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Paint Overos
Paint Overo
The Paint Overo Coloration Pattern
The Overo is another type of paint horse. These Paint horses have
become very popular all over the world, but even more so in North
America. The main thing to note about this paint is the fact that its
name, Overo, is actually the Spanish word for like an egg. The problem
with the classification of the Overo Paints is the fact that there are
actually three different spotting patterns that all fit under the Overo
classification. There is the frame Overo, the Splash, and the Sabino
Overo. As you can see, this is something that just complicates things
for some people who are already having a hard time trying to classify
theit horse. The genetics behind these horses is actually still being
studied around the world. That is because the genetics of the Overo,
and how it is related to the Pinto patterns, are still not fully
understood. However, they do know that they are related in some
way.
Since this is such a popular breed, you may be asking, why isn't
everyone running out to get one of these horses? Well, that is because
all Paints do have one problem, and that is the fact that they have a
lot of genetic disorders that you have to worry about. Not only that,
the Overo may be one of the favorites of the paints, but it is the one
that has the worst problems with the genetic disorders. In fact, there
is one problem that runs very strongly in this kind of Paint, and that
is the lethal white syndrome. This is something that is passed on in
the genes of the horse. Although an adult carrier of it has nothing to
worry about, it's babies will. In fact, horses that are carriers of the
genes are not suppose to be bred as a way to try and keep a cap on the
number of horse deaths by lethal white syndrome.
If you think that your baby horse has this problem, there is nothing
that you can do. Usually the horse will come out looking completely
white with pink skin. Not only that, but they will have blue eyes, not
red ones. Although it sounds like it would not be that bad of a
disease, it is actually a disorder that affects the digestive system of
the foal. In fact, it is a trait that means that the digestive system
of the foal is not developed. Most of the time, a foal that has this
problem will die in 72 hours at the longest. Usually, due to humane
reasons, they are put to death sooner so that they do not have to
suffer for those 72 hours. The sad thing about it is that there is
nothing that you can do for the horse.
Of course, if you have a white horse, that does not mean that your
horse has this problem. In fact, lethal white syndrome should not be
confused with horses that are genetically white. Also, horses that are
white sabinos should not be thought to have this problem. Although, a
lot of people think so, because they are born with pink skin as
well.
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