American White and American Creme Horse

The American White & American Creme Horse Registry was originally named the American Albino Horse Club and first established by Caleb Thompson and his wife, Ruth.

In 1917, Caleb and his brother, Hudson, had bought a white stallion, Old King, and bred him with their Morgan mares. The horses’ progeny were also white and the Thompsons called their horses ‘American Albinos’ although they were not true albinos.

After Hudson sold his stake in the business in 1936, Caleb and Ruth set up the registry to register Old King’s progeny; the first horse to be registered as Old King’s grandson, Snow King. They also registered other, unrelated white horses and the American Albino became a colour breed.

The organization was known as the American Albino Association, Inc. and then the International American Albino Association, Inc. before being renamed the American White and American Creme Horse Registry in 1980.

Overview:

This ‘albino’ horse is actually not a true albino but instead what the American Albino Horse Club (now known as the White Horse Club) calls Dominant White. A Dominant White can be any horse, Quarter, Arabian, Standardbred, etc., that has a white coat with pink skin and dark eyes – black, brown, or blue. A true albino would, of course, have pink eyes, meaning the Dominant White actually carries off-colour genes. Given the WHC’s immaculate records, breeding for this particular horse has become an almost exact science. Even still, the qualification of dark eyes requires parents who carry genes for off-colour coats, thereby creating a 5 per cent chance that the offspring will carry some off-colour.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

To no surprise, the main physical characteristic of the American Albino is a white coat, whitetail and mane, pink skin, and black, brown, or dark blue eyes. Outside of colouration, the American Albino is separated into a stock type horse, saddle horse type, and Arabian type, with separate categories for ponies. The stock and saddle type stands around 15.2 hands high, with the Arabian type being slightly shorter. Because the American Albino is actually a colour breed, it can carry the characteristics of its sires, whether Quarter horse, Arabian, Morgan, or Thoroughbred. For the most part, they are known to be smart, tractable and even-tempered.

ORIGIN

The American Albino, based around colouration rather than conformation or pure-blooded breeding, actually follows the origins of whatever horse is being bred. The American Albino Horse Club was formed in 1937 on the White Horse Ranch near Naper, Nebraska. Old King, a white stallion with pink skin and brown eyes, is said to be the foundation horse for the American Albino. Although his background goes untraced, he is believed to be predominantly of Arabian stock with some Morgan. Old King’s off-spring tended to follow his colour pattern when crossed with Morgans of any colour. Since its foundation, the AAHC has made strict breeding standards in an effort to keep a pure white horse. In 1970, the AAHC became the White Horse Club and, at the same time, split to form another classification, the American Cream, for those horses with touches of colour.

INTERESTING FACTS

It is likely you have seen an American Albino. They are frequently used in circuses, fairs, movies, and advertising. What old-time Western movie would be complete without the good-guy riding his white horse into the sunset? Silver, the Lone Ranger’s horse, was an American Albino, as was Shiramyuki, the horse favoured by Emperor Hirohito of Japa