Dark Bay or Sun Bleached?

In the winter my horse looks black. Now its spring and he's shedding out and it looks like he's shedding into a bay! This is my first spring owning him so I have no idea what to expect. I'm REALLY hoping he's shedding out into a bay because I absoltly LOVE bays! But someone told me he looks like he'd sun bleached..... but its just the beginning of spring. Which means lots of rain with a few nice days inbetween. I can count about 4 times where its been sunny and warm. It hasn't really struck me as sun bleaching weather lol But then again... I don't know much..... so i'm asking your opinion. I apologize for the size of some of the pics, they were taken from my cell phone, but they show his colouring off.

P.s. The winter picture was at his old home before I owned him. Which is why were riding outside in the bitter cold Canadian Winter and not in the nice indoor arena of our new home :)


Winter:



Now:





Excuse the mud. He likes to role after dinner, so it sits on him all night and this is what I get to come out to the next day lol

I am going to go with bay. Sunfading tends to start on the cheeks of the butt IME, and tends to look more 'patchy'. However, having said that, the light in the photos is not the greatest, and could be influencing how the colour looks.

The 2nd last one is taken outside :) that's why I added it. Iv only had him a short time and the weather hasnt been the greatest so im lacking in good pictures. I didnt think it was sun bleached because his belly is looking pretty brown to. And Most of the horses iv seen that are sun bleached are only brown where the sun hits.... which isnt his belly.... unless he lays on his back to sun tan when im not there lol