its called a Trait. Not all Appys have the rat tail and sparse mane. I dont the Genetics behind it.
They were not bred to have rat tails, just happens.

 

I know it's called a trait, not a train lol. It's just a figure of speech that I use.

 

I have an appy she has literally no tail and her mane is the same and esp when she has her neck cover on her rug

 

Because when the Appy went before God for his finishing touches he was told he could either have brains or a tail, he chose the brains....

Next in line was a ......


fill in your horse of choice.

 

^^ lololol

 

The logic behind the sparse mane rat tail and thicker coat is for easy travel though dense and thorny brush.

 

My appy has a tail and long mane which I sometimes have to trim. This is Vagas

 

It is a characteristic of the original Appy; personally, that is what I look for in the breed. Since some Curlies have Appy blood in them there are some that come out with rat tails. Very unique, IMPO.
Posted via Mobile Device

 

Ok, slightly off topic here but, a neighbor of my grandparents bought an appy once, her dad felt so sorry for the horse he went out and tied a fly swatter (I do believe a pink plastic one) onto the horses tail, so he could get rid of the bugs. :lol: apparently the horse was rather shocked when he first used his new "tail"

 

Just like most "traits" it is caused by selective breeding. As Curly Horse CMT mentioned, some breeders look for it and carry it on in their horses. It has become one of the definitive traits of an Appy, as are the spots, mottled skin and white sclera.
The same reason all registered Fjords are dun with no white markings (though mares can have a small star), Friesians are black, Bashkir Curlys have curly hair and the Marwari has curled ears Stop breeding for it and it will eventually go away.

 

Totally late jumping in on this conversation but...not all Friesians are black. A small number are chestnut. Google "fox Friesian" to see some. They are stunning!
Posted via Mobile Device

 

My wife is appy people, and it kills me that they don't have tails! we have a couple that have tails but they are only appy by color. Like I said it KILLS me to see these good looking horses then a whisp of a tail.....

Jim

 

I had a foundation appy whose tail was thin and never reached his hocks. His mane looked like a few longer hairs grew in a line and those hairs never got long enough to lay down and were so sparse you could see through them. I was told the Indians bred the Appy to be "low maintenance" and easy winter keepers - thick body hair and no mane/tail for ice collection.

 

There is LP in Spanish barbs some have eat tails but most don't.
Posted via Mobile Device

 

It is a trait bred by the Nez Perce indians deliberatly. Apparently it wa easier to ride through bushes and stuff and not get stuck because of a huge tail. At leats that's what I have heard.

My Appy does fortunately have a pretty big hairgrowth all over

 

I have seen native american blooded horses with full manes and tails, I don't think that's the secret. Though I am curious. There are LP gypsies that have plenty of hair too, so it seems to just be in the appaloosa itself which isn't really a native american breed. When they formed the ApHc a little bit of everything went in. Draft, spanish, native, pony, anything with spots. Then they added QH, TB and Arab, and still do. It's interesting.

 

It's genetic. In the 1980's the Appalousa Association was having a big registration battle. There were people who thought that the Appy that looked like a QH, but just had a blanket of rump spots wasn't a real Appy. They resolved it and now the leopard shall lay down with the...rump spotted. The breed is slightly crossed out---MY KIND OF HORSE BREED, bc IMHO, they are healthier--so some have more tail than other. The Nez Perce Indian tribe in the Northwest bred the straggly tail into this horse, for...reasons, and that's why some don't have much of a tail. =D

 

One thing too was that during the Nez Perce wars and after, to ruin the breed the Army turned all sorts of scrub stallions in, killing off the prized Appaloosa stallions of the tribe.

When the herds were first seen, it was said they numbered in the thousands...and many of those were Appaloosas. The Nez Perce were fine horsemen, Lewis and Clark recognized that, and remarked that their castration technique was superior to their own.

One reason for the attempted destruction of the breed, was to make sure the Nez Perce would be without their horses, many of the horses surrendered after Chief Joseph and his band tried to flee the US, were either shot immediately, or were shipped back East. Horses that still roamed the land, were hunted down too.

Some horses were rounded up by whites and quietly bred also. These horsemen were the saving of the breed in many ways. Had they not done that, there is no telling what would have happened.

Just a wonderful breed though, darn shame so much has been done to them in centuries past.

For those that like to read, here are some interesting links.

Appaloosa Livestock Profile

Chief Washakie Foundation

History of the APPALOOSA and the NEZ PERCE

Appaloosa History

Appaloosa Horses & Nez Perce Culture

 

appys ancestors lived in marshland before being recaptured and used as riding stock. So having long tails would not be wanted in marshland (this is the story i herd may not be true).

 

I have a registered QH mare whose tail only comes down to her hocks and her mane looks like I trim it. Its only about 3-4 inches long. I have never touched her mane or tail with scissors or pulled it. Shalom

 

I love appies, I don't care about the wispy tail. You focus more on the beautifully muscled hindquarters and colouration without that tail I may breed them, I love them so much

 

I get regular comments on how my appy's tail is the longest thickest tail people have ever seen on a stock horse breed!
She's blessed with a huge tail and thick thick mane.
Posted via Mobile Device

 

Not all Appaloosas have short manes or tails. It's just genetics! My mare is a registered Appaloosa, but the only characteristic she has is her striped hoof. No spots, mottling, etc. And she has a very thick mane and tail!