A beautiful horse with blue eyes is a rare find. While some horses may have slight hints of blue or lighter shades of brown in their eyes, true blue horses are rare.
The gene that controls the pigment in a horse’s skin, hair, and eye color is called the melanocortin 1 receptor (mc1r) gene. Changes in this gene affect the amount and type of pigment produced by melanocytes, the cells that produce color in skin, hair, and eyes.
When a mutation in the mc1r gene reduces the ability of the receptor to function correctly, a golden pigment called lipochrome is not absorbed. This results in what we know as “blue” horses.
Unfortunately, there is no way to guarantee that your horse will have blue eyes unless it is a genetic fluke.
Are blue eyes possible for horses?
Blue eyes are not possible for horses. The same is true for any other color of eye, aside from brown. Most horses have a dark ring around their eyes, which many people associate with being beautiful.
The only horses that have blue eyes are myths and legends. One such horse is the famous Pegasus. Many stories tell of a white horse with golden wings and blue eyes.
Many mythological creatures are said to have encountered Pegasuses and were told they had blue eyes. This is most likely because of the name Pegasus, as the word comes from the Greek word pēgasus, which means “a winged horse”.
However, there are some breeds of horses that have light colored coats and light colored eyes.
What causes horse eyes to be blue?
Most horses have brown eyes, however, there are some horses that have blue eyes. The reason for this is due to a genetic mutation.
What does a blue eye look like?
A blue eye refers to a horse with one brown eye and one white eye. Most horses have two brown eyes, but it is possible for a horse to be born with one brown and one pink eye.
Paramount Horses says that horses with one blue eye are not always purebreds, however. Some reported cases of a horse having just one blue eye were due to it being a periwinkle color rather than a deep navy or black.
Paramount also says that there have been cases of horses with two periwinkle eyes, which are said to be rarer than the ones with just one periwinkle eye.
Can all horses have blue eyes?
No, all horses cannot have blue eyes. This is a common misconception due to the popularity of the animated movie, Spirit: Stallion of the Mountain River.
Many people are inspired to learn about horses after watching this movie, but one thing that is wrong in this movie is the color of Navajo’s eyes. He is painted as a chestnut horse with blue eyes, which does not exist in nature.
Navajo was painted with blue eyes due to artistic license. Many animals are painted with colors or patterns that do not exist in nature, and that is okay! It makes him unique.
However, many people inquire about whether or not their horse has blue eyes due to this movie.
Is it a genetic condition?
No, it is not. A few horse breeds have a gene that allows their eyes to be a darker color, usually brown. These horses also have coats that are either black or very dark gray.
However, most horses can have blue eyes due to a lack of pigmentation in the iris of the eye. When light hits the thin layer of melanin in the eye, it reflects back and looks like a different color. In this case, it looks like blue!
Many horses with this trait keep their normal coat colors and do not experience any health problems due to it. Some experts believe it may help them camouflage in the grass, though this has not been proven.
If your horse has this trait, do not worry about health issues causing problems for them.
What are the signs of blue eye in a horse?
If a horse has one blue eye, it is considered a minor fault. However, if a horse has one blue eye and one brown eye, then it is considered a major fault.
If a horse has one blue eye and one white coat patch, then it is disqualified. This is because the white coat patch resembles the eyelid which is not allowed according to the Official Standard of Points.
If a horse has one blue eye and the other any other color, then it is disqualified. This is because the color of the eyes must be opposite colors-one must be black or brown and the other must be blue.
If a horse has partial blue eyes, then it is disqualified. This is because there can only be full blues eyes, not partial ones. Only full blues eyes are allowed to be registered in the official registry.
What should I do if I see signs of blue eye in my horse?
If you have noticed blue eyes in your horse, do not worry. While it is a rare trait, it is not harmful to your horse. However, you should keep an eye out for other signs that something may be wrong.
If your horse has one blue eye and one normal colored eye, this is called ocular heterochromia. This is a genetic trait and does not affect the health of the horse.
The difference in color comes from a difference in pigmentation of the iris. The lighter color iris is made of more collagen which protects the inner layers of the eye.
Irisation, or flecks of color in the white part of the eye, are also common in horses. These can either be brown, black, or grayish in color. They too are not harmful and do not indicate anything wrong with the horse.
Should I try and get my horse to have babies with blue eyes?
No, you should not attempt to get your horse to have babies with blue eyes. While it is a beautiful and unique trait, it can be harmful to your horse.
The gene for blue eyes in horses is a recessive gene. This means that your horse needs to receive the blue eye gene from both his/her parents in order to have blue eyes.
If your horse only receives one gene from one of the parents for blue eyes, then they will have either brown or one of the other colors of eyes that exist in horses.
Because this is a rare color, it can be difficult to find mates for your horse that also have this color of eye. This can lead to stress and anxiety for your horse as he/she no longer feels special.
Also, because this is a genetic trait, if you try and breed your horse then you run the risk of passing on the blue eye gene and therefore decreasing the number of offspring with normal colored eyes.