The grey gene turns any horse into a paler version of its original colour. The lightening process will progress at different rates in each horse, but they usually start at their darkest shade as a foal. To see this gene in action, here's a selection of horses who are barely recognisable from their formative years.
Gray horses, including Lipizzans, are born with a pigmented coat—in Lipizzans, foals are usually bay or black—and become lighter each year as the graying process takes place, with the process being complete between 6 and 10 years of age. Lipizzans are not actually true white horses, but this is a common misconception.
Many black horses "sun bleach" with exposure to the elements and sweat, and therefore their coats may lose some of their rich black character and may even resemble bay or seal brown, though examination of the color of hair around the eyes, muzzle and genitals often will determine color.
There is no horse breed that is born black and turns white. However, there is a rare phenomenon called "graying" that can occur in some horses. Gray horses are born with dark coats, but their coats gradually lighten over time, and they may eventually turn completely white.
Q: What are the rarest horse colors? Pure white is the rarest, but there are other colors not seen very often. Some include: Champagne.
(It's interesting to note, however, that when a black foal is going to go gray, it is usually born a deep, jet-black. Black foals that do not carry the gray gene are often born a mousy-gray color, which is why people sometimes joke that “black horses are born gray, gray horses are born black.”)
Black horses aren't exactly rare but are seen as uncommon among breeds. There are two different types of black horses: Fading black horses have a black color that fades into brown when the horse gets exposed to regular sunlight.
Grey Horse Genetics
STX17G modifies the behavior of melanocytes (responsible for color) and causes a horse's coat to slowly de-pigment. This gene mutation can also contribute to the development of melanomas and vitiligo. Horses with two copies of this gene tend to turn grey faster 2.
What is an all-black horse called? There is no special name in the horse world for an all-black horse. Typically the color is used followed by the breed and gender i.e. “black thoroughbred mare” or “black Arabian stallion”.
Every horse, Arabian or otherwise, has a base coat color of either black or red. This base color can be modified by a series of other genes to determine the actual physical color of the horse's coat. Interestingly, all Arabians, have black skin, except under white markings, regardless of their coat color.
Of the two base colors, black is a dominant color and red is recessive. This means that a black horse will appear black whether it has two copies of the black gene E/E (homozygous) or one black and one red gene E/e (heterozygous).
The two basic pigment colors of horse hairs are pheomelanin ("red") which produces a reddish brown color, and eumelanin, which produces black. These two hair pigment genes create two base colors: chestnut, which is fully red, and black, which is fully black.
Red tips on dark manes and dark coats, particularly noticeable in bays and black horses, may be due to a copper deficiency which is easy to fix, but it requires knowing the levels of copper and zinc in the entire diet.
Sun exposure can “bleach” or “burn out” the color of some horses' coats. This is mostly true for black, dark brown and dark bay coats, but it can happen to coats of all colors. The most commonly affected areas are the saddle area and around the face, which is where sweat tends to accumulate.
The 10 best colors to put on black horses are dark teal, baby blue, pale pink, lilac, maroon, red, white, purple, royal blue, and yellow. Not only do these colors pop on your gorgeous black horse, but they also stand out more than ever against a black coat than any other coat color out there.
The loss of hair pigment usually results from traumatic or inflammatory injuries, such as pressure from tack, too-tight or rubbing bandages, cuts, lacerations and even occasionally injections.
The dark color of your horse's coat, mane, and tail can change color. This is often attributed to exposure to sunlight. But red tips on dark manes and dark coats, particularly noticeable in bays and black horses, may be due to a copper deficiency.
Lift dirt and grease with a cloth
Then add a dash of skin wash, such as NAF Love The Skin He's In and mix. Dip a cloth into the solution and squeeze out any excess. Glide the cloth over the direction of your horse's hair to lift dirt and grease, leaving a glossy shine.
The Akhal-Teke horse is considered to be one of the most beautiful horse breeds in the world due to it's metallic-like shine to it's fur, giving this breed the appearance of golden and bronze statues almost. In Turkmenistan, this breed is the national horse breed and there is even known as 'the golden horse'.
UV sheets are another great tool that can decrease fading. A UV sheet with a neck cover in combination with a UV protectant spray will provide your horse with the best protection from the sun. Minimize Sun Exposure. This is the only method that can almost completely prevent the sun-bleaching of your horse's coat.
FACT: There is no evidence that black horses are any more or less lucky than other horse colors. In fact, many cultures associate black horses with strength, power, and nobility.
Horses with N/G genotype will be gray and will show a progressive graying of the coat. They may transmit this gray variant to 50% of their offspring. Matings with N/N genotype will result in a 50% chance of producing a gray foal. Horses with G/G genotype will be gray and will show a progressive graying of the coat.
A horse may be born chestnut, black, or even palomino, but if its genetic makeup has a dominant grey gene, the coat will change over the years, turning dark grey when the horse is six to 12 months old and often pure “white” by the age of six.
Black - A black horse almost invariably has black eyes, hoofs, and skin. The points are always black. Tan or brown hairs on the muzzle or flank indicates that the horse is not a true black but a seal brown.