Dapples are all about blending, tones, and blurring. Once you get the right ratio and feel for where and how dapples appear, you can really get a realistic coloring.
Same goes for Paints. The tail doesn't have spots. If there is color over the tail, then the tail will be dark. If there is white over the tail, then the tail will be white. Same goes fo manes. Wherever there is color, the hair will be dark.
Manes and tails can fade, as commonly seen in Greys. Their hair will be darker towards the roots, and fade to white by the ends. Its a gradual thing, not a sharp cut.
Markings are also very free flowing. If youre going for points, they fade. lighter towards teh top and darkest near the hoof. White markings can be jagged and are usually not symmetrical to the other legs. One leg canbe completely white and the others the base coat or dark. You can even make leg markings and splashes stained, which is basically a way for saying that the marking that was supposed to be white is now darker then the base coat.