Camarillo White Horses are famous for their brilliant white
color.
The story of Camarillo White horses start in 1921 when
Adolfo Camarillo purchased a 9-year-old stallion named Sultan at the California
State Fair in Sacramento. He then went on to breed Sultan with Morgan mares at
his ranch in California up until his death in 1958. His daughter Carmen then
continued breeding and showing the horses at parades and events until her death
in 1987. As per her will, the horses were then sold at public auction.
Four years after the horses were auctioned off in 1987,
their number had dwindled down to 11. In an attempt to save the breed and bring
attention to it, the Camarillo White Horse Association was founded in 1992. To
avoid inbreeding, the registry has an open stud book, requiring at least one
parent to be of Camarillo's original stock, but allowing the other parent to be
from various breeds, including Andalusian and Standardbred bloodlines. They
also maintain a separate record of non-white foals from these bloodlines. As of
2010, there were 20 Camarillo White Horses known to be living.
Camarillo White Horses have pink skin under their coat.
Their coat is white from birth throughout their life. They have a compact and
refined build with a small and neat head, muscular limbs, an expressive face,
large eyes, and pronounced withers, laid back shoulders, a well-arched neck,
and a long back. Their average weight is 1,250 pounds. The current range in
height is 14.2 to nearly 17 hands.
An international study recently determined that the Camarillo
White Horse carries a unique mutations that is responsible for its consitant coat
color. With two white horses (Ww) breeding, there is only a 50 percent chance
of producing a living white horse (Ww). There is also a 25 percent chance of
producing a non-white horse (ww), and a 25 percent chance of producing a dead
foal (WW). The W gene is dominant. If a horse carries the gene, it will be
white. If the horse is not white, it means the horse does not carry the white
gene. It can not produce any white offspring if bred to another non-white
horse. Breeders of true white horses generally cross them on non-white horses,
because the statistical probability of a white foal is the same without the
risk of producing a stillborn foal. In addition, because there are different
genetics involved, the offspring will not carry the genes for Lethal white
syndrome.
Camarillo White Horses are warmblooded and belong to the
Riding group of horses. It is used for endurance riding, general riding,
parades, and work.
About Camarillo White Horses
