Changing Colors

Changing Colors

All Equine colors may undergo some degree of change in hue or shade throughout the lifetime of the animal. Bay foals are born with only a sooty hint of the distintive black stockings that contrast the red coat. Black foals, on the other hand, are the same sooty shade all over at birth, only darkening to black with the first shed. Grulla foals have a yellowy foal coat, hiding the gun-metal gray tones of the adult horse under the thick fuzz.

Then there are the Grays and roans. Gray horses are born any dark color (in this case Buckskin and Palomino are considered "Dark") and gradually lighten over time as the dark hairs lose their pigmentation. Many gray horses go through a "Dapple" phase, with pale silver dapples against a blue=gray coat (if black based). Chestnut and bay horses may go through a "Rose" or "pink" phase, and some will be "fleabitten" - a white base with red hairs scattered throughout.

Roans will often appear Solid as foals, with a few white hairs as the only indicator of a color change. Roans will show their future change on the hip or flank, grays will start to turn on the tail and around the eyes even as younsters. Roan should be apparent by the first shed from baby fuzz. Horse roans will keep the dark head and legs, the the roaning occuring on the body. A donkey roan will have a light face and legs, and contrasting DARK dapples on a light coat. This form of "Roan" in donkeys may in actuality be more of a "Gray" type pattern than a true roan.

But no color change is quite as striking as the Appaloosa. Appy foals may be born quite solid in color, but look at those sclera and hooves. If the eyes are white-ringed, the hooves and skin striped and mottled, keep your fingers crossed! It is true that some of these "ugly duckling" foals have turned into spotted "butterfly beauties" as they mature!

Here is an example of a varnish roan mule. We knew she had the chance of exhibiting some change (her dam was a varnish roan) but we never expected the degree she now shows!!!

As a yearling, she is starting to show the distinctive varnish roan pattern. But wait...

Daze (pronounced Daisy) at 4 months. She was a dark sorrel (or Chestnut) tostado. She shows only a hint of roan over her hips & frosting in her mane and base of her tail.

Dolly, Daze's dam. A sorrel varnish roan appaloosa, with typical markings.
Thanks Dolly!

Daze in 1997 (top) , and in summer 2000 (right). Roan can vary seasonally, and she has been nearly white, or a mixed light pink. She also has a distinctive "Snake track" mark on her right hip, but not her left.

Here's our wooly girl in Winter coat (Feb 02). You can see like many true roans (not grays, which usually get lighter) she has darkened up in some areas for the winter. We expect this spring when she sheds again she will lose most of the dark patch on her shoulder, as she does yearly. Her legs and face tend to stay darker, as that is one aspect of the varnish pattern.

NEXT           DRAFT      APPY

MOREAPPY APPYS2     LOUDAPPS

LOUD APPS2     PINTOS SPOTTED

SPOTTEDSIRE     COMBOSPOTS

   ROANS PONYMULES    HINNIES

          CHANGING   CHANGE 2

     MULEFOALS    MOREDRAFTS

POITOUMULES         DUNS    GRAYS

HORSE COLOR         HAIRCUTS    Hair 2

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Here's our pretty girl's face. You can see that the dark mane disappeared - mostly silver now, with just some dark hairs. She will lighten up again come spring.