The Appaloosa Project

Your questions about appaloosa spotting and genetics answered. 

For over 20 years, the Appaloosa Project helped breeders, owners and enthusiasts of Appaloosas, Knabstruppers (and other appaloosa spotted horses and ponies) to breed their desired coat patterns by understanding the LP gene and how it interacts with other genes to cause appaloosa coat patterns. 

The science behind the spots 

While the Appaloosa Project stopped accepting subscriptions and closed down its electronic classroom at the end of 2021, it is still the best and most accurate available source for information on appaloosa spotting. Our research team investigated, located and helped to product tests for the LP gene, the PATN1 gene and other major coat pattern modifiers, as well as LP-associated traits such as Congenital Stationary Night Blindness and Equine Recurrent Uveitis.

We continue to offer free articles to assist owners and breeders of spotted horses to make sense of spotted coat patterns and how to produce them.

Essential reading

A breeder's guide to the Leopard Complex gene (LP) 4>
Public articles

The vast array of coat patterns and interesting pigmentation variations exhibited by horses that...

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Night blindness in the Appaloosa (CSNB) 4>
Public articles

CSNB stands for “congenital stationary night blindness”. More commonly referred to as night...

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PATN2 is Not the Blanket Gene - How Small Effect PATN Modifiers Really Work

PATN2 is Not the Blanket Gene - How Small Effect PATN Modifiers Really Work 4>
Public articles

Search online and you'll find some websites promoting a gene called PATN2 as the blanket...

→ Read on