Piebald [Pb]

Marking Type: White Marking

Rarity: Uncommon

Piebald is a striking natural asymmetrical marking that creates large areas of white and patches of natural color on the Rukaan's coat.

It will always sit above other markings. A piebald or pied animal is one that has a pattern of unpigmented patches on the normally colored base where the color had been removed. The unpigmented piebald patches also remove color from the skin or flesh, leaving it pink where the marking covers it. Piebald must be a white. Piebald patterns occur in many species, but in Rukaans it is primarily based on the patterns found in tobiano horses and piebald deer.

Marking Range and Extent

Piebald must cover between 10-90% of the body and must always break the top line of the body between the ears and tail. It can be irregularly-shaped and creates jagged edges and large areas of white. There may be minimal spotting especially near the edges of a white marking but it can never resemble Belton, Blanket Appaloosa or Leopard Appaloosa, nor can the irregular patches be small and scattered enough to resemble Snowflake or Fawn.

Minimum Coverage

Illustration above shows minimum amount of piebald. As long as this amount of the marking is visible, it can appear anywhere as long as it breaks the topline between the ears and tail.

Maximum Coverage

Shown above is the maximum coverage for the marking. As long as this amount of white is present and it breaks the topline it can occur anywhere on the Rukaan.

Typical Expressions of Piebald.

S-008 Annikki

Hard Edge

Some small holes especially around the edge of the piebald marking are allowed

R-0344 Orin

Hard Edge with Halo

Marking Shape and Edges

Piebald is a hard-edged marking, but it may display subtle halo effects around the edge of the marking where it is not quite opaque but still has a hard edge. It can have clean or jagged edges, with or without small holes and fragments, but must be natural looking. Look to tobiano or overo horses for natural-looking piebald shape.

Marking Color

Piebald must be white or very slightly off-white.

R-0023 ReadWhite

R-0041 NesrynVery Slightly Off White

Skin/Eye Color Effects

R-0154 Herleifr

This marking lightens the skin to pink where it covers the skin. See the flesh color guide.

Eye color typically turns blue where a white marking covers it, however this is not required.

Element Effects

R-0008 King

Effect on Metal and Gemstone elements: None

Effect on Ancient element: Can cause white depigmented patches on hooves and antlers. See elements guide.

Coat Type Effects

Piebald may flow with the direction of the fur on coat types with longer hair.

R-0294 Naja

Interactions With Other Genes

R-3142 Palioxis

Piebald with Blanket Appaloosa

Piebald can merge with other white markings such as blanket appaloosa

Color Modifiers do not affect the color of this marking.

All Other Markings (except pearl and sometimes scorch marks) go under white markings.

Other White Markings can merge with this marking. All white markings are caused by the failure of pigment to form, so all white markings on the same Rukaan will be the exactly the same shade of white.