Horse Colors

Here is a list of the main horse colors, click the image to see a larger version, click the link for more information about each color.

Black

Black Horse 2
Black is one of the two base equine coat colors.

Chestnut

Liver chestnut Arabian colt
The second of the two basic colors, chestnut or sorrel horse coats contain no black hairs whatsoever.

Grey Modifier

Dapple grey egyptian arab
A color modifying dominant gene, the grey gene affects both black and chestnut bases. This dominant gene possess the capability to suppress the display of white patterns.

Greying Process

Horses ‘grey out’ in stages throughout their lifetime as they shed their coats. There are not different colors of grey, only different stages of greying.

Steel Grey

Steel Gray
The initial greying phase. From birth through adolescence horses displaying the grey gene are very dark. As they age they will become increasingly lighter.

Dapple Grey

nice dapples
Generally begins as the horse enters adulthood at 4 years and dappling can continue up into the early teens depending on the animal.

Rose Grey

rose gray arabian
Horses with a chestnut or bay base will often have a red tinge to their coats as they grey. This coloring will usually occur during the dapple grey stage of greying.

Fleabitten Grey

Grey Daze
As horses reach a more mature age the greying gene turns them almost completely white, with the exception of small red or black spots mixed in with their mainly white body.

White Stage

A beautiful grey horse, as kind of sport halfbred of Mez?hegyes
During the twilight years of an grey horse they are pure white, the greying gene has eliminated all of the pigmented hairs.

Bay Modifier

Bay arabian mare
Bay is common to all breeds, stems from a black base and displays dark points (mane, tail, leg markings).

Comes in a variety of different shades, from very light to very dark.

Black Bay

Blood Bay Oldenburg
Also called Seal Bay, this is the darkest of bay shades and almost black in color.

Mahogany Bay

Wynona- Cleveland Bay/Tb Cross
Displays a rich mahogany wood coloring of the coat.

Standard Bay

June 2007
Among the most common bay shades, standard bay is a deep reddish brown.

Blood Bay

Sans Faute by Santar
Or Red Bay horses have a bright red body color.

Light Bay

bay holstien--Caletta
The lightest of the bay shades, the light bay body is a soft brown, almost chestnut in color.

Mealy / Pangare Modifier

Dancer (Belgian Draft mare)
Common to all breeds, the mealy modifier is expressed in lightening of the hair around vulnerable spots, such as muzzle, belly and flank.

Mealy Expression

A closer look at pangare/no pangare
A quick look at the difference, the horse on the left possesses the mealy gene and the horse on the right does not.

Chestnut Mealy
Belgian mare
The mealy gene expressed on a chestnut base is generally very obvious.

Black Mealy
Belgian Horse
The mealy gene on a black base can be minimally expressed in a vague lightening of the shoulder, flank and muzzle.

Sooty / Smutty Modifier

For Sale:  JACKPOT - Pic 2
Common in most breeds and found on both black and chestnut bases. The sooty modifier displays as a darkening of the pigment in certain areas of the coat, often causing dappling. Generally darkening the topline and legs.

Sooty Expression

Examples of sooty genes.

Chestnut Sooty
Quarter Horse Gelding

Black Sooty
What a great little guy!

Creme Dilution Gene

Peruvian Paso stallion, RDS Onassis
This dominant gene affects base color by lightening it, double dilution of the gene can create horses with almost no pigment whatsoever.

Single Expression of the Creme Dilution Gene

The creme gene displays different colors depending on the base coat of the affected animal.

Palomino
A BOLD IMAGE - 2002 PALOMINO STALLIONQH Palomino Stallion 2002  Chocolate Palomino
Palomino shades range in color from very pale gold to a dark brown in color and carry a flaxen (or white) mane, tail and markings.

Dunalino
As a 5 yr old
Combination of a creme gene and a dun gene on a chestnut base. A Dunalino will display the primitive markings of the dun and the flaxen points of the creme gene.

Buckskin
Suede - Buckskin Gypsy Cob Colta beautiful dappled buckskin! he waz one of my fave horses there!reverse dapple stallion

Dunskin
dscf0697
Creme gene and a dun gene on a black base.

Smoky Black
Royal Chaos
Creme gene on a black base does not affect the pigment physically, although some fade with age.

Double Expression of the Creme Dilution Gene

Cremello
Albino horseGotta Be A Blondecremello2
Often mistaken for albino animals, however the albino gene is fatal to horses. Caused by a double dilution of the creme gene on a chestnut base. Displays pink skin and blue eyes and range from pure white to a light creamy color.

Pearlino
Kings Creme Skipper/Skippin Up Dust
Double dilution of creme gene on a bay base which also creates almost white body hair, pink skin and blue eyes. Differs from the cremello because mane and tail hair are darker in color (often with a reddish tinge).

Smoky Cream
Blue wild looking
Created by double dilution of cream gene on a black base (it takes a double dose to affect black pigment).

Silver Dilution Gene

ROCKY MOUTIAN HORSE
One of the rare dilution genes, the silver dilution gene creates a flaxen mane and tail even on dark colors.

Silver Gene Expression

The silver gene has a dramatic affect on black and bay coats, but it does not affect chestnut coloring physically.

Silver Black
July 17, 2006
Also called Silver Dapple, Chocolate and Blue Silver, varies from light to a darker color and is often accompanied by dapples and a flaxen mane and tail.

Silver Bay
Cherry-Hill Bumble Bee
Silver gene on a bay coat, the modifier does not affect the red pigment, only the dark points and mane and tail.

Champagne Dilution Gene

Kinor ~ Akhal Teke Stallion
New to the horse world and still relatively rare, the champagne dilution gene affects both black and chestnut bases. Often displays in flashy colors with a metallic sheen, blue eyes and pink skin that lightens with age.

Champagne Dilution Expression

Gold Champagne
Tuff good pic 2
Chestnut base with a champagne gene often produces a flaxen mane and tail.

Amber Champagne
2006 Amber Champagne Filly
Bay horses affected by the champagne gene.

Classic Champagne
40 in classic champagne pony
Black base coat diluted by a champagne gene.

Champagne Mixes

Often mixed with other dilution genes, there are several combinations of colors that result.

Ivory Champagne
IMG_0380 (2)
A champagne gene combined with a cream gene on a chestnut base.

Silver Champagne
Champagne stallion
Champagne gene combined with a silver gene on a chestnut base.

Dun Dilution Gene

Buckskin
The dun gene affects both black and chestnut pigments. Characteristic markings make identification quick and easy.

  • Dorsal stripe
  • Zebra stripes
  • Shoulder stripes
  • Cobwebbing
  • Dun Dilutions

    The dun gene produces a variety of different colors, the common thread being their unmistakable primitive markings.

    Bay Dun
    Stop It - Hollywood Dunit X Stoppin PineAugust 13, 2007--almost 3 months oldDiaz moves like a western pleasure horse
    Also called Zebra Dun and the most common dun coloring, this is the result of a dun gene on a bay coat. Ranges in shade from very light to a darker yellow in color. Points remain dark, along with the face and head.

    Chestnut Dun
    Dun Got Class (aka Cody) - Red Dun Appendix Quarter Horse mare.Red Dun 2 Year Old Missouri Fox Trotter Stallion owned by Action Farms in Vanzant MissouriDSC_0019.JPG
    Also called Red Dun and created by a dun gene on a chestnut base which will not carry black points. Their primitive markings are displayed in a darker red color, although body shade can range from very light to a darker red.

    Black Dun
    Zoey PineFlashback... June 2006Grulla
    Also called Grulla exhibits in a smoky blue color ranging from light to dark, with black points, darker heads and black primitive markings.

    Roan White Patterns

    Frosty's Destiny -  SOLD- Thanks Micki
    The roan white pattern affects both black and chestnut base colors. Less common than grey, but similar in process, roan horses change with every shedding. Face and leg markings often remain the base color.

    Roan Expression

    This gene expresses itself in an array of interesting colors.

    Blue Roan
    I washed that black right out of my hair.
    Roaning pattern on a black base which causes a grey, blue and even purple tint. The points and face generally remain dark.

    Bay Roan
    Frosty's Delite - Bay Roan Racking horse filly - 6 months old -$2500
    Result of a roaning pattern on a bay coat which often causes a pink tint to the body hair, while the mane and tail remain dark.

    Red Roan
    roan_filly
    Also called Strawberry Roan, on a chestnut base this white pattern causes a pinkish / red tint while the face and points remain dark red.

    Paint / Pinto White Patterns

    BlackFacedFilly
    The paint and pinto white genes display in a variety of different patterns and colors.

    Pinto Colors

    Pintos come in a variety of different patterns, however there are only two recognized colors.

    Piebald
    Black & White Paint Quarter Horse~ High Res.~ Awesome Wallpaper
    A black base and white spots.

    Skewbald
    standing in the arena
    A brown base with black spots, skewbald horses may also display black spots and points.

    Pinto Patterns

    This gene creates many different showy patterns on affected horses.

    Frame
    DSC_1643
    An overo pattern, generally display a dark head, legs and body with white spots on the body. White rarely crosses the topline and usually runs in a horizontal arrangement.

    Sabino
    dj looking pretty
    An overo pattern which usually shows a dark body with white markings on the face and at least one white leg. Can display roaning and often has a white chin.

    Splashed White
    Paint
    An overo pattern which features big white body splashes usually in a horizontal pattern. White facial markings are often on the bottom of the face and there is at least one white leg.

    Tobaino
    dscf2253jag
    Most common of the pinto patterns this pattern displays white legs, solid colored heads and white spots with clean edging. Often the tail is split colored but rarely do they display blue eyes.

    Tovero
    LACYS LIL POWERSTROKE, at stud
    A combination of tobiano and overo in characteristics and genetics. Generally has spots around the ears and face, markings isolated on a white field, and have at least one blue eye.

    Mixed Pinto Patterns

    Genetics allow for a mixing of different genes which result in even more coat patterns.

    Pintaloosa
    Illusion right side 8-20-04 014
    Mix of tobiano, frame, sabino and appaloosa genes.

    Rabicano
    the
    This display of the gene shows pattern at the base of the tail, the flank and belly areas, although whitening may extend up around the ribcage.

    Appaloosa White Patterns

    Skovlys Dana
    The appaloosa white pattern (or Leopard Complex) is a pattern on top of the base coat of the animal and can appear on both black and chestnut based horses.

    Appaloosa Types

    There are many different expressions of the leopard complex.

    Blanket
    Boogie Bee Jet, Appaloosa Stallion
    The most well known of the appaloosa patterns the blanket pattern displays in a white blanket over the hindquarters with dark spots on the blanket field.

    Few Spot Leopard
    IMG_2002
    The minimum expression of the leopard complex results in a mainly white animal with collections of spots on the flank, elbow, neck and head.

    Frost
    tonka183
    Displays in white hairs scattered along topline of affected animal, usually the legs, tail and mane remain dark in color.

    Leopard
    leopard
    This display of the gene shows a white body with dark spots all over it, often a higher concentration on head and legs.

    Snowcap
    Comet05
    Displays a white blanket over hindquarters, however white field does not carry any spots. The white area can extend across most of the body, although generally the head, legs, flanks and elbows retain their color.

    Snowflake
    Mallow 3 yr old filly
    Characterized by small spots of color randomly over the entire body. Spots can grow with each shedding.

    Varnish Roan
    equinity left side 11-3-02
    This is an actual appaloosa pattern, not a roan or a grey. Affected horses are born dark and roan out with age, although bony parts generally retain base color.

    Brindle

    brindle_a13
    Still a mystery to equine geneticists, the characteristic striping of brindle coloring is common in both dogs and cows. The coloring varies depending on the animal and the base coat color.