Member Blogs

okay so this is a little late but here are more class notes from my Light Horse Management class..it discusses horse colors

Blacks:

a) Black, bay, brown

  1) Single Dilution: grulla and buckskin or dun may have dorsal stripe

  2) Double Dilution: perlino

Chestnuts:

a) never have black points, points may be lighter or darker than body color

b) Single dilution: red dun - darker red points, dorsal stripe and palomino

c) Double dilution: cremello not an albino, has washed out eye color

 Dominate White:

a) white hairs replace all colors from birth.  Colored eyes and occasional spots.  this is not an albino.  the gene combination for an albino is lethal before birth.

Gray:

a) born a "color" with animal turning progressively white with each shedding.  a gray foal must have at least one gray parent.

Roan:

a) body is a constant mix of white and colored hairs.  the legs and neck and head are often solid

Tobiano:

a) white originating from top line, normally marked head

Overo:

a) white originating from belly, a lot of white on head

b) Piebald - black and white

c) skewbald - any other color and white

Flaxen:

a) found only on chestnuts

b) silver/white hairs in mane and tail

Appaloosa spotted coloring:

a) Characteristics of Appaloosa

  1. coat pattern

  2. mottled skin

  3.  white sclera

  4. striped hooves

 Coat Patterns:

a) blanket over rump with or without spots, may have spots without blanket

b) leopard- white with spots

c) snowflake - dark with splashes or white over rump

d) marbleized - dark with light spots throughout, roan