SPANISH SPOTTED SADDLE HORSE STUDBOOK

Introduction

 
Leopard Spotted Spanish Stallions were held in high esteem for riding and high school in the early 1700s by the Imperial Riding School of Vienna (later titled the Spanish Riding School of Vienna).
Details from two paintings by Johann Georg von Hamilton.

Horses with white coats scattered with slightly oval coloured spots were pictured on cave walls around Europe 25,000 years ago, particularly famous are the Peche Merle paintings in France (see photo of Peche Merle horses below); originally the spotted colouring of the horses was thought to be ‘artistic license’, no-one believed that spotted horses existed amongst the wild horses of Europe.

25,000 year old Cave Paintings of Spotted Horses at Peche Merle, France

In modern domestic horses this type of spectacular colouring is known to be caused by a partially dominant gene named Lp (short for Leopard) working with a group of Pattern modifier genes that cumulatively increase the amount of white background coat on the horse. One of these Pattern modifier genes has substantially more effect on increasing white background area and this one has been given the name Patn1; both Lp and Patn1 now have commercial DNA tests established for determining their presence.
The ‘Appaloosa Project’ website https://www.appaloosaproject.co contains the most recent information and research on the leopard complex genes and is well worth visiting.
A few years ago a group of scientists performed DNA analysis on 25,000 year old equine bone samples from regions of France and Spain (and other countries) and to everyone’s amazement the results showed that a small proportion of wild horses did have the Lp mutation, thus proving that Leopard Spotting occurred in wild horses in France and Spain and the artists who created the Peche Merle spotted horse paintings were illustrating reality. The paper on this research is “Genotypes of pre-domestic horses match phenotypes painted in Paleolithic works of cave art”  and is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences; here is a link to an excellent summary of the paper ‘Ancient horse DNA sheds light on Cave Paintings’  
Naturally, when humans started domesticating horses the eye-catching Leopard spotting coat colour was highly desired and horses with this coat colour were captured and brought into the domesticated herds.
The Leopard Spotted colour pattern has had periods of great popularity, and during 17th and 18th Centuries Spanish Horses with Leopard Spots were selected as the mounts of Kings and Emperors. Spotted Stallions were particular favourites of King Louis XIV of France who features mounted upon Spanish Spotted horses in a number of war and battle paintings by Adam Franz van Meulen in the mid 17th Century (see below).
Leopard Spotted coat colours also featured in the Spanish Stallions and mares selected as the foundation stock for the Imperial Riding School of Vienna (see illustrations at top of article)
In 1672 Spanish Spotted Stallion features as the central detail in the French battle scene of ‘The Crossing of the Rhine’ painted by Adam Frans van der Meulen – See image below.

In the 17th/18th & 19th Centuries the accepted term in Britain for the PRE Horse was ‘Spanish Jennet’ and references to Jennets (also spelt genet and ginete) occur throughout written literature, documents, and artwork; the modern version of the term Spanish Jennet is Spanish Saddle Horse.  During the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries there were many instances of spotted Spanish Saddle Horses (Spanish Jennet horses) in England, some of which are documented in paintings, for example, pictured below is the painting of  ‘Lady Conway’s Spanish Jennet’ by John Wootton, owned by Marquis of Hertford,  and others in the art collection of the Earl of Pembroke at Wilton House.

The original spotted version of the PRE horse has been extinct for several hundred years but it is now being re-created in Britain as the Spanish Spotted Saddle Horse using a blend of  PRE horses combined with two Spotted breeds that descend from ancestral PRE stock, the Foundation Appaloosa descending from the PRE horses used in the conquest of the Americas, and the Knabstrupper descending from PRE horses abandoned in Denmark in 1808.
The goal of the Spanish Spotted Saddle Horse Breeding Programme in Britain is to produce a versatile quality riding horse with the type, conformation, character, and movement of the baroque PRE with a spotted phenotype. Ideally all Spanish Spotted Saddle Horses should have the Lp Spotting gene in combination with Patn1 &/or Patn2 genes to permit maximum expression of the spotted coat colour.

The Spanish Spotted Saddle Horse was recognised by DEFRA and FAnGR as a new UK equine breed on 30th JULY 2021 with BAPSH Ltd granted Mother Studbook Status. The 2021-07-30 Approved SSSH Breeding Programme (BP) is detailed on this website’s SSSH pages and the BP requirements must be followed by all SSSH breeders in order to fully establish a viable SSSH breeding population within the UK.

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SPANISH SPOTTED SADDLE HORSE – BREED STANDARD for CLASS 1 HORSES

General Description
The Spanish Spotted Saddle Horse is a medium sized, versatile, high quality riding horse with the type, conformation, noble character, and elevated, extensive movement of the baroque PRE Horse combined with a spectacular spotted phenotype and luxuriant mane and tail. Ideally all Spanish Spotted Saddle Horses have the Lp Spotting gene in combination with the Patn1 &/or Patn2 genes to produce the typical dazzling white background coat covered in large brown, black, red or gold oval spots.
The modern breed replicates the characteristics of the Spotted Purebred Spanish Horse, a favourite mount of Royalty and Nobility throughout Britain and Europe in the 16th, 17th &18th Centuries. The Spotted Purebred Spanish Horse (or Spanish Spotted Jennet) fell out of favour with the Noble and Royal Houses about 230 years and quite quickly disappeared from the equine population of Britain and Europe as equine breeds with dark solid colours became popular.

Beautiful Spanish Spotted Stallion.
Detail from painting by Johann Georg von Hamilton (1st part of 18th Century)

Head – long (or medium-long) finely sculpted head with sub-convex profile from poll to upper lip. Inverted comma nostrils. Long fine mobile top-lip. Large triangular eyes. Medium size mobile ears.
Neck and Body – Neck with arched crest and clean underline set high upon long sloping shoulders (45-55 degrees) and blending smoothly into well defined withers which should not be bulky. Broad well developed forechest. Short back, short wide strong loin fitting smoothly into a broad rounded croup, sloping pelvis (22-28 degrees), and a low tail-set.
Front-limbs – long sloping upper arm with elbows set under the wither. Well developed large joints. Longish cannon bones with sufficient bone for strength without coarseness. Medium length 45 degree sloping pasterns. All joints aligned correctly above each other. Round medium-size hard hooves of good depth.
Hind-limbs– long femur giving a slightly closed stifle-joint. Large clean hock joint with well developed long os-calcis for strong achilles tendon attachment. Medium length cannon bones with clearly defined tendons. Medium length 45deg sloping pasterns. All joints aligned correctly above each other. Round medium-size hard hooves of good depth.
Movement – powerful over-tracking walk, trot, and canter with distinct flexion of all joints and good elevation front and hind. The tail should be carried quietly and low when moving. Naturally balanced with the weight on the rear quarters giving a highly mobile and responsive riding horse with excellent ability for jumping and dressage.
Height – Standing 14.2hh (147.5cm)  to 16.2hh (168cm) high

Colour –Any Base Coat Colour (Bay, Black, Chestnut) or any Diluted Base Coat Colour (dilutions caused by Cream, Pearl, Silver, Champagne, Dun etc)  is accepted in the Main Studbook.
The Leopard Spotting gene ‘Lp’ and the ‘Patn1’ gene (plus unidentified minor Pattern genes) work together and are an essential part of the genotype of the SSSH giving rise to the Leopard Spotted and Blanket Leopard Spotted phenotypes for which the breed is known. These phenotypes include a white or mainly white coat sprinkled with clearly defined pigmented oval spots of differing sizes aligned along the growth direction of the hair, mottled skin, hooves with vertical dark & light stripes, and white sclera. The Leopard Spotted phenotype is dramatic and distinctive and is known, via Paleolithic Cave Art and the genotypes of fossilised equine material from the same era, to have originally occurred as a mutation in the wild horses population of Europe over 25,000 years ago. (“Genotypes of pre-domestic horses match phenotypes painted in Paleolithic works of cave art”, PNAS 2011).
Horses with Lp but not Patn1, nor any minor Patn genes, are registered into the Main Studbook
Horses without Lp are registered into Appendix-A, but any of their progeny with Lp are restored to the Main Studbook.
Horses without Lp and Patn1 may, if eligible on all other criteria, be dual registered into the Main Studbook of the PRE Fusion Horse Breeding Programme.

Grey – SSSH with a Grey gene are not permitted into the Main Studbook due to :-
a) the progressive loss of pigment in the coat which destroys the Leopard Spotting Pattern
b) the pre-disposition for Grey horses to develop Melanomas in epithelial tissue both externally and internally.
The use of  Grey PRE horses in this Breeding Program is normally to be avoided, but breeders may present to BAPSH a case for the use of a Grey PRE horse due to exceptional conformation, or type, or sporting ability, or the introduction of other desirable traits, and if the case has merit the resultant Grey progeny will be registered in Appendix-A, and any non-Grey progeny will be entered into the Main Studbook.
Heterozygous Grey mares must be bred to non-grey PRE stallions and any progeny with the ‘Lp’ gene but without the Grey gene will be entered into the Main Studbook.
In general, heterozygous Grey colts should be castrated and produced for riding and sport, however breeders/owners may present high quality Grey colts for Breeding Approval in the usual way, and if Approved for Breeding their progeny will be registered according to the presence or absence of  a Grey gene as detailed above.
White Markings caused by genes other than Lp and Patn1 should be minimal or non-existent in order to make the most of the ‘Lp’ phenotype.

Class 2 to Class 5 Spanish Spotted Saddle Horses – it is expected that SSSH with a lower % of PRE blood may show some deviation away from the above ideal conformation and type described in the SSSH Breed Standard.

Above: SSSH Class 3 Gelding (75.0% PRE) Columbo. At 75% PRE, he already shows a lot of the desired type for the SSSH Breed Standard Class 1. Owned by Kate Soldado. Bred by Mrs M.E.Andrews

PDF DOWNLOADS FOR THE BREED STANDARD – SPANISH SPOTTED SADDLE HORSE
a) SSSH Breed Standard with Photos
b) SSSH Breed Standard Text Only

SSSH BREEDING BOOK STRUCTURE – A MAIN SECTION AND TWO APPENDICES.

SPANISH SPOTTED SADDLE HORSE MAIN STUDBOOK – Entry Requirements

Below: Aztec Aislado. SSSH Class 4 colt with 50% PRE blood.
Photo by Karen Collison (Breeder)

Foal/Horse Registration Criteria for Entry into Main Studbook
A Foal (or Horse) will be registered into the Main Studbook providing:-
a) the Foal’s parents meet the MAIN STUDBOOK DETAILED MATING STRATEGIES criteria, and the Foal has a minimum of 25% Approved for Breeding (Apto) PRE blood without any non-Apto PRE horses in the lineage.
b) the Foal is DNA typed and parentage tested IF any of the following criteria have NOT been met with:-
i) the Covering Certificate must have been submitted to the BAPSH Registry Office within 1 month of the last Covering date, and;
ii) the Foal must be 5 months old or less when the Registration application form is completed by the Vet, and;
iii) the Foal must be at Foot with its mother and this certified by the examining Vet.
c) the Foal is confirmed to have the Lp gene either as a result of a clearly visible spotting pattern at birth, or by genetic test for the Lp gene if the birth coat looks solid coloured.
d) the Foal does NOT have a Grey gene. If neither parent has a Grey gene then the foal cannot have a Grey gene so there is no need to test for Grey. If one parent has a Grey gene the foal must be genetically tested for the presence of Grey gene. The requirement to test is caused by the variability in expression of the Grey gene, sometimes the Grey gene is easy to detect visually, but in other foals it can express late and the horse appears non-greying for several years.
e) the Foal does NOT have the PSSM1 gene. If the Appaloosa lineage parent/s is/are certified PSSM1 negative then the foal does not need to be tested for PSSM1.

CLICK HERE to go to FOAL/HORSE REGISTRATION PROCEDURE and FOAL REGISTRATION APPLICATION FORM

REQUIREMENTS TO BE MET BEFORE BREEDING
Spanish Spotted Saddle Horse Stallions must be registered with BAPSH Ltd in the Main Studbook, DNA typed and Parentage confirmed. Stallions will have been PSSM1 tested negative as a foal or will be born from PSSM1 negative Appaloosa lineage. The Stallion must be over 3 yrs old and have been assessed by the Breeding Evaluation Team and awarded 5/10 or higher (see Answer to Q9 – Breeding Evaluation).
Spanish Spotted Saddle Horse Mares may also be presented for assessment in the same manner as the Stallions; breeders/owners are recommended to undertake the assessment which provides valuable information for the breed and breeding programmes. At present there is no barr upon breeding from Spanish Spotted Saddle Mares which have not been assessed.
All PRE sires or dams must be Approved for Breeding at the Basic level by the ANCCE-LGPRE and must NOT be Homozygous for the Grey gene. In certain circumstances a non-Apto PRE Mare or Stallion may be given special permission by BAPSH Ltd to contribute to the SSSH breed. The PRE Owner must contact the Studbook to discuss the merits of the horse proposed and the reason/s why she/he cannot or has not been Approved for Breeding. The decision whether to grant entry for a Non-Apto PRE Mare/Stallion into the SSSH BP will be made within 10 working days of the initial discussion with the PRE Owner.
Appaloosa Mares or Stallions should be of Foundation-Type with Lp and Patn1 genes, over 3 yrs old, and be correctly registered with the appropriate Studbook with a full pedigree, and have PSSM1 Negative and Grey Negative Certificates.
Knabstrupper Mares or Stallions must be of Classic-Type with Lp and Patn1 genes, over 3 yrs old and registered in the Danish Knabstrupper Classic Horse Studbook with an approved pedigree, or, from 2021, registered in the SSSH Studbook Class F-Knabstrupper.

SPANISH SPOTTED SADDLE HORSE STUDBOOK  – APPENDIX-A
A Foal (or Horse) will be registered into the Studbook Appendix-A if any of the following problems are detected during the standard registration process as detailed for Main Studbook Entry:-
1.PRE sire or dam is Not Approved for Breeding (Unless a special dispensation has been granted by BAPSH Ltd for the Non-Apto PRE Mare to be used on the SSSH BP)
2. Spanish Spotted Saddle Horse sire is Not Approved for Breeding
3. No Lp gene
4. Presence of a Grey gene
5a. Incorrect procedures with Covering Certificate or Foal is not at foot with dam, but Foal has No DNA Type and parentage test.
5b. Genetic Tests for inheritable defects are not completed.

SPANISH SPOTTED SADDLE HORSE –  STUDBOOK APPENDIX-B
Horses which comply with the SSSH breed characteristics laid down in the breeding programme of the Spanish Spotted Saddle Horse but do not comply with parentage criteria – (EU 2016/1012 ANNEX II, Chapter II Part 2a)
1.There is No Covering Certificate to certify the identity of the Sire, and the Dam does NOT have 50% PRE Apto blood.
2.The sire and dam are Unproven. Dealers may give clients parentage information for a purchased horse that has no documentary proof. The horse will be accepted for registration in Appendix-B providing the horse meets the Spanish Spotted Saddle Horse characteristics, showing PRE-Type or partial PRE-Type with an obvious Leopard Spotting pattern on a white or partially white background, or Lp Varnish roan, or homozygous Lp Fewspot colouration. Type will be assessed by the presentation 4 photographs taken at the time of the Veterinary ID for Registration. Photos must show each side at right-angles to the camera, front-view of head conformation and detail, rear-view showing croup conformation and tail-set.
If the Coat Colour genetics are in doubt, a 40+ hair root sample must be pulled by the Vet during the ID for Registration sent to the BAPSH with the Registration application for testing at AG-UK for Lp and Patn1 at the owners expense.
3.The sire and dam are Unknown. The horse will be accepted for registration in Appendix-B providing the horse meets the Spanish Spotted Saddle Horse characteristics, showing PRE-Type or partial PRE-Type with an obvious Leopard Spotting pattern on a white or partially white background. Type will be assessed by the presentation 4 photographs taken at the time of the Veterinary ID for Registration. Photos as detailed in Point 2.
If the Coat Colour genetics are in doubt, a 40+ hair root sample must be pulled by the Vet during the ID for Registration sent to the BAPSH with the Registration application for testing at AG-UK for Lp and Patn1 at the owners expense.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION on Breeding Requirements, Permitted Procedures and Covering Certificates.

CLASSIFICATON SYSTEM FOR SPANISH SPOTTED SADDLE HORSE – MAIN STUDBOOK  AND APPENDIX-A
To define and track the % PRE blood in breeding stock and foals.
The Main Studbook is subdivided into 7 Classes.
Classes 5 to 1 reflect the increasing percentage of PRE blood within each Class to the desired goal where the majority of Spanish Spotted Saddle Horses have 90% or more PRE ancestry combined with the dominant Leopard Spotting gene and the Pattern1 gene for maximum Spotting expression.
Class 5 Horses are 25% to 49.9% PRE blood with the Lp gene.
Class 4 Horses are 50% to 74.9% PRE blood with the Lp gene (Most Foundation Generation SSSH)
Class 3 Horses are 75% to 87.4% PRE blood with the Lp gene (Most 2nd Generation SSSH)
Class 2 Horses are 87.5% to 92.74% PRE blood with the Lp gene.
Class 1 Horses are 93.75% or higher % PRE blood combined with the Lp gene.

The expectation of the Breeding Program is for each Class of SSSH to be bred to a PRE Mare or PRE Stallion, or to a Spanish Spotted Saddle Horse in a Class with a higher % of PRE blood, and for the progeny to move up to a higher % PRE Class with each generation. However, it is important to maintain genetic variability within the SSSH breed and whilst the breed is still in the development programme breeders are encouraged to introduce new genetic lines into their studfarms via first cross products between the above 3 breeds. After the development period ends the possibility of first crosses will be retained remain an option, but breeders must keep in mind that the desired goal of the Studbook Breeding Program is to firmly establish and maintain the Spanish Spotted Saddle Horse at 90% PRE blood, or higher, in combination with the Lp and Pattern genes so that the baroque PRE phenotype with a Leopard Spotted coat is fixed, returning a re-creation of the historic spotted Spanish Jennet to the world.

Main Studbook Has Two Extra Classes
Class F-Appaloosa records the data of the Appaloosa horses taking part in the SSSH BP and contributing to the Foundation Generation SSSH products. More horses can be added to this Studbook Class as and when SSSH breeders introduce a new Appaloosa to the BP. This Class F-Appaloosa is just a record of stock used in the SSSH BP, it is NOT an Overstamp , nor registration of the Appaloosa horse into the SSSH Studbook

Class F-Knabstrupper – this Class has Two Functions
1. To record the data of the adult Classic-bloodline Knabstrupper horses taking part in the SSSH BP and contributing to the Foundation Generation SSSH products. More horses can be added to this Studbook Class as and when SSSH breeders introduce a new Knabstrupper to the BP.
2. NEW Knabstrupper Registrations post-BREXIT for UK born foals.
On 2021-07-30 DEFRA and FAnGR Approved BAPSH Ltd to register, from 2021 onwards, UK Born Classic blood-line Knabstruppers into SSSH Class F-Knabstrupper and to issue these horses with pedigree purebred passports.
The background to this approval was a series of discussions with the Zootechnichal department of DEFRA concerning DEFRA’s refusal of the Danish KNN’s application to extend their Knabstrupper BP into the UK. This led BAPSH Ltd to propose that the SSSH Class F-Knabstrupper be utilised to register and pedigree purebreed passport Classic blood-line Knabstruppers born in the UK from 2021 onwards. The ancestry and type of the Classic Knabstrupper fits in well with the SSSH BP, and the KNN Studbook, Denmark have approved the Purebred Spanish Horse (PRE) as an accepted outcross for the production of pedigree Knabstupper stock, so the bloodline combination is acceptable with the Knabstrupper mother Studbook.
DEFRA and FAnGR Approved this proposal

RULES FOR GRADING UP HORSES FROM APPENDICES TO MAIN STUDBOOK 
UPGRADING FROM APPENDIX-A TO MAIN STUDBOOK
Spanish Spotted Saddle Horse – Appendix-A horses or their progeny may be upgraded into the Main Spanish Spotted Saddle Horse Studbook once they or their progeny comply with the following requirements, the failure of which has led them to being placed in the Appendix-A :-
1) The PRE parent or Grandparent lacking Breeding Approval, is Approved for Breeding by the ANCCE-LGPRE.
2) The Spanish Spotted Saddle Horse Sire is Approved for Breeding.
3) The Appendix-A horse has a full DNA Type and Parentage compatibility test completed and the Certificate sent to the BAPSH (in cases where the Covering Certificate/foal at Foot criteria were not met with).
4) The Genetic Tests for inheritable defects are completed and are Negative.
5) Foals with Lp and without a Grey gene which are born from an SSSH Mare with one Grey gene mated to a non-grey APTO PRE or Class 1-3 SSSH Stallion, will be upgraded to the Main Studbook.
6) Foals with Lp and without a Grey gene sired by an Approved for Breeding SSSH Appendix-A Stallion with one Grey gene mated to a non-grey APTO PRE or Class 1-3 SSSH Main Studbook Mare will be upgraded to the Main Studbook.
7) Foals with the Lp gene born from a SSSH Mare without the Lp gene, will be upgraded to the Main Studbook.

UPGRADING FROM APPENDIX -B TO APPENDIX-A
APPENDIX-B (Horses which comply with the breed characteristics laid down in the breeding programme of the Spanish Spotted Saddle Horse but do not comply with parentage criteria – (EU 2016/1012 ANNEX II, Chapter II Part 2a)
The Progeny of Appendix-B horses will be upgraded into Appendix-A of the Spanish Spotted Saddle Horse Studbook if the following Two conditions are met:-
i) The product has a certified Approved for Breeding Sire or Dam which is a BAPSH registered PRE Horse or  a Spanish Spotted Saddle Horse from Classes 1 to 3
ii) The standard foal registration requirements have been followed for the SSSH BP.

CHANGES TO REGISTERED INFORMATION ABOUT OWNERS, eg New Address or Surname, OR TO INFORMATION HELD ABOUT A HORSE, eg Gelding, Sale/Purchase, Death, MUST BE NOTIFIED TO THE BAPSH Ltd REGISTRY OFFICE WITHIN 30 DAYS – CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND LINKS TO FORMS.

2021 Newborn SSSH colt, Dragon Nimbus, dam Dragonhead Scarlet (Knabstrupper) x Farruco de MArtin (PRE). Bred & Owned by Vicky Tournier