When it comes to horse face markings, there are many different types. Some of these have been named after specific stars or shapes, while others are simply categorized by the way that they look on the horses head. The amount of white on a horse’s face will also determine what type of marking it is. These white markings can be broken down into several categories, including blaze, stripe and snip.
A blaze is a wide white marking that runs along the bridge of the nose. It can have irregularities and swerves, unlike the stripe which is usually straight. A blaze can also be interrupted and appear as 3 separate markings rather than a continuous line. A blaze may also be wider than a stripe, although this is not always the case.
Stripes are similar to a blaze but they are much thinner. They run more or less evenly down the middle of the face and stay on top of the nasal bone. They can also be interrupted or break into 3 separate areas and may connect to a star or a snip on the face.
Stars are very common on the forehead of horses. If there is a large area of white between the eyes, it is most likely a star. It could have an arc shape or be a crescent moon or triangular shaped star. There are also variations that are not quite so obvious, a heart star for example which looks like a heart on the face. Other stars include a curved star or a circle star that is curved in shape. The curved star is most often found on the left side of the face but can be on either side. The curved star can also be connected to a stripe or a blaze to form a unique marking called a blaze with a stripe or a blaze with a snip.
There are many other types of white markings that can occur on the face of a horse and these vary in size. Some of these are more prominent than others but they are still important to note as a part of a horse’s overall coloring. Other spotting on the body is typically not given a specific name but will be described by its location, such as the belly spot or flank spot, or by its pattern, such as a speckled or blotched coat.
There are also other distinct marks that can be seen on the face of a horse such as a dent, hair whorls or a chin. These are not generally considered to be part of the face markings and they can sometimes be confused with other spotting patterns such as the tobiano, splashed white or sabino.