Difference between Chestnut and Sorrel

[michickenwrangler]

Thanks guys!! Showbarnmom, the pics were really helpful!

I hope you all do not mind me asking a few more questions. I have never known anyone having horses as pets here in my place, the only odd person is my best friend's dad who has 27 elephants.

Here only the elite people and police personnel have horses. And since it is the elite people that has these, it is not uncommon to see very old or sick horses abandoned by the road sides.

1. Will Gray horses (even Roans) lose all the pigment and turn completely gray towards the end of their lifespan? [That looks complicated, I want to know how a Gray horse would look after they are 35+).
2. Do they retain the dapples?
3. What is gray (graying as in human beings)? Is it solid white (255, 255, 255) or a diluted black that looks like gray/blue (Like a blue great dane)?



Thank you guys!! Have a good day!!

Gray is a horse born a different color that lightens as it gets older.

LOVE the Great Dane. We just got a black Great Dane this summer. I also see that you are from India. I have customers that were born in India (I have no idea what region) but live in the USA now. They buy goat meat from me. When they came to pick up meat a few months ago, they saw my Great Dane and mentioned that they used to have them in India. For whatever reason, I wasn't expecting them to say that. They explained to me that they had cattle and goats where they lived and because there were tigers and leopards where they lived, they wanted to have a "big dog with a big bark" to help keep the predators away.

 

[Amb3r]

Showbarnmom: "Usually horse that is dappled stays dappled, but they may fade."

Thanks, that is one of the information I was seeking.

@Bunnylady: Thanks for the info.

Also am I wrong in assuming that Bay, Chesnut, and Black horses with a copy of Gray modifier gene would age/gray differently. Which of these 3 horses grays faster? Sorry if I am boring!! I find it way easier to gather information from experienced folks like you than google.

@michickenwrangler:

I guess you got it in the reverse. Actually leopards hunt the stray dogs and pet dogs in India. The dogs become so scared they do not even make a whimper. They do attack goats and on rare occasions even children, but the leopard's favorite food is dog. I live in a semi-urban area so we only have problems with stray leopards and elephants. Tigers are only present in dense forests, they do not come to the plains. The forest officials track the leopards using the footprints and dog carcasses. BTW, I have a very old Fawn Great Dane. He's so gentle, I wonder if he would even win a fight against my mean Roo.

It's not just the Leopard that snacks on the dog, (Viewer discretion advised!) This happened in my University about a month back.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/tragic-end/article3990963.ece

Thank you guys!! <3

 

[Bunnylady]

Also am I wrong in assuming that Bay, Chesnut, and Black horses with a copy of Gray modifier gene would age/gray differently. Which of these 3 horses grays faster? Sorry if I am boring!! I find it way easier to gather information from experienced folks like you than google.

The rate at which a horse grays does not depend on his original base color.
As an illustration of my previous statement about dappled grays (not my pictures):


This horse has the gray modifier. You can see that some of his dapples are still visible, but this horse is a genetic Gray "graying out" (note the dark mane and tail).


This is a Silver Black:


Notice that this horse also has dapples, but the mane and tail are white. This horse will not gray out. (It's a young Miniature Horse which has been clipped; the dapples are often clearer on animals that have all of their hair!)

And now, the test question (just kidding, of course!). Is EmtheFishLady's horse Gus a Gray or a Silver Black?

(Gus is a rescue, so please excuse the condition problems.)

A few years ago, I could have pointed you to a website where all they did was discuss horse color genetics. It was a great place to learn. Unfortunately, it kept getting infected with viruses and whatnot, and it got shut down. I don't know if it is back in operation now or not.

 

[Amb3r]

Gus looks like a horse with a gray modifier gene!! Do you own him? He looks good!!! Good day!!

 

[Bunnylady]

That's what it looks like to me, too!

 

[FlaRocky]

Google "horse color genetics" you will find so good sites...


Maye