American Albino – Horse Breed of The Week
The American Albino horse is also called the American Cream & White and are not actually albino animals. The albino gene is fatal to horses and rarely survives beyond the womb.
A Touchy Subject
Image from *Melody*
There is a great deal of controversy surrounding albino horses in the equine world. Like unicorns, some say they exist and some say they don’t.
To Further The Confusion
The American Albino is a color breed given registry in the US. The breed started with the flagship stud Old King whose breeding is unknown, but he is though to be of Arabian & Morgan descent.
The registry was developed in 1936 to track Old King’s bloodlines and breeding. He was initially bred to Morgan mares, but as with most color breeds, American Albinos come in all shapes and sizes.
Learn More
For more information about the breed.
Cowboy Frank American Albino
OK State American Cream & White
Why is it fatal?
Hi glorypromo,
I’m still learning about horse color genetics myself, and this subject has quite a bit of debate. Here are a few links that are worth looking at which explain more about albino genetics.
White Horse Productions & Jeff Sadler
I find albinos to be rather beautiful. Some may think they have an alien like appearance, but I don’t. Albino is at the top of my favorite coloration list. Until I finally get one, I will always want an albino horse. I still want to know how the albino gene is fatal, just like glorypromo. Also, if I get an Andalusian I’d want it to be albino.
It is called lethal white overo syndrom. It twists their intestines up and they die within three days. Seeing these horses as white as they are, never kill a white baby out of two overos unless you absolutely know that they are lethal. We thougt ours was a letahl and gave her a chance. she is seven weeks old yesterday. and she is still very much alive and healthy.
White spotting results from defects in the migration and/or differentiation of a population of cells called the ‘neural crest’, so called because these cells originate in the dorsal midline of the neural tube. Neural crest cells differentiate into many cell types, including peripheral nerves. Lethal white kills because the gut is unable to function due to absence or severe defect in the nervous system of the gut.
The lethal white syndrome is a condition that occurs in newborn foals. The condition is genetic, and both parents carry the defective gene. Horses that carry this gene are most commonly overo white patterned horses (frame overos), but there are exceptions. The defective gene has been found in American Paint Horses, American Miniature Horses, Half-Arabians, Thoroughbreds, and cropout Quarter Horses (foals born to registered Quarter horse parents that have too much white to qualify for registration with the American Quarter Horse Association).
There is more over this By: Elizabeth M Santschi, DVM at http://www.netpets.com/horses/healthspa/lethal.html
These foals do not last more than 14-18 hours before they die or are euthanized by the vet. There intestines do not twist, they are just not completely formed.
Does she have any GQ Santana in her lines? I may be interested if you decide to sell her either way. Please, Do you have photos?
I have a white, dark eyed GQ Santana daughter. She was bred to a non-red gene QH stud named, Lark N Dark. She threw a bright bay, medicine hatted, sabino filly with a smokey black mane and tail that has white on both sides. (sort of Fijord looking until it lays down) lol Photos are on facebook/Melody Winslow as my avitar.
I may want to sell her for the right price. Let me know.
GQ SANTANA is currently being tested for being a dominant white by the AQHA.
The albino horse is considered fatal because a true albino is called a lethal white. The foal doesn’t live very long after birth. They start to show signs of colic and then die. They don’t develope all the way and there is nothing that can be done to save their lifes.
just so you know, that horse at the top isn’t an american albino. it’s a true white thoroughbred.
Thanks for the correction NiamhR, you are absolutely right and I pulled the pic.
I have a three year old appaloosa gelding that is snow white with amber eyes. he is broke to ride, 15-2 hands, tail to the ground, and gorgeous. I would like to give him to a person that would appreciate this special horse. He would make an english or western horse, and is of course a registered appaloosa. Please let me know if there is any way to get info on this gelding to people interested in white horses. He is sound, healthy, current on vaccinations, worming, coggins, etc. He loads and hauls, stands for farrier, easy to clip, etc.