The following is a guide to help identify various types of horse markings.
Horse markings on the face:
- Blaze – a blaze is characterized by a broad white stripe down the middle of the face.
- Glass Eye – also called china eye, the glass eye is characterized by a blue eye which has a glassy look to it.
- Interrupted Stripe – similar to a blaze, the interrupted stripe is characterized by a narrow white stripe down the middle of the face that is interrupted and not continuous.
- Mascara – this is a temporary marking caused by a horse coming in contact with Santa Cruz Tarweed or other sticky plants, which after coming in contact with the soil creates an effect that looks similar to mascara.
- Snip – this is characterized by a white patch on the horses muzzle.
- Star – this is characterized by a white patch between the horses eyes.
- Stripe – this is characterized by a narrow white stripe down the middle of the horses face.
- White Face – also referred as a bald face.
Horse markings on the legs:
- Ermine marks – characterized by black marks on the white just above the hoof.
- Pastern – characterized by white markings that extend only a few inches above the top of the hoof.
- Sock – characterized by a white marking that does not extend as high as the knee or hock but is taller than a pastern.
- Stocking – characterized by a white marking that extends as high as the knee or hock.
Horse markings elsewhere:
Whorls, also known as “cow licks”, are divergent or convergent patches of hair found anywhere on the body but mostly on the head, neck and just in front of the stifles.
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