What is this "outlining" called?

Question

http://flickr.com/photos/29218487@N05/2807890624/in/photostream/

What is the "Blue" outline around the spots on my mini paint mare called? You can see it best on the inside of her back leg. She is tobaino but is it a certain type?

And if you could please check out my other question "mini pregnancy help" I would really appreciate it

Answer 1

It's just the skin.  A lot of horses with white marking have it.  It comes really noticeable when the skin is wet, and the fur, or hair is realy thin in that area of the body, so it even more noticable.  White dogs have it as well.  

Also, not trying to be mean just trying to inform yous o you know, if your horse is a mini, it is not a paint, she is a pinto.  Pinto is a color, and a breed based on the color not blood line. Many diffrent breeds come in the pinto coloring.  Paint is based on blood line, and they usually, not always, are pintos.  Paints have quater horse in thier blood lines.  

Some one else that the blue separates a paint form a pinto, thats not true.  Your mini is an example, and my old horse was a pinto Saddlebred.  Double register as Saddlebred, which he had to have a 100% bloodines to be and a pinto, and he had the bule skin as well.  He, because he was a Saddlebred was not a paint.  Even though even always called him a paint, that was my pet peve, because he was not a paint he was a pinto. And i would no he is a pinto, and they would say same thing, which they are not.   My point here is that most people don't know that difference. So don't feel dumb or anything.    

Answer 2

Actually what seperates a paint from a pinto is purely bloodlines.  A paint is a pinto marked horse with Quarter horse or Thoroughbred background(of coarse then there's the exception for the breeding stock paints which are solid colored used mainly for breeding but are accepted under the APHA registry because of the bloodlines).  The term Pinto refers strictly to the marking itself and can be found on any breed, Arab, Saddlebred, Mini's... It seems to me she just has unique markings, looks like she has a very pretty coat.  I love mini's!

Answer 3

It is called 'halo'.  It is simply a transition zone in skin pigment.  White hair tends to transparency so the underlying pigment is seen through the hair above.  It's no big deal.  Like 'peacock' spots on Appaloosas.  It makes for flashier coloring.  

In pintos, it's more apparent in the summer (thinner, slicker coats) than the winter.  

Pinto is the traditional term for a non-Appaloosa marked bi-colored horse.  'Paint' was a colloqial term for Pinto until it became the designating name for the mostly overo marked horse of QH-TB breeding.

Some color patterns were sought after by Native Americans.  Medicine Hat and War Bonnet pintos were thought to be mysticly endowed with some  ability to protect the rider in battle.

Appaloosas with spot patterns in the shape of bear paws and handprints enjoyed the same belief.