Monthly Archives: March 2008

Silver Basics

Although it only affects dark pigments, silver is rather dramatic and it gives simple black a little sparkle. While it does have an effect on bays, it creates the most notable change on black and brown animals, changing their coloring entirely.

Silver Modified and Diluted

Silver can pair nicely with several of the modifiers and dilutions, adding its glamour to some of the decidedly less glamorous colors.

White on Silver

While not the rarest, silver animals are not extremely common in the equine world. The spotted versions of them are even rarer, but absolutely stunning in their variety. Silver white patterns aren’t always obvious and may be mistaken for other colors, but they can be absolutely fabulous.

Appaloosa Characteristics

While the patterns vary widely from animal to animal, there are a few characteristics that remain constant across all animals affected by this white pattern.

Appaloosa Patterns

There are an immeasurable number of patterns in the appaloosa spectrum and they can be mixed and matched.

Grey Shades

Every grey horse will go through a variety of striking stages during the greying out process, which also varies by horse, breed, base color and local conditions. Not all animals will show dappling, technically called progressive depigmentation, but it certainly makes for flashy seasonal changes. The different stages of an aging grey animal are loosely categorized below for visual reference.

Rare Grey Markings

There are a couple of rare markings that are specific to grey animals, how they are associated genetically is unclear.

Bay Shades

There is a wide variety of bay colors which vary a great deal by animal and breed. For the most part, they fall under the generalized categories below, which will have some crossover and regional variation.

Modifiers on Bay Coats

The bay modifier can also work with other modifiers, adding to the rainbow of equine colors.

Dilutions on Bay Coats

In addition to other modifiers, bays can also be affected by dilution genes. Creating some of the most beloved equine coloring, including palomino, buckskin and dun.

White Patterns on Bay Coats

Bay animals can be affected by all white patterns and the bay coloring actually creates incredibly colorful spotted animals (think tri-colored pintos).

Dun Characteristics

The dun dilution causes primitive markings on the animal which occur in a wide variety of combinations that vary between breeds, base colors and animals. While they have a variety of marking types, duns generally do not have normal dappling, but they can have reverse dappling. Below are examples of some of the more common primitive markings.

Base Duns

Unlike some of the other dilutions that only affect either red or black hairs, dun has a rather dramatic affect on all of the base colors. Creating a range of lovely shades that make duns a favorite for the color lovers out there.

Dun Modified and Diluted

Several of the coat modifiers and dilutions can be combined with dun to broaden the spectrum of dun coloring. From cream to silver, dun gives everything its own bit of primitive flavor.

White on Dun

Any dun animal that carries the genetics for white patterns can display them and some of them can mask dun characteristics depending where their patterns are located. Regardless, they create beautiful spotted patterns of all types.

Single Dilute Cream Shades

A single cream gene can have a rather dramatic affect on chestnut, bay and brown coats, creating some of the most sought after and beloved colors. Note that only in chestnut horses is the mane and tail hair affected by a single dose.

Double Dilute Cream Shades

A double dose of the cream gene affects colors much more dramatically and can even make black animals almost pure white. Double cream dilutions are the horse color most often mistaken for albinos (which doesn’t really exist in horses). Obviously it is difficult to visually differentiate between the four bases once the dilution has removed so much pigment.

White Patterns

The various white patterns can be displayed on cream breeds that carry them, on both single and double dilutions. This creates some incredibly beautiful creamy spotting.