A piebald is an animal, usually a horse, that has a spotting pattern of large white and black patches. The color of the horse’s skin underneath the coat may vary between black (under the black patches of hair) and pink (under the white patches).  Many animals also exhibit discoloration of the irises that match the surrounding skin. This condition also occurs in white-tailed deer. Not to be confused with Albino deer.

A genetic variation, or defect,  produces the piebald condition in white-tailed deer. Piebald deer have white and brown patches similar to a pinto pony. Many of them appear to be almost all white. In addition to this strange coloration, many carry some of these defects: bowing of the nose, short legs, arching spine, and short lower jaws. It is very rare to see a whitetail deer with this syndrome, less than 1% have it. Humans get a similar condition commonly known as Vitiligo.