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What color is my old lady? Lots of pictures

2K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  Breezy2011 
#1 ·
Hello! Just to preface this post, I want to let you all know that I know absolutely nothing about horse colors and genetics :D
I know the absolute basics I read in books when I was little- chestnut, bay, palomino, pinto, etc.

I have always referred to my mare as a liver chestnut with a flaxen mane and tail. This is what I was told when I started riding her about 10 years ago. However, I was told many things that weren't accurate about her, so I thought I'd check in with people who know way more than I do!

This is Lizzie. She's a Morgan mare somewhere in her mid to late 30's.

Winter coat
Horse Mammal Vertebrate Mane Pony


Freshly shed out summer coat- shows some of the darkness at the top of her mane
Vertebrate Horse Mammal Stallion Mare


Late summer coat- notice how light her legs get down by her hooves
Horse Mammal Vertebrate Mane Mare


Shows her tail- dark at the top, light at the bottom. I don't know whether it's just age or not, but the entire core of her tail is silver/grey. I can get a picture tomorrow if you'd like. And don't worry, she's gained a lot of weight since then. The last picture I posted shows her current weight :)
Horse Mammal Vertebrate Pasture Mane


Mid summer (eating with her best friend!)- shows her front legs and how light her mane is after being in the sun
Mammal Vertebrate Terrestrial animal Snout Grass


Fall/early winter coat
Mammal Horse Vertebrate Colt Mane


Summer time- dark coat, light front legs
Horse Bridle Mammal Rein Halter


Late fall- light legs and mane/forelock
Horse Mammal Vertebrate Mane Mare


Thank you!
 
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#3 ·
Im going to go with chestnut. See how red her coat (and legs) get? She also has a flaxen gene, and a sooty gene (turning the flaxen...dirtyish looking)

So, a sooty flaxen chestnut.
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#4 · (Edited)
Cool! So the sooty gene causes the dark hairs that mix in with her mane and tail? And is the seasonal coat color changes typical for a chestnut? I haven't seen very much change in other chestnuts I know. Thanks for the quick replies!

Also, I forgot to mention that the hair on her "armpits", belly and between her back legs is grey, but used to be the color of her fetlocks in the last picture.
 
#5 ·
Yes, sooty is what is causing the "silver" and "dirty" mane appearance. If not for the sooty gene, she would have a blonde mane.

Some chestnuts do go though very prominent seasonal changes. It looks like your girl is what is considered a "liver chestnut"...very dark. She probably gets sunbleached and it makes her more red. But it just depends on the horse.

I know one liver chestnut that is very reddish in the winter and spring, and by fall, shes as dark as your mare. Its interesting!
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