Descriptions of the best colors of horses. Brief information about all colors of horses Nightingale horse
Horses of light colors have always attracted great attention from people. The nightingale color also stood out due to its extraordinary beauty. The horse's body is sandy in color, and the mane and tail are light. In ancient times, such salt horses were owned only by wealthy people, and even now you can’t find them in every stable.
Today we will tell you in more detail about the characteristics of the salt color of horses, talk about genetics and the main colors, which breeds are characterized by this color and how to care for animals of the night color.
This horse gained popularity among horse breeding enthusiasts due to its solid sandy color. There are a huge number of shades: from light to gold. Dark hair is much less common in color.
From the moment of birth, foals do not immediately have a sandy color. It manifests itself in the process of growing up. Pink skin becomes a darker color over time. The birth of a horse of this type is a great success.
It is impossible to say with certainty where these horses came from. However, this color is mentioned even in various ancient Greek epics. A similar horse was the favorite of Queen Isabella, who ruled Spain. Over time, people throughout the country fell in love with this color.
Genetics and basic variations
The manifestation of such shades is influenced by only a single gene. His presence is characterized by the horse's red hair color. The nightingale horse, like other species, has its own shades. They are characterized by different color features of the body, tail, and mane.
Table 1. Various colors of the nightingale horse
| Color | Description |
|---|---|
| Golden | This shade is considered the main one. However, it occurs only in rare cases. The torso, limbs, and head have a rich golden color with tints. The mane and tail are the same color, just a little lighter. |
| Dark | In such a horse, the body is represented by a darker color. Most often it is uniform, both on the head and on the hooves. Occasionally you can see white spots on the hooves. The mane and tail are light, snow-white or cream in color. |
| Light | This is the most unusual shade of wool. The body and head are cream-colored, and the mane and tail are snow-white. The hooves are a rich brown color. Sometimes there are horses with blue eyes. Often this color is confused with another similar color; the only distinguishing feature is gray skin. |
| In apples | On the body, which has a uniform sandy color, in some places you can see more intense red spots. The shade of these spots will vary depending on climatic conditions and the horse's feeding. In the absence of comfortable living conditions, the color of the spots becomes faded. |
The uniqueness of such a horse is that it is almost impossible to definitely plan the appearance of offspring of a similar color. Crossing of nightingale horses with each other often leads to the birth of foals of various red shades.
What breeds have this color?
The following breeds can be distinguished, which are characterized by such shades:
- Haflinger. It is distinguished by its short height, up to 144 cm. Because of this feature, a short horse is often confused with a pony. The neck is short, the muscles are clearly defined, the chest is wide. The mane and tail are distinguished by a large amount of hair.
- Akhatelkinsky breed. A hardy horse that tolerates hot climate conditions well. Among other breeds it is distinguished by its smooth movements. The height is large, about 155-160 cm, the body is long, the chest is wide, the neck is oblong, the legs are thin.
- Kinski's horse. Frisky horses are good jumpers. The height is very high, reaching 168-170 cm. Such animals have a fairly balanced character, they are often used for sport riding.
There is another breed of sand-colored horse - Palomino. However, in Europe this is mistakenly called the whole suit. According to unconfirmed reports, several centuries ago a horse of a similar color was given as a gift to an influential man with the surname “Palomino”. Over time, the nickname caught on and other horses began to be called that way.
Horse maintenance and coat care
It is important that there is always fresh bedding in the stable, which must be changed periodically. In winter, the indoor temperature is allowed to be no lower than 5 degrees. Air humidity should be no more than 80%. It is not advisable to keep animals in a stable with a wooden floor.
Since the horse is light in color, it needs constant brushing. This must be done in order to preserve the natural shine of her coat. During the hot season, it is important to provide washing for animals. The water temperature must be at least 19 degrees. You should not clean or bathe your horse immediately after the race. It is necessary to wait some time until the animal rests.
You can achieve shine and shine in wool using a rubber squeegee. It penetrates into deep layers and cleanses out all impurities. In addition, using a brush, natural subcutaneous fat is distributed. This procedure is a good massage for the animal.
You can also purchase a special spray for cleaning wool. This product will reduce the appearance of spots on light-colored hair. In addition, with the help of a spray you can achieve shine in the coat. However, you should not spray it in the area where the saddle is located. Otherwise it will provide additional slip.
Table 2. Horse care
| Illustration | Description |
|---|---|
 | Hand untangle the animal's mane and tail. If necessary, you can use a spray. |
 | Comb the mane and tail using a comfortable long-toothed comb. |
 | Remove excess hair on your horse's chin using an electric razor. |
 | Trim the brushes on your legs. |
 | Remove dirt from hooves |
 | Wash the horse thoroughly using a special product (zoo shampoo for light-colored horses). |
On average, care procedures take about an hour. However, with appropriate experience, the speed of their implementation is reduced.
Feeding the horse
The brilliance of the six and the behavior of the horse often depend on nutrition. If characteristic changes are detected, the animal’s diet should be reconsidered. Sometimes it becomes necessary to use special supplements based on vitamins and minerals. It is useful to add high-quality vegetable oils to food.
A nighting horse requires about 5-6 kg of oats per day, as well as 11 kg of hay. Rough feed is given to animals up to 3 times a day, and grass feed - 4 times a day. It is also important for horses to constantly consume salt. For such purposes, you can purchase special slimes.
It is advisable to prepare meadow hay in advance. It is also necessary to ensure that it is fresh without mold or unpleasant odor. An adult horse drinks up to 8 liters of liquid per day. Water should also be freely available.
In spring, a fairly large part of the diet consists of greens. It is recommended to gradually take the horse out to pasture so as not to harm digestion. Therefore, before going out to pasture, you should give the animal some hay. Increase the duration of grazing every day. It is important to ensure that, along with useful grass, the horse does not consume dangerous plants. These include alfalfa and clover.
Alfalfa is a valuable source of protein
Price
The cost of horses of this color is influenced by several factors:
- breed characteristics;
- genes;
- age.
Since this is a rather rare color and the prices for such horses will be quite high. For a pony you will have to pay about 170,000 rubles. Thoroughbred stallions can cost up to 390,000-400,000 rubles.
Let's sum it up
Nightingale horses are truly the embodiment of beauty and grace. Such horses are bred in many European cities. Since they are born quite rarely, not everyone will be able to purchase such a beauty.
Video – Soly stallion
The earth is rich in its colors, the brightest of which go to the animal world. Luxurious light palettes were also given to the noblest animal – the horse. These colors and shades have captured the human spirit since ancient times.
The color of a horse is not only the color of its body, it is a whole combination of the color of the body, mane, tail, as well as the placement of pigments on the body. Eye color should also be added to this list of characteristics; this is also a key feature. For example, if you take two horses with approximately the same body color, but they have different colors of mane and tail, then such horses are most likely of different colors. Each of the suits has its own special history, characteristics and features unique to them.
The salt color of a horse is just one color out of this whole number, but this article will tell the reader about it.
Origin of the suit
It is difficult to say exactly where the first mention of horses of this color can be found. Even in ancient times, they said that horses of this color were found in the capital of Parthia. Its description was found in the works of Homer and in ancient Scandinavian legends.
An animal of this color was extremely rare, so it was believed that only a rich person could afford such a horse. Such a horse was found among the King of Yemen, but the Spanish Queen Isabella was considered a true fan of the nighting color. With her light hand, this suit became very popular in the 15th century. These four-legged creatures were the owners of her name for a very long time.
In America, horses of the same color are called palominos. No one can say for sure why this is so, but one of the options is that it is derived from the name of Don Juan de Palomino. At one time, the Spaniards brought horses of this color to the West, and there a new breed of horses with this color arose from them.
Main characteristics of the suit
A horse of this color is extremely rare in the equestrian world. She is rightfully considered the most spectacular and beautiful representative of her kind. The characteristic features of this color are the evenly distributed sand color of the body. It can range from a light sandy shade to darker and more saturated colors.
The mane and tail of a salting horse are often lighter and differ from the main color by several tones; they are often completely white in color, sometimes they may contain an admixture of dark hair. In general, the color of the nightingale can be called light-light red. It is almost impossible to meet a horse with a darker color and they can easily be confused with horses of the game color. But the rarest color is still considered the salt-brown horse. The eyes of such horses are most often brown, but as an exception they also come across with an amber tint.
Foals of this color are born light, almost white in color or white. Their skin is a soft pink hue. The older they get, the darker their skin becomes. Ultimately, the skin becomes gray in color. Only one gene, cream, is responsible for this color in horses, which gives the red horse a lighter, sandy color, and makes the mane and tail completely white. In scientific terms, this gene is called “eeCrcr”.
In the equestrian world, the appearance of a colt foal is considered a lottery win. This is due to the fact that only one gene is responsible for the color type of this suit. This makes such horses unique and precious.
Photo suit
Basic training for salting horses
Like other horses, the malt color has its own variations in the color combination of the body and mane with tail. Such variations are called variations. This suit has 4 main types:
- Dark salt horse. Its characteristic features are a darker shade of the body. It is a dark sand color, similar to orange. There are also yellow-red specimens. This color is uniform throughout the body and the same on both the head and legs. The hooves of this breed are often dark, although you can also find legs with white markings. As for the mane and tail, they are much lighter than the body; you can often find a white color, but with a yellowish tint.
- Light salt horse. A horse of this color can easily be confused with an Isabella color. This is a rare variation of the malt color. Its characteristic features are the color of the body, which is very close to a milky shade, and the tail and mane are white with a slight yellowish tint. The hooves are characterized by a dark brown color, but not black. The eye color of such horses can be blue. These horses are distinguished from the cream or Isabella color by their darker body color and gray skin color.
- Golden malt horse. This is the main flavor of a malt horse, although it is extremely rare. The characteristic features are considered to be a bright golden hue of the body, legs and head. The mane and tail are the same color as the body, but a horse with lighter elements is more common. This unique coloring is caused by the presence of a specific gene.
- Nightingale horse in apples. This excuse is also considered extremely rare. The main difference is considered to be the presence of reddish spots scattered throughout the body. The diameter of these spots is on average 2-3 centimeters. The color of the spots is affected by proper nutrition and general care. Depending on these factors, their color can vary from dark and bright shades to light and spruce noticeable colors.
What breeds have this color?
There are only four breeds in which this color is possible. These breeds include:
- Akhatelkinsky breed.
- Kinski's horse.
- Haflinger.
- Palomino.
Although “palomino” is the name given not only to the breed, but also to the color as a whole. It is very difficult to predict what color the foal will be from the parents of this color, because the probability of such a treasure appearing is 50 to 50. Instead of this color, you can ultimately get a horse of Isabella color or simply red. This “lottery” fascinates breeders.
The color of a horse is the main distinguishing feature of the animal.
This characteristic is inherited.
The color is determined not only based on the color of the horse’s body, but also taking into account the color of the mane, limbs, tail, and even eyes.
The division of suits is very clear, discrepancies are not allowed.
A bay horse cannot have a white mane, and chestnut horses cannot have black limbs.
The formation of a horse's color occurs during the development of young animals, but the older the horse becomes, the greater the likelihood of a change in this characteristic.
Often, a foal is born black, bay, red with white hair, that is, it is almost impossible to say unambiguously what color the newborn animal belongs to.
For a long time, 4 main colors of horses have been identified - gray, black, red and bay. All major suits are derivatives or subsuits. There are more than fifty suits in the world.
Black color of horses
Animals of this color are characterized by uniform black hair color on the head, legs and body. The mane and tail of these horses are exclusively black.
The hooves can be either completely black or with white patches. The inheritance of color can be observed in 70% of young animals.
A black horse without brown or red hair is very difficult to find, compared to bay and red animals.
There are black horses that do not shed. They do not shed either from the sun or from changing weather conditions, that is, they will not be classified as black “tanned” animals.
Non-shedding foals are born smoky or black with a bluish tint.
Molting begins only in very bad weather conditions. Shedding black horses shed both from weather changes and from contact with the sun's rays.
Foals of this color are born ashen, dark bay or generally brown. Each animal sheds differently, and the rich black color of the coat is extremely poorly preserved.
Black horses “in tan” are classified as a separate caste. These horses wool fades in the summer when exposed to the sun, that is, the ends of the hair acquire a reddish tint.
If the black pigment is unstable, and in case of prolonged contact with the sun, the horse can turn from black to dirty brown, while the color of the mane, tail and legs will not change. In winter the horse turns black again.
Red color of horses
A horse is called red if it has a red body, mane and tail. The shade can be varied - from light red to dark red.
Often, the color of the mane and tail matches the color of the body, but sometimes the shade can be different. It is rare to find animals whose mane and tail are dark brown.
The red color differs from the bay color of the limbs - in red horses brown legs. Sometimes you can find dark brown animals.
The coat on the body of such horses has a large number of black hairs, but the dark admixture on the mane and tail is still dark brown.
Some brown horses can be confused with black horses, since the brown color is too dark. But it is clear that genetically these colors are completely different. Light brown horses have a light brown body.
Nightingale color of horses
In saltwater horses, the body is painted in any shade of red, and the tail and mane are exclusively white.
There are dark salt horses, which are often confused with game animals. Horses of light salt color are also confused, since they are very similar to Isabella animals.
At birth, the young are almost white or very light. Over time, foals' pink skin becomes darker. The eyes of nightingale horses are mostly brown, but sometimes animals with amber or light brown eyes can be found.
Horses acquire the salt color due to a single cream gene, which slightly changes the tan color. It is this gene that makes the mane and tail white, and also creates a slight tint of red hair on the body.
It is by these characteristics that one can determine whether this horse is nighting or playing. In general, these animals look great.
Bay color of horses
Bay horses have a brown head and body, and the rest of the body is black.
Some animals may have black or dark brown mantles at the withers. Bay horses have a small admixture of black hair throughout the body.
The color of the coat can vary from light brown to almost black. Small bay foals may have light colored legs that become darker in color as they age.
There are light bay horses. In their shade they are very close to the dark dun color. The shade of fur on the face, areas around the eyes and lower abdomen is the lightest.
Brown hairs can be found on the tail and mane, and on the limbs black and brown shades are mixed.
Sometimes a stripe of dark hair forms on the ridge, and there may also be a slight zebroid appearance of the limbs. Dark bay horses are almost black. There are also chestnut, golden and cherry bay horses.
Gray color of horses
The gray coat color of these horses is formed by mixing black and white hair. The older horses get, the more their body color changes and gray hair appears.
The young are born black, bay, red or any other color, but after a certain time the coat becomes lighter, due to which the gray color is formed.
Young horses are dark grey, red-grey or semi-grey, but the white color appears more and more as they age.
Horses of this color can be dark gray, light gray, or almost white. All gray animals have dark skin.
From the age of nine, horses become lighter in color. If the animal was light gray, then when it reaches this age it will become almost white.
The body can be covered with spots of dark shades, this color is called gray “dappled”. If the horse is old, then its body is covered with so-called buckwheat - these are small dots of dark colors.
The coat color changes with age, but the skin color remains the same dark, but age-related pigmentation occurs. A characteristic feature of gray horses is their sensitivity to certain types of feed. For example, buckwheat straw causes a rash in animals as an allergic reaction.
Roan color of horses
"Roll" is an admixture of light hair on the body of bay, red and black horses. This contrast is especially noticeable in animals with dark colors.
There are very few truly roan horses compared to gray animals. The hair on the mane, tail and head may not have any admixture of white hairs at all, or it may be almost invisible.
With the change of time of year those places where there is white hair change color, but in general the color of the animal does not change significantly. The main difference between roan horses and gray ones is that the first variety of animals becomes darker and darker every year, but gray fillies only turn white.
Roan horses “with apples” are sometimes found, but the appearance of these markings depends not on age, but on the season.
Some animals are raven-roans, since their raven color is based on the roan gene. If you look from a distance, the horse will appear either gray, or blue, or purple. Such animals have long been called blue horses.
In raven-roans, the head, tail, lower limbs and mane are always black, which makes it possible to distinguish representatives of the roan color from animals of a dark gray color.
Bay roan horses have the same color head as regular bay mares, but have a large amount of whitish hair scattered throughout their body. As befits bay horses, the shade of their tail, mushrooms and lower legs is typically black.
If a mixture of red and roan colors is red-roan. From a distance, the animal generally appears pink, especially if the red fur has a red tint. In such animals there is no admixture of white hair on the head, mane, legs and tail, and light spots can be found on the rest of the body.
Karak color of horses
A karak horse is a black filly that has tan marks.
Pigmentation appears in the eye and lip area.
The tan marks are very visible on the black hair of such horses, so caracas are very easy to distinguish from dark bay horses.
Damn horse color
Dun horses have sand-colored wool of different shades, but the hair on the mane, tail and logs is still black.
The dun color is characterized by the presence of a wild gene, which manifests itself in the form of a black belt on the back or zebroid limbs.
The shades can be very different - the body can be fawn or almost white, and sometimes the animals are dirty yellow (dark brown).
In the sun, the coat of horses of this color gives a golden tint.
Animals with “apples” are also common.
Also in animals of this color cream gene present, which can lighten the fur on the limbs, turning it from black to dark brown.
Brown horses have dark skin and eyes that are brown or amber.
Dark purple color of horses
Dark purple horses are animals whose body hair is red, in a variety of shades - from chocolate to light red, and the tail and mane are white.
An admixture of red hair may also be present in the whitish tail and mane. Only the mane or tail can be bleached, and this is absolutely normal.
Game horses are often confused with silver bay horses, but there are fundamental differences between these animals: game mares have the darkest hairs on their tail and mane - brown, but silver bay animals have the same hair of a dark ash color.
Also for game suit characterized by a red color and the presence of markings on the lower part of the legs, and silver bay animals have either ashen or brown limbs.
Savras color of horses
In Savras horses, the color of the coat on the body is quite faded and lightened. Most animals have visible zebroid limbs and a strap on the back.
The coloring of the head, tail and mane corresponds to the main color. Savrosity arises due to the presence of a gene in animals of the main colors; it is called the “wild color” gene. It is dominant and lightens the hair of horses.
Only the hair on the mane, tail and legs cannot be lightened, but black and red pigments are partially removed from the hair on other parts of the body. Savrasity is present in the most ancient colors, which is why it is called “wild color.”
This color helps the horse become more invisible in the wild. The savras suit has characteristics characteristic only of it, which are called “primitive marks.”
These signs apply to all ancient horses. Savras horses always have a stripe on their back, which appears in the form of black or dark brown stripes that sometimes cover the mane and tail.
There is a zebra pattern on the legs in the form of horizontal stripes on the limbs, which are very noticeable above the wrist and hock joint. These markings gradually fade into the dark shades of the lower limbs.
This characteristic is not mandatory, since there are individuals that either do not have these stripes, or they are too invisible against a dark background.
Savras horses have so-called “wings” - this is a transverse stripe of dark shades on the withers or shoulders. There may also be a “cobweb” - this is a dark network or stripes on the forehead of a Savras horse. This color is characterized by the presence of white strands in the tail and mane.
Piebald horse color
This is also an underpaint, which appears in the form of white spots scattered on the main suit. The limbs are almost always either completely white or partially white.
The hair in the tail and mane is either combination or white. If a horse is piebald, then it is partially albino, since it is the albinism gene that can form white markings on the animal’s body.
The eyes of piebald animals are blue, not brown, and sometimes only one eye can be light.
Piebald suit is divided into two types of coloring: tobiano and overo.
Tobiano coloring is characterized by a dark coating of one or both sides of the animal. The legs remain white either completely, or the area below the knee joint is white.
Those places where the fur is dark, symmetrical, oval or round in shape, form a kind of shield, as they “slide” along the neck to the chest.
The hair in the ponytail is two-tone. The head is colored in the color of the main color, but white markings of various shapes can also form. Animals with overo coloring have dark limbs; on the body, white spots do not cross the back between the tail and withers.
The light areas are asymmetrical and have the shape of large blots. Such marks are called calico. The tail has a uniform color.
Chubby color of horses
Animals of the forelock color have small oval spots that are formed on the basis of the main colors.
The color of the spots depends on the color of the coat from the base color, but the main color changes due to the presence of white hairs.
There is almost always a white symmetrical spot in the sacrum area. Sometimes this spot can fill the entire body of the animal, and the horse turns out to be white with “leopard” markings.
The skin of such horses is covered with pink dots, and the hooves are zerboid, that is, covered with stripes of dark horny tissue and uncolored. Chubarism can occur based on any suit.
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Nightingale color - the body, head and limbs have a uniform sand color of various shades. The mane and tail are the same color or lighter, up to white; there may be a slight (less than 15%) admixture of dark hair.
Saltwater horses are often born very light, almost white. These foals have pink skin that darkens over time. The eyes are usually brown, like most horses, and only occasionally they can be light brown, amber.
The nightingale color is created by one (!) gene for a cream based on the red color. Thus, the nighting horse has the genotype eeCrcr.
The cream gene in the heterozygous state lightens the mane and tail to white and often gives a soft tint of red hair on the body; this is the main difference between the nighting color and the game color (not always noticeable, however).
The nighting color is characteristic of the Akhal-Teke breed, Kinski horses and palominos.
Additionally, the following variations are distinguished:
dark salt– rich sandy color of the body, head and limbs with a reddish-yellow tint, while the hooves are dark in color (if there are no white markings on the legs). The mane and tail are the same color as the body, or lighter.
light salt– Light yellow or milky sand color. The mane and tail are almost always closer to white. The hooves are dark in color, but not black. With this suit, blue eyes are often found. It differs from the cream one in its darker color and gray skin color.
golden-salt– Rich sandy shade with a golden tint to the wool. The tail and mane are usually the same color or slightly lighter. The hooves are light. The suit is extremely rare. Having seen this photograph, the famous Bartabas decided to make a film in the “search for the Golden Horse.” Having traveled to many countries and looked at thousands of horses, he never found the one he was looking for. In the photo is the Akhal-Teke Kambar, born at the Komsomol stud farm (Turkmenistan).
nightingale in apples- a fairly rare color. Small (2 to 4 cm in diameter) reddish spots are scattered throughout the body. With good care they can become darker and brighter.
Color is one of the main characteristics of a horse; is a hereditary trait anddetermined by the color of the outer hair of the head, neck, body,limbs andprotective hairColor is one of the main characteristics of a horse; is hereditarysign andbangs, mane, tail and brushes (frieze).
Primary colors - black, brown, red, yellow (sand), white (colorless)It is believed that blacksand there are no white suits; black, bay, red and gray are the main ones, and all othersderivatives (substitutes). There are other classifications, one of which iswhich I will use below.
Generally speaking, both the classifications and even the definition of suits themselves are quite arbitrary, since they are not completely correct from the point of view of genetics, which is quite understandable - our ancestors, who gave the names to the suits, were not familiar with it. And, by the way, in the Wild West, the division into suits is somewhat different from what is customary here.
Horse color- coloring of the horse's hair, as well as skin and eyes. One of the main individual distinctive features. The color of horses is not just a color, but a certain combination of colors, a type of distribution of pigments, which also has a genetic background. If horses have the same coat color, but different skin and eye colors, or the same coat color on the body, but different mane and tail, then their color can be different (compare isabella and light salt, red and bay). At the same time, shades of the same suit can differ greatly (for example, a light tan coat has a fawn, sandy color, while the darkest shades of that suit can approach dark brown and even black).
Shades and shades
Suits can be of different shades - colors. The color indicates the intensity of the color of the main suit (dark, light), color nuance (golden, red), uniformity of color (mukhortaya, underhair), etc. Basically, its name consists of 2 words - shade + color (red-red, light bay), although there are also independent designations (gender, wine). In some cases, to more accurately describe the color, two (or more) names may be used simultaneously (dark golden bay, light dappled tan). Moreover, in conversation or text, the word suit is more often used, rather than color: a horse of dark bay (red brindle, dapple gray) color.
Many colors (bay, red, nightingale, dun) can have a bright golden hue. It is especially characteristic of the Akhal-Teke, Karabakh, Don and Budennovsk breeds. Underhaired - the horse has whitish tan marks on the nose, belly, inner parts of the legs and around the eyes. subclass is possible against the background of any color, but is most often observed in bay, karak, red or game horses.
Some Savras and Mouse horses have pure white strands growing along the edges of their black mane and tail. This is especially noticeable in the Norwegian Fjord breed.
Striping is usually associated with “zonar” (wild) colors (savras, cowra, mouse), occasionally with dun and nightingale; it is typically found on the horse's legs and is called zebroid. This feature is a legacy of wild ancestors, the Tarpans.
Scorches- lightening of various colors (brown, yellow, white) around the eyes, mouth, groins, and sometimes in the elbows and buttocks. Brown markings are visible only on black horses; such horses are called karaks. Yellow tan marks are found in more colors; such horses are called mukhorty, but this designation is used mainly in relation to the mouse color. White tans are found in underhaired horses, but, as in the previous case, this term is traditionally applied to only one color option - bay with whitish tan marks.
Apples- spots of a lighter color than the surrounding background on the horse’s body. They appear with good feeding and maintenance in horses of almost all colors, with the exception of the lightest colors and whites; for gray and dun suits, the corresponding color is allocated.
According to the classification of Ann T. Bowling, "Horse Genetics", the main colors of horses are: black, red.
One-color or two-color (simple)
Black (main suit)- Black coloring of the entire body, head, limbs, mane and tail. Black actually - black uniform coloring of the entire body, head, limbs, mane and tail. Tanned black - the tips of the black fur on the body, and sometimes on the head, are brown or reddish, bleached by the sun. The limbs, mane and tail are black.
Derivatives from Voronoi:
Karakova- Black coloring of the body, head, limbs, mane and tail; Brown spots around the eyes, mouth, groins, and sometimes in the pit area, elbows, and buttocks. Most authors classify this color as a separate color, but some call it a black color (black with tan) or bay (an extreme version of dark bay) color. Perhaps a black-and-tan horse was called a horse with fewer marks, and a karakova - with more.
Raven in tan- a variety of black color that fades in the sun in summer. The black, tan horse has faded, reddish ends of its hair. With the particular instability of the black pigment and prolonged exposure to bright sun, such a horse can become almost dirty brown in color. In winter, such horses again acquire a black color.
Ash black- mention of this suit is sometimes found in domestic literature on the inheritance of suits. Genetically, this color is related to the nightingale, dun and isabella. It is difficult to distinguish the ash-black in appearance from an ordinary black, although the color of the coat of such a horse, a carrier of the isabella gene, is slightly less saturated and has a specific dark brown or chestnut tint.
Bay (main color)- The body, head and upper limbs are brown in various shades; The limbs from the hock and carpal joints and below are black, but young horses (at least until 3 years old) may retain brown hair. The mane and tail are always black. Dark bay - the horse has a dark, sometimes almost black coloring on the top of the head, neck (along the crest and at the shoulder blades), back and croup; the rest of the brown coat is usually not much lighter. In some animals, dark fur extends down to the sides of the body, and the darkest-colored ones differ from caracas only in the large amount of brown located in the lower part of the body (belly, throat). The bay itself has a uniform color or slightly lighter belly, throat, and lower part of the head. Deer-bay - dark bay on top and light bay below - the upper part of the head, neck (along the crest and at the shoulder blades), back and croup, sides are dark brown, the end of the muzzle, throat, and belly are light brown. Light bay - light brown, gray-brown, reddish uniform color or with a light bottom. Chestnut - a rich, rather dark chestnut shade of wool. Cherry (red) - red-brown, sometimes almost red-red hue; dark-colored horses have a cherry tint to their coat. Golden - yellowish-brown coat with a golden tint. Underhaired - the horse has very light, whitish tan marks around the eyes, mouth, groins, and sometimes in the elbows and buttocks.
Red (main suit)- Red of many different shades, more or less uniform coloring of the entire body, head, limbs, mane, tail and brushes (brushes are basically the same color as the mane, tail); light-maned horses have a belly and lower limbs, as a rule, lighter, and in dark-maned animals the front surface of the limbs is also dark. The mane and tail may consist of a mixture of hair of various shades of red. Dark red - a dark red, close to brown shade of the coat of the body, head and limbs. The mane and tail are usually darker, sometimes with an admixture of black hair, but they can also be lighter, even straw-colored. Dark red horses differ from brown horses, firstly, by the characteristic reddish tint of their coat, and, secondly, by the possible admixture of strands lighter than the body in the mane and tail. Red actually - red of many different shades of coloring of the entire body, head, limbs, mane, tail and brushes. The mane and tail can be darker, such as brown, or lighter, even straw-colored. Light red - light, from gray-red to reddish-golden color of the body, head and limbs. The mane and tail are in most cases light. Russet - a reddish shade of fur with a copper tint; Typically characteristic of dark red horses. Golden-red - yellowish, with a golden tint. Most often it is possessed by red and light red horses. Golden-fawn horses can have red-fawn mane and tail and vice versa.
Derivatives from red:
Buraya- Brown, more or less uniform, from dirty red to almost black coloring of the entire body, head and limbs. The mane and tail are the same color or darker due to an admixture of black hair. Dark brown - rich brown, chocolate to almost black color of the body and head; limbs, mane and tail are usually darker due to an admixture of black hair. Brown actually - chestnut or brown color; the mane and tail are the same color or darker. Light brown - light brown, gray-brown wool, close to dirty red, but without a reddish (red) tint. Golden - a yellowish, golden shade of wool. A number of authors call the brown suit a red color (apparently by analogy with the game suit).
Game (dark/light)- Dark or light (brown or red) coloring of the body, head and limbs. The mane and tail are white or smoky (with an admixture of black hair). Dark violet - brown from dark chocolate, almost black to light brown body, head and limbs; often in apples. The mane and tail are white or smoky. Light purple - red body, head and limbs of various shades. The mane and tail are white or smoky, often with light brushes. Some game horses may have a slightly yellowish mane and tail (however, this also occurs on light gray horses). Brown horses with naturally straw (light yellow) manes and tails are classified, oddly enough, as dark red.
Silver bay- the body is red or brown, the mane and tail are lightened from dark brown to almost white. Sometimes the tail is much lighter than the mane, and vice versa. You can distinguish a silver-bay color from a game color by its legs: a silver-bay horse will definitely have dark legs (black or faded brown).
Bulanaya- Yellow or sand of various shades, uniform (unlike bulano-savrasoy, see below), sometimes mixed with varying amounts of black hair, coloring of the body, head and upper limbs; mane and tail are black; the limbs from the hock and carpal joints, and sometimes from the middle of the forearm and shin and below are black, however, there may be an admixture of light hair. Sometimes a dark or black belt runs along the back. Dark dun - reddish or brownish-yellow (dark ocher), occasionally gray-brown or dark yellow almost black (but without a red tint) coat of the body, head and upper limbs; the belt, if any, is dark or black. It differs from the light bay in the yellow tint of the coat, the belt and the possibility of an admixture of light hair on the limbs. Bulanaya is actually sandy or yellow in color to the body, head and upper limbs; The belt is dark, sometimes black. Light dun - light yellow, light sandy up to almost white color. The limbs are sometimes mixed with light hair; the belt is dark. Golden-bulanaya - rich bright yellow, with a golden tint. Bulanaya in apples - with an admixture of varying amounts of black wool, forming a characteristic pattern on the body. Most of the black hair is located on the shoulders, shoulder blades, muzzle, along the crest and sides of the neck, on the back and croup, and to a lesser extent on the stomach, throat, back of the head and on the neck along the ganaches (in the area of the attachment fossa). The limbs are sometimes mixed with light hair; on the forearms, dark hair rises almost to the elbows; the belt is dark or black.
Solovaya- Yellow or sand of various shades, uniform color of the body, head and limbs; the mane and tail are the same color or lighter up to white, the admixture of dark hair is no more than 15%. Dark Salt - Rich, sometimes reddish-yellow, black or dark-colored hooves. The mane and tail are the same color or lighter. The nightingale itself has a yellow or sand-colored coat, occasionally with lightening at the end of the muzzle and in the groins. The hooves are dark in color, the mane and tail are the same color, lighter or white. Light salt - light yellow or light sand color. The mane and tail are usually white or the same color. Golden-salty - rich bright yellow, with a golden tint of wool, dark hooves.
Isabella- such horses have a milky yellow, sometimes even pinkish coloration of the body, head, and limbs; the mane and tail are white, often have a magpie eye, eye color ranges from blue (usually) to dark, the skin is light. The sex is yellow-white, like the Isabella's coloring, the mane and tail are the same color or slightly lighter, there may be a magpie eye. In the vast majority of sources, sexual horses are classified as Isabella, without identifying a separate classification. In general, there is most confusion with the nightingale and isabella suits. For example, some authors divide salting horses into dark, light and isabella, others into dark, golden and light (or isabella) and almost no one distinguishes animals with a white mane and tail (unlike red and brown white-maned horses, which are generally classified as to an independent suit).
Gray (main)- Any of the above colors has an admixture of white hair, which increases with each molt. A gray foal may be born, for example, black, but already at the age of several months it will have white hairs, which will become more and more numerous with age. By the time he reaches adulthood, this foal will already have a fairly light gray color, and in a few more years it may turn white. The head and belly turn gray the fastest and look the lightest; colored hair lasts a long time on the croup and legs, especially on the hocks and carpal joints. The gray color is characterized by “apples” - round, lighter spots, repeating the network of subcutaneous blood vessels. But there are, although quite rarely, gray horses without “apples” at all. Horses that have turned white may have small colored spots - this is a buckwheat gray color. The rate of graying of gray horses varies from person to person; some become completely white by the age of three or four years, while others remain quite dark until old age. A horse that has turned white is called light gray despite its almost pure white hair color.
Derivatives from sulfur:
(Mixed suits. See below)
White- Natural(!) white (colorless) hair of the entire body, head, limbs, mane and tail. The skin is devoid of pigment completely or over a significant part of the body. Albino - skin, hair, cornea and hoof horn are completely devoid of pigment. Satin (satin-gray) - white color of the entire hairline, eyes from blue to dark; skin with rounded gray spots on various parts of the body, and in some foals the tips of the hair on the ears, the ends of the hair of the mane and tail are sometimes reddish, the coloring is ensured by the presence of a special White gene. Traditionally it is believed that there are no white horses. Apparently, this is due to the fact that in Russia the births of white horses are extremely rare; in the West, however, there is even a breed of white horse - the American White.
Zone (wild)
All these colors, characteristic of horses of aboriginal breeds and wild horses, have many common features and therefore are very often combined into one color, Savras (including in the West). At first glance, they seem to be derived from the main suits, but from a phylogenetic point of view, the opposite is true.
Color features characteristic of all wild colors:
The coat of the body and head consists of a mixture of hair of various shades that make up the overall basic tone, the same applies to the mane and tail, which are usually somewhat darker. Moreover, even individual hairs on the animal’s body, mane and tail can be variegated, like those of other wild or domestic animals, including predators and rodents.
The coloring of the body is uneven, with lightening at the end of the muzzle, around the eyes, on the throat, belly, groins and buttocks; The head and neck are most often more intensely colored than the body.
A black or dark belt runs along the ridge.
There are dark spots on the shoulder blades (shoulder pattern).
The limbs from the carpal and hock joints down are black or dark entirely or only on one (outer - front or back) side.
In the area of the carpal and hock joints there are dark transverse stripes - zebroid.
In light-colored animals, the limbs are dark, as a rule, only partially; in the tail and mane there are a large number of light strands (they are mainly located along the lateral edges of the mane and tail).
Mousey (raven-savrasaya)- The fur on the body and head is of a “mouse” or ash color (consists of a mixture of gray, black and brownish colors); the tail and mane, belt, limbs are dark gray or black. Dark-mousy - the fur on the body and head is dark gray, the limbs, belt, mane and tail are black. Mousey actually - gray (ash) or dirty gray color of the body and head. The limbs, belt, mane and tail are black. Light-mousy - light gray, ashy color of the body up to dirty white; limbs partially or completely dark colored. The belt is thin, dark gray; the mane and tail range from very light, with a small amount of dark to almost black. Mouse-haired - with yellow markings around the eyes, mouth, groins, and sometimes in the elbows and buttocks.
Savrasaya (bay-savrasaya)- The main tone of the body and head is brown in different shades from bright dark brown to almost white, a faded shade of bay. Limbs dark, gray-brown or black; the belt is dark or black. The mane and tail consist of a mixture of black, brown and light strands. Dark-colored horses have black limbs, mane and tail; Light-colored animals have a large number of light strands in the tail and mane; there are also dark-maned individuals.
Dark Savrasaya - the body and head are dark brown in different shades; the muzzle, belly, and throat are lighter, so that the horse looks almost like a half-haired horse, but at the same time it has signs of a wild color - the mane and tail, almost black, still have an admixture of blond hair, the belt is black, and sometimes zebra-like features are visible.
Savrasaya proper - the body and head are brown in different shades; belt, limbs dark or black.
Light Savrasaya - almost light gray, brownish color of the body up to off-white; limbs partially or completely dark colored. The belt is thin, dark; the mane and tail range from very light, with a small amount of dark to almost black.
Gray-savrasaya - (the term was used to describe Przewalski's horse foals) - light beige, grayish-cream body, head and limbs; the mane and tail are brown, consisting of dark and light strands, a thin brown belt, and a brownish shoulder pattern.
Kauraya (red-savrasaya)- Light red (faded) color of the body and head; The belt is dark red. The mane and tail, as a rule, are darker than the body and consist of red, brown and light strands. Partial darkening and zebroid on the limbs are red-brown, red-red in color.
Dark brown - relatively dark red color of the body and head; the belt is dark red, dark brown. The mane and tail are darker than the body and consist of dark red, dark brown and some light strands. Partial darkening and zebroid on the limbs are dark brown, dark red.
Kauraya itself is a light red color of the body and head; The belt is dark red. The mane and tail are usually darker than the body. Partial darkening and zebroid on the limbs are reddish-brown, dark red.
Light kauraya - very light, close to nightingale reddish color of the body and head; red belt. The mane and tail are somewhat darker than the body and consist of red and light strands. Slight partial darkening and zebroidity on the limbs are brownish or red.
Bulano-Savrasaya- Wild version of the dun color: yellow of different shades (like the dun) color of the body and head; the belt, limbs, mane and tail are black or dark.
Dark dun-savras - rich brownish-yellow (dark ocher), but without a red tint, dark yellow coat of the body, head and upper limbs; the belt is dark or, more often, black. The mane and tail are mixed with light hair, the limbs are dark or black.
Bulano-savrasaya itself - the body and head are yellow, sandy in different shades; the dark mane and tail have an admixture of light hair, the belt, and limbs are dark or black.
Light dun-savrasaya - almost sex-gray, yellowish color of the body up to dirty white; limbs partially dark colored. The belt is thin, dark; mane and tail - from almost black to very light, with a small amount of dark.
It must be said that the dun-savras suit is described in only one source. Traditionally, dun-sauras horses are classified, depending on the intensity and uniformity of color, as dun or savras (bay-savras), and dun color is considered wild. However, in horses of some ancient cultivated breeds, which are characterized by dun color (Ahal-Teke, Andalusian), there is no zebroid and uneven color, partial coloring of the lower parts of the limbs is rare even in light-colored animals, there may be no belt, the same applies to the shoulder pattern; the fur covering the body, head and upper limbs is homogeneous (with the exception of the dappled dun color).Gray (primary or special suit)- Horses of this color have white hair growing interspersed with hair of a different color throughout the body. Foals are born dark, but lighten with age due to an increase in the amount of white hair, so that at the end of life they become almost white (light gray). White hair is distributed heterogeneously - in most horses the head is the first to lighten, and the hind limbs are the last; the mane and tail can be lighter or darker than the body, and there are often apples.
Derivatives from sulfur:
Dark gray- Most of the hair is dark in color.
Gray actually- about half of the hair is white; the bottom of the limbs is usually (but not always) darker.
Light gray- Most of the hair is white.
Buckwheat gray- Small dark brown spots are scattered throughout the white body.
Dapple gray- dark and light wool is arranged heterogeneously, forming a characteristic pattern. In dark gray horses, the apples are located mainly on the middle and lower parts of the chest, ribs, and hips; in grays - throughout the body; in light gray ones - on the back of the body. The lighter the horse, the less contrast the pattern looks.
Marble- dark and light wool is located more uniformly than in the previous case - the apples are very blurry or almost absent.
Ermine- with a light gray body, head and upper parts of the limbs, the mane, tail, and sometimes the bottom of the limbs are dark. This is mainly used in relation to the raven-gray suit. (Option - a light gray horse has a dark muzzle and ears).
Raven gray- a mixture of black and white hair (lightening raven).
Blue - graywith an even distribution of black and white hair.
Red-gray(bay-gray) - on the body and head and upper limbs - a mixture of brown and white hair; the lower limbs, mane and tail are black and white or with an admixture of brown hair (lightening bay).
Red-gray(lilac) - a mixture of red and white hair (lightening red).
Sex gray- yellow-gray: dun-gray - on the body, head, limbs a mixture of yellow (sand) and white hair, the bottom of the limbs, mane and tail - black and white or with an admixture of brown hair (lightening dun); salt-gray - a mixture of yellow (sand) and white hair (lightening salt). No mention of brown or gamey-gray shades was found.
Roan- Inherent admixture of white hair with hair of the main color on the body, especially on the rump and to a lesser extent on the head, limbs, mane and tail. The eyes and hooves are always black. raven-roan - a mixture of white hair and black color.
Bay-roan - an admixture of white hair to the bay color.
Wine - an admixture of white hair to a red-bay color.
Brown-roan - a mixture of white hair and brown color.
Red roan - a mixture of white hair and red color.
Nutmeg roan - red-gray, admixed with a large amount of white hair to the red-red color.
Igrene-roan - an admixture of white hair to the gamen color.
