where do piebald horses/ ponies originate from?

Question

i have a piebald coloured mare (black and white) she comes from ireland.

i have always wondered where the piebald/ skewbald colour originates from?

anyone know?

Answer 1

Horses as you know come in all shapes, sizes and types - with one major distinction being made on the grounds of colour.
Here in Ireland we use the terms "Piebald" or "Skewbald" to describe certain horse colouration. In other countries you will see references to "Coloured" or "Paint" horses - in many cases these descriptions really have the same meaning.
As we are a coloured horse registry, we DO place a value on colour and markings, but NO SINGLE COLOUR is valued above another and NO SINGLE TYPE is valued above any other type.

The Irish Piebald & Skewbald Association has full official Stud Book recognition from The EU and The Irish Department Of Agriculture and registrations are steadily increasing.
It is our aim to promote the interest in, pleasure from and status of Piebald & Skewbald horses.
Our services include stallion licensing, providing official identity documents and internationally recognised passports for all registrations and the maintenance of a proper horse register in accordance with Irish and European rules.
A piebald is an animal, especially a horse, that has large white and black patches. The colour of the horse's skin underneath its coat may vary between black (under the black patches of hair) and pink (under the white patches). In the UK, it is typically considered a manifestation of the Tobiano gene, though in the United States the color scheme appears in both Overo and Tobiano individuals. The underlying genetic cause is a condition known as leucism.

Similar to the skewbald and oddbald, these colours are now no longer in common use in the UK and are more correctly referred to as Coloured. However, the term is still in common parlance in Ireland where piebald horses are popular amongst Irish Travellers. In the U.S., the more common term for this colouring is pinto, with the specialized term "paint" referring specifically to a spotted breed of horse with American Quarter Horse or Thoroughbred bloodlines, whereas pinto referrs to a spotted horse of any breed.

Answer 2

As piebald and skewbald are simply colours and markings, there is no way of knowing for sure where they originated from. They are not a breed per se as you cannot guarantee that if you bred a piebald stallion to a piebald mare you will get a piebald foal; whereas if you breed a TB stallion to a TB mare you WILL get a TB foal.

At a guess I would say that the colourings originated in Europe, perhaps even in Great Britain/Ireland.

Horses are not native to America (they were introduced by settlers), so the paint horses probably have the same European origins as the coloured horses we know and love.

Answer 3

Even though many people call anything under 14.2 a pony and anything over a horse the rule has no real meaning anywhere other than perhaps shows. There is no hard and fast black and white rule. Though some shows and events set such a rule. But what authority does such an event have to say change the definition of pony and horse for the entire human race? In truth when heights and weights were measured in a study conducted in the late 60's the average height of a quarter horse (remember this would be old style and they were shorter then with no whithers) was only 14.2. However the average weight of those horses was 1200 lbs. The same study showed the average thouroughbred to be 15.2 hands with an average weight of 950 lbs (again taken today those numbers would probably have changed some as larger preference has been given to larger thoroughbreds). But the study shows that height really is a poor way to measure the size of a horse. The fact is that ponies and horses are not only different in height, they tend to have different builds. To sum it all up don't get too caught up in definitions. Remember that definitions change from person to person and place to place. Again the USEF is NOT the end all and be all of the equestrian world. Their rules are for theirs shows and shows that are using their rules. However, it is still THEIR rules and Their definitions. Not the worlds as a whole. Now if the asker had asked what are the USEF rules then the cut off would be 14.2 with the exceptions mentioned in their rule book. However that is not what was asked.

Answer 4

This is uncertain now for me as I had long held the thought that the piebald was a mixture of pony breeding on the Great Plains with the American Indian's influence.

Answer 5

It's a color scheme that's been around a very long time. Check out the Gypsy Vanners. It could very well have been humans crossing horses with the most white because we like the look. Some breeds cannot be paints of any colors. No telling where it started

Answer 6

America, the original American Indians bred them for colour,
I had a skewbald mare for 23 years (15hh) and never a
more sure footed animal have I ever owned, she would
also turn on a sixpence !! Unfortunately, there is still a
stigma in th UK, ..Working Hunter classes ect, never
seen a coloured win !!! enjoy your mare !!

Answer 7

their are many diffrent types and breeds or piebald ponies so it's hard to say where your particular one comes from.

Working Cob
Miniature Shetland
Driving etc.

are all traditional types of painted ponies.

Answer 8

I also have a piebald gelding from Ireland.

Is it something to do with the painted horses in America?!?