The
Appaloosa is an American
horse breed best known for its colorful
spotted coat pattern. There is a wide range of body types within the breed, stemming from the influence of multiple breeds of horses throughout its history. Each horse's color pattern is genetically the result of various spotting patterns overlaid on top of one of several recognized base coat colors. The color pattern of the Appaloosa is of interest to those who study
equine coat color genetics, as it and several other physical characteristics are linked to the
leopard complex mutation (LP). Appaloosas are prone to develop
equine recurrent uveitis and
congenital stationary night blindness; the latter has been linked to the leopard complex.