Colors of Horses

Color Color in mammals is caused by a pigment called melanin In horses, melanin appears in two forms, eumelanin (black) and phaeomelanin (orange-red). These two pigments are the source of every horse color The four base colors for horses are chestnut, bay, brown, and black

Bay Body color is a light to dark brown with a black mane and tail and black points on the legs These horses can be considered a blood bay (up) and a dark bay (left)

Chestnut The color names chestnut and sorrel are used in different ways by different groups. They are genetically the same base color, red. Many consider a sorrel to be lighter in color, but experts call all red horses chestnut. Horses can be light to dark red in color without any black points. The horse in the bottom left can be considered a sorrel and both horses to the right are considered liver chestnuts

Brown The basic appearance is that of a black horse with tan highlights in specific areas: the muzzle, flanks, underbelly, and girth areas Also can be called seal brown

Black This is self explanatory!

Palomino A chestnut with one Cream gene is called a palomino. The typical palomino is golden yellow with a white (or flaxen) mane and tail

Buckskin The typical buckskin is golden bodied with black points range in shade from very light (often called "buttermilk buckskin") to very dark (often called "bronze buckskin")

Dun Dun on a chestnut base color is called Red Dun. They can range from a distinctive light peachy or apricot tone to a darker shade that could pass for a sunbleached chestnut at first glance Dun on a bay base color is variously called Dun, Bay Dun, Zebra Dun, Yellow Dun. They look similar to a buckskin, with yellowish bodies and black points. Since both colors can have a wide range of shades, the best way to tell them apart is to look for the dun-markings. Although a buckskin may have a dorsal stripe, strong leg barring is diagnostic of dun Dun on a black base color is called Grulla (sometimes spelled grullo), or in some places, Black Dun. They have a greyish body color, but unlike a grey, which when examined closely is a mixture of dark and white hairs, a grulla's hairs are all the same greyish color

Dun Continued

Cremello A chestnut with two Cream genes is called a cremello Typically they are a light cream color with white mane and tail. Usually they just look "white", especially from a distance

Grey Grey horses can range from white to silver dapple in color Grey horses have black skin while other white looking horses have pink skin like Cremellos

Roan A horse that is a true roan will have white hairs scattered throughout its coat on the main parts of its body; but the head, legs, mane and tail will remain the base color of the horse Roan is not progressive -- it doesn't change over the years, as grey does Bay Roan Red or Strawberry Roan Blue Roan

Appaloosa Blanket Leopard Snowflake These are the most common This one is uncommon (down)

Paint Overo: refers to a paint horse where the white markings do not happen between the withers and tail Tobiano: the markings and white spots are regular. Spots are often oval or round and all four of the legs are white Tovero: have at least one blue eye but often both eyes will be blue. Where the white splashes of colors are located with the tovero pattern is not as important as the location of the dark color markings. The dark pigmentation will be around their mouth, ears and flanks