“He’s Not An Appaloosa. His Spots Move…”
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By Brittany Bevis
The vast array of colors and coat patterns that a horse can possess is nothing short of divine. Certainly genetics and bloodlines play a huge part in determining whether a foal will come into the world with a bald face or a speckled backside, but there is something miraculous that happens during the process to determine when and how coloring is placed. Whether you’re fond of the coppery coat of a solid Quarter Horse, the flashy chrome of an American Paint, or the spots of an Appaloosa, each breed provides evidence of divine design in its own unique way.
But, occasionally, there are those horses that don’t fit into a particular mold. If you’ve been following the AQHA circuit over the past year, you will have certainly noticed a special specimen of equine coloring in the 4-year-old gelding, Livin Da Dream.
Upon first glance, he might appear to be an Appaloosa with flecks and specks of white hair that grace his neck, head, and hip. But, look at his breeding. He’s by The Lopin Machine and out of a daughter of RL Best Of Sudden. That’s AQHA–all the way. So where did those spots come from? What is he? An Appaloosa? A Quarter Horse?
We had the opportunity to chat about “Kurt” with one of his trainers, Liz Baker, to find out more about this interesting horse. “He belongs to Nettie Olsen, and we got him in November of his two-year-old year,” she says. “Jay Starnes had him as a two-year-old. He showed in The Equine Chronicle Masters at the Congress and was third. He already had spots when we got him; but, when he was born, he was solid bay. He developed his spots as he got older.”
