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It's still a risk, just a low one. So her having W2/him having W20 still leaves risk for a lethal foal. You just happened to have the unlucky draw.

http://hj2.huntandjump.com/forum/discussion/13757/new-kit-lethality-and-kit-mutation-load-explained#Item_11

Also keep in mind that the “risk” is relative to how high the “white load” ends up being in the foal. White factor is also an indicator of that, and frame increases it, as does W20. So it’s not just the W2/W20, but the fact that it was combined with the mare’s medium white factor (even possible the foal would have come out with a large white factor) and the fact that it probably got both w2 and frame which probably pushed it over the edge.

W1 and 2 can absolutely still be bred with W20, you just need to keep an eye on other contributing factors.

Personally I avoid w20 in my studs anyways, though, because I like actually seeing the white patterns instead of getting all white horses, lol!

Yeah, I usually get one or two lethals from a pasture every year, mostly because I have things like w8 and w3 and kitm (not too bad but a little worse than roan/tobiano) on my studs, mixing with mares who have w1/w2/frame and etc. I consider it the price I pay for my flashy herd, lol. I'm not usually too concerned with w20 for its lethality, as alone it rarely causes it and is pretty safe, but I don't like how it splashes the white all over the horse because I like to be able to see the patterns.

Another option, if you like the w20 for some things (it's gorgeous against w3 and sabino when the white factor is lower) is to just drop the white factor on your studs to the lowest. It helps offset that.

Yeah, it works that way here too! It just enhances the other whites. It's that stronger white that is causing the problem here - it's only a little extra, but enough to push it over the tipping point.