Blue Eyed Thoroughbreds

[SpecialEffects]

I've seen a few TB's with blue eyes - most recently my sisters filly Whatever (who I have full intentions of kidnapping! ) but has anybody ever done a study to try and figure out where or who the blue eyes come from? I've tried to look up as many as I know but I can't seem to find any particular pattern to the bloodlines.

The rare splash TB's aside, the only two I have seen were owned by Trinity Breeders - Blue Eyed Angel and Albadou. I'm not sure if BEA was a splash but Albadou definitely was not. My sister also had a mare named Foxy Foxy that had blue eyes and again, was most definitely not a splash pattern. Other than those three I've heard a number of people claim they had a blue eyed TB but I never saw any pictures to back it up.

So what other TB's have blue eyes and just how common or uncommon is it?

[summerhorse]

There have been no published (or unpublished that I know of) studies on the inheritance of blue eyes. While some colors and patterns ARE associated with blue eyes (frame, spalsh, double dilutes) blue eyes can and do just show up. Some show a family history, some do not. They really don't know why or how they are passed along.

[xfactor fan]

I suspect there are at least two ways to produce a blue eye.

The most common is that the pigment producing cells are affected by the "turn off the color gene" So if the embryonic eye tissue is hit with color off gene, the resulting eye will be light blue. To make matters even more interesting is that the on/off switch affects tissue in 3-D, so the embryonic eye bud can be in the middle of tissue that is switched off, but end up in the middle of a color patched of skin.

An example of embryonic tissue migration, take a look at the pattern of stripes on a zebra. The stripe on command seems to kick in at 4,5,6 weeks, and puts little round bands of verticle pigment on the embryo. Then as the embryo develops the stripes move as the underlying tissue turns into legs, neck, and other horsie parts.


The dark blue eyes are most likely caused by something else.

[Karie]

my mare Surprise Audit (Mehmet X Illgotten Gains, by Search For Gold) is the dam of a filly with blue eyes...
The filly is an appendix quarter horse but is out of a Dark Brown stallion without any white.
The filly is a chestnut with a small star and no other white..
Here is an old pic.. I will try and get a newer one uploaded and on my web site

[camohn]

Aside from those 2 I have seen 2 blue eyed TBs. My Blue Eyed Baby (her pic is here in the database) and a black stallion in the mid west who did look splash. I can't remember his name at the moment. Albadou has a funky blaze but not the leg white.

[xfactor fan]

The other thing that can cause light eyes is the champaign gene. Is there a possiblity that it is lurking about?

[SpecialEffects]

I'm not sure about other breeds but since there is no champagne gene in TB's, it can't be a contributing factor to the blue eyes. Interesting info though!

It's funny, in most cases when I've seen pictures of some of these blue eyed horses I think that they looks strange - some even creepy. But in person, the ones I've seen are very neat and much warmer looking. Probably the most beautiful and striking was Blue Eyed Angel. She was so exotic looking and stunning, it just gave you goosebumps.

I had forgotten about Bold Phantom Go. His pattern didn't strike me as being a splash and he certainly (from what's on the website) hasn't produced any offspring that look splash. He's very neat all the same!

[xfactor fan]

I there is the Champaign gene in Quarter Horses. Or am I confusing the pictures?

[camohn]

BFG was the one I was trying to remember the name of

[summerhorse]

Champagne does exist in Qhs but their eyes usually turn amberish. Is this filly still that age or is that an old picture? Some foals keep their baby blues a bit longer and they darken up later.

My friend has a big bay TB, been awhile since I've seen him, he has blaze or stripe I think (not big), maybe a sock or two and one blue eye. None of his immediate family had blue eyes, not sure about grandparents. Think he goes back to Grey Lag on one side. I'll try to remember to ask if she has a picture of him she can email me. (and his sire/dam)

[Karie]

Champagne does exist in Qhs but their eyes usually turn amberish. Is this filly still that age or is that an old picture? Some foals keep their baby blues a bit longer and they darken up later.

Its an old picture.. She is a yearling now and its soooo cold outside that I haven't wanted to attempt taking new ones..
Here eyes are still the striking freaky blue though, they really haven't changed at all. I really figured they would.

I will try and get pics this week since its going to be a little warmer.. you will have to excuse the winter hair

[Karie]

That is a pic from February.. Its not too close. I will get a better one.

[Starflower]

What a neat looking filly!! Has her dam thrown other foals with blue eyes?

[Karie]

Starflower Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 11:00 am Post subject:
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What a neat looking filly!! Has her dam thrown other foals with blue eyes?

She is for sale! AQHA (appendix) Registered as " Surprise Heiress"

Not sure about the dam. I bought her 2 years ago with a brown eyed foal at her side. She is in foal to "Equality" this year. I cant wait to see what she throws!

[summerhorse]

She's a cutie! No, after a year her eyes won't change. She probably has frame or splash lurking about most likely. I would advise anyone buying her to have her tested for LWOS if they want to breed her. It only costs $25 or so and can save a lot of grief. If she doesn't have it then it is probably splash. In that case avoid breeding her to other splash, blue eyed or oddly marked horses! Well unless they WANT a Paint...