigment, this is very common in
Appaloosa horses and in a foal born with a solid colour it may be the only
indication that he could later roan out to give 'colour'. "striped hooves"
occur when the walls of the hooves have vertical dark and light stripes.
HISTORY OF THE APPALOOSA IN
SOUTH AFRICA
The 2 000 or so living registered Appaloosa's in
South Africa have been bred from a handful of imported animals out-crossed to a
variety of local horses. There were a few spotted horses in the country
in the early 20th century. By the second half of the century a few more
animals were imported from America. They were: Dolls Toby (from the
sought after 'Toby' line); Africa's Quadroon; Southern Beau (a quarter
horse cross); Peter Ehrlich and the mare Keutans Minnie; Chipperfields Spot, and
Chipperfields Pasha (neither of the Chipperfields horses had a known pedigree
and being quite heavy circus animals, may have been bred from Knabstrub
lines).
Of the imported stallions, Southern Beau sired 19
foals and Peter Ehrlich 44. There have also been a number of influential
mares, the most prolific being Alpha Fancy Pants with 12 foals, Alpha Indian
Summer with 14 and Alpha Kalamazoo with 12.
The foundation herd - 685 animals born by 1997 and
registered with the Appaloosa Horse Club of Southern Africa - was based on this
small gene pool of imported animals out-crossed to a variety of non-inspected
non-Appaloosas available at the time. Since 1997, following the
incorporation of the breed society into the SA Stud Book and Animal Improvement
Association, the animals have been inspected before receiving full registered
status and being used for breeding. In addition, inspections for
conformation and breed type have been conducted since 2000. Most observers
agreed that the quality as well as the quantity of animals in the national herd
has improved over the last few years.
In the past three years the breed has benefited
from the arrival of two more imported stallions and a mare from the USA.
These importations were beneficial to the genetic variation within the breed.
However, an analysis of breeding patterns within the breed showed that in the
history of the breed in South Africa only 37 stallions have sired more than 8
foals and only 14 of these have sired more than 20. This suggests the the
Appaloosa gene pool in the national herd is still quite small, and so breeders
are encouraged to out-cross to inspected, non-Appaloosa Basic Section
(foundation) mares.
At first a handful of Appaloosa enthusiasts in South African got together to promote the breed.
Due mainly to the efforts of Claire Amm,
a few of the breeders combined to form the Appaloosa Horse Club of Southern
Africa in 1977. The founding members were Claire Amm (Alpha Stud), Hennie
Oosthuizen (Middlepoint, formerly Middelpunt Stud), Margie Everett (Maluti Stud)
and Deaux Grobler (Spot on Stud). In Botswana, Elsa Herbst used Appaloosas
with her Arabs to produce several successful endurance horses. In 1997,
after many years of negotiating with SA Stud Book, the Appaloosa breed was
recognised and the Appaloosa Horse Breeders' Society was formed. Since
then the Society has grown to over 100 members, including 74 registered
breeders. Claire Amm was president of the Club and the Society from 1977,
and resigned in October 2003. Her tireless and enthusiastic contribution
to the development of the breed and establishing of the Breeders' society cannot
be underestimated and her work is valued and appreciated by all the members of
the Society. In addition to the management of inspections and registration
of horses for members, the Society also holds Western, English and breed classes
in at least four shows every year, including the Horse of the Year show and
culminating in the Society's own annual National Championships. It also
holds clinics and demonstrations on subjects such as conformation, inspections,
showing and riding, events such as social ride, auctions and the Annual Banquet
and Award Evening when the achievements of horses and members are honoured.
These events, particularly the shows, have been generously sponsored by various
companies and individuals.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Numerous Appaloosas have done well in events like endurance, show jumping, dressage and in the show ring.
This is just to show the versatility of the breed.
REGISTRATION
Appaloosa horses are registered in South Africa by
the Breed Society in an appendix register. Horses that are not registered
with the Society may be inspected and included in the basic section
(foundation stock) of the register. Such animals are welcome as they can
improve the conformation and quality of the existing registered Appaloosas.
Horses are gradually upgraded through Appendix A and B to the fourth generation
which is identified as Stud Book Proper. Following the introduction of
inspections for all breeding stock, the improvement in quality has been noticed
and judges at the 2003 Vaal and Appaloosa National Shows commented on the
pleasing standards of the young stock in particular. Until recently the
Society registered Appaloosa Horses only. But around 1999 a section for
Appaloosa Ponies was included and more recently the register has been extended
to include categories for Appaloosa Sport Horses and Miniature Appaloosas.
The categories are differentiated by type and height. This enables the
owners for most spotted horses to compete in the breed shows and register under
the umbrella of the Breed society and hence with SA Stud Book.
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