The hair of horses differs not only in texture and thickness, but also in color. The colors of domestic horses depend on several factors. These are the distinctive features of each animal, although sometimes fur that is visually similar in color has a different combination of dyes or pigments. Often animals of different colors require certain conditions of detention, care, and feeding.
Basic horse colors
In modern horse breeding, only four colors are considered basic.
Voronaya
Black or black, like a raven's wing, is one of the basic colors of horses.We can highlight:
- classic black color; mane, tail, hooves are black, no inclusions, with the exception of the limbs and muzzle;
- in a tan – lighter than the classic version, the unstable pigment is destroyed under the influence of sunlight, a brown tint appears;
- ash-black - looks black, but in bright light it casts brown, chestnut, smoky;
- black piebalds are spotted, with a clear predominance of black color; the tail and mane can be two-colored;
- silver-raven - a silver tail and the same mane, lightened body with apples are acceptable.
An example of black breeds are representatives of the Frisians and Ariegeoises. Other colors of these horses are not allowed.
Redhead
The red color has the largest number of colors or shades. Among the horses of this color you can see animals of various colors. As a rule, these are horses of sand, yellow, apricot and chestnut colors. The color of the manes and tails differs from the color of the body in a darker or lighter tone.
In red horses, the lower part of the legs, from the hoof to the hock, should match the color of the body. By this feature, they can be easily distinguished from bay-colored animals whose limbs are black.
Red color is characteristic of many breeds. It is worth noting the red Suffolian draft horses. Approximately 80% of the famous Donchak population has golden wool. This color is characteristic of most horses of the Budennovsky breed.
Gray
Several factors are responsible for the gray color of horses. Usually this shade is produced by a combination of white and black hairs. In order for a gray foal to be born, one of its parents must also be this color. Sometimes offspring of different colors are born, but carrying the gene for early graying.And the black foal that is born becomes gray after 3-4 years. With age, some individuals turn white, but differ from white ones in having a gray skin color.
Animals of this color may develop lighter, rounded spots called “apples.” Their boundaries follow the network of subcutaneous blood vessels. In addition to dapple gray horses, there are buckwheat gray horses. Gray horses are characteristic of many breeds. The Lipizzaner horse is widely known. More than half of the livestock of the Oryol trotter breed is also distinguished by its gray color.
bay
The bay color is considered the most common color in the horse world. Animals of different shades of brown with black limbs, mane, and tail belong precisely to this color.
Ancient people associated the color with the smell of burning, fire blazing in the steppe, and its charred black edges. All this was expressed by the Latin word “nidor.” Later the name was transformed into nidor, bay, bay. We can highlight:
- light bay horses with lightened muzzles, underbelly and an admixture of brown hair in the manes and tails;
- dark bay horses with almost black heads, necks, and backs.
The Cleveland bay horse is famous all over the world. Often this color goes to simple outbred animals, which receive the simple nickname Gnedko.
What other suits are there?
In addition to the four main colors, horses also have other color options. Their appearance depends on a certain combination of genes. They are usually called scaffolds and (or) scaffolds.
Savrasaya
Horses of a faded red or sandy color, with a dark belt along the back and a lighter belly, black legs, mane, and tail are classified as animals of the Savras color. It is believed that Savras horses were the ancestors of bay horses and represent a light bay color with various yellow shades.The nickname of the village workhorse Savraski has also become entrenched in Russian literature.
Solovaya
Nightingale horses differ from other breeds in their yellow or golden body color and lighter mane and tail. In light salt individuals, eyes can be brown, amber and very rarely blue. In Europe, horses of this color are called palominos.
Karakova
One of the darkest shades of bay color. The mane, tail, upper body are black. There is red hair under the animal's armpits, in the groin, and tan marks near the eyes. Their boundaries should be clearly visible. It is by these that caracas can be distinguished from blacks and bays.
Isabella
If you look at isabella horse, then it may seem that the color of the animal resembles baked milk with a pinkish tint, since the color of the skin is pink. Eyes with this color are blue.
The genetics of the appearance of this color is associated with dun and nighting colors; it is found in all breeds where there are horses of these colors. The name is associated with the name of the Queen of Spain, Isabella, who reigned in the second half of the 15th century. She, according to the vow she made, wore the undershirt for three years. The color of this piece of royal attire gave its name to the suit.
This is also due to the fact that it was during her reign that horses in yellow shades became fashionable. Newborn foals have white fur, pink skin and blue eyes. Isabella Akhal-Teke horses are incredibly beautiful.
Piebald
Horses with randomly shaped spots are piebalds. Perhaps the color is associated with a violation of skin pigmentation. In America, this option is called pinto. It is believed that the spotted, “cow” color is more common among ordinary non-pedigreed horses or native breeds.
Igrenovaya
The body is brown or red in color, distinguished by a white tail and the same white mane, a small amount of red hair is acceptable. Refers to variations of red color. Very common in heavy breeds, for example, Soviet draft and Noriker.
Bulanaya
Horses of this color can have coats ranging from light golden to dirty yellow-brown. But the color of the limbs, as well as the tail and mane, must be not just dark, but black. There are dark dun individuals in apples.
Kauraya
Very often in Russian fairy tales they remember the prophetic kaurka. We are talking about a red horse with a red belt and a darker brownish mane and tail than the whole body. Very often this color is called red-brown. There may be marks inherited from wild ancestors, for example, zebroid.
White
White horses are distinguished by this coat color from the moment they are born, that is, from birth. The skin is pink, which is how they can be distinguished from light gray ones, whose skin is gray. Not albinos, who are characterized by red eyes and are born unviable.
Other
In addition to those listed, there are other colors:
- cherry - a beautiful shade of bay color;
- subhaired - animals with lightened areas of fur near the eyes, nose, on the inside of the legs, and belly;
- forelock – individuals with small spots; can be among animals of all colors. The skin is often pink, with small dark spots. This color is typical for knabstruppers; they have leopard, marble, and saddleback variations.
Horses also have “special features”:
- on the head there are stars and grooves;
- on the limbs - pants, socks, stockings;
- on the body there are belts, tan marks, and lacings.
The relationship between color and character
The names of the colors are not directly related to the character of the animals. For centuries, red horses have been considered hardy, loyal and flexible. Blacks had a difficult character, and light gray or white ones were considered too pampered.
For many years, red animals were considered to have a sanguine temperament, blacks were considered melancholic, and whites were considered phlegmatic. There is also an opposite opinion, according to which black horses are classified as phlegmatic, and red horses are classified as choleric.
Turkmen and Arabian horse lovers highlight the excellent character of bay animals; they consider blacks too vicious, and grays too docile.
Novice athletes or horse breeders should not be prejudiced towards animals of one color or another. Experts say that a good horse has no color or that an expensive horse has a decent color, but the fashion for animals of one color or another quickly passes.
Reliable evidence of the dependence of character on horse color has not been received. However, modern scientists have found that dark-colored horses are hardy and less likely to get sick. Their character is even, their psyche is stable. This is how they differ from light-colored horses. The lack of pigmentation even in a small area makes animals vulnerable to various diseases. For example, gray horses are more likely to get melanosarcoma. Animals lacking pigmentation or albinos die in the mare's womb.
