Black Base Horse Coat Color

Basic Black

There are two basic coat colors in the equine animal, either black base or chestnut base.

All horse colors are built on a black or a chestnut base and different colors are achieved by dilution genes and color modifiers to provide the wide variety of colors and patterns in existence today.

A Few Black Facts

• The black gene occurs in most breeds
• Black horses have no brown or red hairs
• They have a black coat and black points
• The only white is in markings on face and legs
• Black horses do better in cold climates
• Dark hair absorbs heat from the sun making hot weather work difficult

Different Black Shades

Although there aren’t different shades of black there are two types

• Their coat never fades from sun, weather or work
• They are born black and remain black throughout their life
• Can be a smokey or blue black

• Coat fades from sun and weather
• Usually born smokey or dark bay
• Cannot generally produce bay foal
• Also called ‘Barn Black’ because unless they are kept from the sun they will fade with age

Black Dilutions

Black horses can display the following colors when diluted.

Grullo or Grulla (male – female)



Black base with dun dilution gene
Image from Amazona
Smokey Black or Smokey Cream



Black base with a cream dilution gene
Image from Liberty Walkers
Classic Champagne



Black base with a champagne dilution gene
Image from Kersti_Nebelsiek
Silver Dapple or Chocolate Silver



Black base with a silver dilution gene
Image credit Equine Now

Black Modifications

Black horses can display the following colors when modified.

Mealy / Pangare



Black base with a mealy / pangare gene
Image from Apple Ridge Mountain Horses
Sooty / Smutty



Black base with a sooty / smutty gene
Image from Rozpravka

White Patterns

Black horses can display the following white patterns.

Appaloosa



Black base with an appaloosa white pattern gene
Piebald Pinto / Paint



Black base with a pinto / paint white pattern gene
Black Roan / Blue Roan



Black base with a roan white pattern gene
Image from Caronna

Colors | Base | Modifiers | Dilutions | White Patterns | Rare | Markings