Hidden sabino is one of the white patterns present in Horse Reality.
¶ Phenotype
In real life, many sabino1 or white spotting-like patterns that have not yet been identified are present in horses. The word “(untestable/hidden) sabino” is often used to refer to these kinds of patterns. In some UK breeds, the patterns are sometimes called “blagdon”. In the game, they are all implemented as hidden sabino.
The expression of hidden sabino may vary between breeds or even between horses. The pattern can be very minimal and hard to distinguish from regular white markings or cause very extensive white. Typical characteristics are (leg) markings that have irregular edges, belly spots, white ticking on the body, and face markings that go over the lower lip and/or jaw of the horse.
Hidden sabino affects any base colour, but the presence of dilutions or grey may make the white pattern harder to see.
| Hidden Sabino - Various breeds | |
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Genotype
In real life, it is thought that these hidden sabino patterns could be caused by currently unidentified white spotting alleles. The patterns in different breeds therefore likely also have different genetic causes. In Horse Reality, however, hidden sabino has been implemented as the same hidden gene for all horse breeds. It can't be tested in-game.
The allele of this gene that is responsible for the hidden sabino phenotype is recessive, which means that a horse will need 2 copies for the white pattern to show. However, the expression of hidden sabino is also affected by the presence of other genes. This may cause some horses with hidden sabino to have very little white, while others have a very expressive pattern. Therefore, when breeding for horses with a more prominent hidden sabino pattern, it might also be smart to select horses that show loud white markings. This may be a sign that they might also be able to pass this trait on to hidden sabino foals!
Since hidden sabino covers several untestable patterns in different breeds, the appearance of the hidden sabino pattern may also differ between breeds and have its own characteristics. It may be very minimal in certain breeds, while others can show some very impressive patterns.
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Breeds
The following table lists all breeds that can currently have the hidden sabino phenotype in-game.
| Breeds |
| Akhal-Teke Horse |
| Arabian Horse |
| Brabant Horse |
| Brumby Horse |
| Camargue Horse |
| Cleveland Bay |
| Exmoor Horse |
| Finnhorse |
| Fjord Horse |
| Friesian Horse |
| Haflinger Horse |
| Icelandic Horse |
| Irish Cob Horse |
| Kladruber Horse |
| Knabstrupper |
| Lipizzaner Horse |
| Lusitano |
| Mongolian Horse |
| Mustang Horse |
| Namib Desert Horse |
| Noriker Horse |
| Norman Cob |
| Oldenburg Horse |
| Pantaneiro Horse |
| Pura Raza Española |
| Quarter Horse |
| Shetland Pony |
| Shire Horse |
| Suffolk Punch |
| Thoroughbred |
| Trakehner Horse |
| Welsh Pony |
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References
- Bellone R., Sponenberg D. P., Equine Color Genetics, 4th Edition, 2017, Wiley-Blackwell