Tobiano

Tobiano is a horse coat color pattern characterized by white patches on the body with dark legs and typically a dark head. The white areas usually have smooth, rounded edges and often cross the horse’s back from withers to croup, extending onto the belly or chest. The mane and tail are commonly dark, though they can contain white as well. Tobiano patterns are recognizable at birth and are present across many horse breeds.

Genetically, tobiano is generally described as a dominant color pattern linked to a mutation at the KIT gene. Heterozygous tobiano horses (one tobiano allele) display the pattern, while homozygous tobiano offspring (two tobiano alleles) are rare and in some populations are considered to have reduced viability, though reports vary by lineage. The exact inheritance can interact with other color genes, producing a range of expressions.

Tobiano must be distinguished from other white-patterned types, most notably the frame overo. Tobiano traits typically produce white patches with smooth, rounded borders that can cross the horse’s back, with white legs and a dark face. In contrast, overo patterns have jagged, irregular borders and usually do not cross the back; the limbs are often dark and the face may display extensive white markings. The term tovero is used for horses exhibiting both tobiano and overo features.

Occurrence and usage: Tobiano is common in several North American-bred stock horses, including the American Paint Horse and related breeds, but it appears in a variety of other breeds as well. Breeders use tobiano status as a color trait in registry and breeding programs, with attention to potential inheritance patterns and foal viability.