HST - Jen

Rich refers to HST a lot when he describes our sheep. HST means the sheep has markings on its head, socks and tail. HST can be expressed in varying degrees, perhaps a ewe only has three socks and one solid leg, or just the very tip of the tail is a contrasting color. HST is nice to have because you get markings that make the animal stand out, but you also get a nice uniform color fleece for spinning. Kind of a best of both worlds. That said, spotted bodies also spin up nicely, with a pleasing variegated appearance. The best way to breed for HST lambs is to have HST parents. It is possible to routinely get HST lambs but you need to breed for it. HST is not a NASSA approved marking, but many shetland breeders use the term to describe the occurance.
The photo above is a nice lineup of a few of our ewes that exhibit HST markings. From the left are Fantasia, Peony, Buttercup, Rose and Southern Belle.