TWHBEA Color Registration Accuracy

Helping people to select the correct foal color been my  greatest desire for many years. My next greatest desire is to be able to promote the implementation of a program to bring some creditability and accuracy to the registry on identification of the proper colors stated on foal applications.  I would like to see the TWHBEA become more knowledgeable about color and be able to provide basic color genetic guidance to the members and general public.  With support of the TWHBEA members, changes can be made a little at a time.

I met with the new Executive Director, Mr. Hulsey, and Mike Cooke, the Peds Programmer on 24 June 2003 when I was in Tennessee.  Mike is the TWHBEA Website designer  and for the Peds Program both online and the CD.   He was very interested in my suggestions on iPeds and the Peds CD.  Mr. Hulsey  explained that the TWHBEA is not a color registry but a breed registry.  My response was that with every breed registry is a requirement to identify the horse on their registration papers and that correct color and markings were required to be able to match the papers to the horse.  It saddens me that correct color identification is not important to TWHBEA leadership.  

I have been elected as the TWHBEA Director from Kansas, but I invite all TWH people to voice their concerns especially about the registry and any suggestions to make it better. During the meeting with Mike and  Mr. Hulsey to meet with Mike about Peds and I provided a list of things to discuss on how to improve Peds and make it a useful tool and reference for the TWHBEA membership.

I firmly believe that understanding horse color enables us to identify horses accurately. Accurate identification of a horse's color is the key ingredient in understanding the genetic basis of color.   We all recognize that in the Tennessee Walking Horse breed there is a wide variety of colors.  The two main groups of horse colors are those with black points (mane, tail, lower legs and ear rims) and those with non-black points.  The specific combination of point color and body color are what determines most horse color names.   Another thing to consider is that white in markings and patterns are not the absence of all color but rather is white superimposed on what would have been the specific body or point color.   

A horse's final color results from the interaction of several independent process which can dilute, modify or restrict color.   I realize that my efforts to simplify the explanations I may not fully explain the technical terms, but because I suffered from lack of understanding the in-depth genetic language, I believe more people are like me and will appreciate if I leave out the technical and put it in everyday simple terms. 

Related Links:

• Walking Horse Colors
• Correct Foal Color Identification: 15 Ways the TWHBEA Could Help

I know there are things that I have missed and probably errors too.  I invite anyone to email me with ideas and suggestions on getting the TWHBEA on the road to helping members to provide accurate information when registering a foal.  Change won't happen overnight but if we work together with a common goal, it will happen.  

Join in and be a part of helping to make it happen. 

Elsie 

Last Chance Farm 10267 206th Road   Nortonville, KS 66060   Phone: (913) 886-6481   Fax: (913) 886-2713 elsietwh@hotmail.com