The British Appaloosa Society

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Coat Patterns and Markings


Base colour pure white with evenly distributed dark spots over the entire body from head to hoof. They are born with these spots and carry then throughout life.

Near Leopard

Born with leopard coloured body markings but with different coloured head and legs, sometimes neck. As it matures, the dark colouring often fades, the horse becoming a full leopard.

Few Spot Leopard

Has basic colour of white, sometimes with blue or red roan 'varnish marks' and just a few spots.

Near Fewspot

Similar to the Fewspot Leopard but has solid head,neck and legs

Spotted Blanket

Dark forehand with white over loin & hips with round or egg shaped spots. Some/many of these have halos (ie roan edging the spots).

Spots may vary in diameter. Blankets maybe small or large patches on the rump or extending along the back to the withers

White Blanket or Snowcap Blanket

Dark forehand with a blanket without spots, or nearly void of spots. Like the spotted blanket, the blanket may be small or large patches on the rump or extend along the back to the withers


The base colour is dark with spots over the body.

The snowflake is usually born soild coloured and 'colours out' to this pattern, often becoming roan.

Frosted Hip

Dark base colour with either frost or white spots on the loin and hips.

This pattern can develop with age, or they can be born with this colouring.

Marble (or LP Roan)

Base colour is usually red or blue roan. At times described as bay, brown or black roan.

Marbles usually have 'varnish' marks (darker patches.)

Solid (Plain coloured)

A percentage of Appaloosas are born completely solid and never  'colour out' or develop characteristics in maturity. Some people fail to understand that the 'Appaloosa' is a true breed like any other breed and not just a colour! There is much more to the appaloosa than just colour alone


Parti-Coloured Skin (Mottled Skin) - This is one of the most tell-tale physical characteristics of the breed. This mottling of pink and black skin is always evident around the soft skin of the lips, muzzle, nostrils or eye. Some Appaloosas have a minimum of mottled skin. Others may have a lot.

 White Sclera - This is sometimes called the 'human eye' as the white, which encircles the eye, is like a person's eye. Most other horses have a dark sclera.

 Striped Hooves - Vertical stripes or laminations of the hoof. Not all solid Appaloosas will show these characteristics.