A Grey (Gray) Area ~ Color ?

[Kyzteke]

What is “flea bitten?” I know what the term means, but what causes it this color “pattern”.

I’ve seen plenty of grey horse; some dapple out and look lovely as they fade and others are flea bit. Doesn’t seem to make a difference in terms of the base color; at least I’ve seen black/brown horses and chestnut with this pattern. Although I have to admit I’ve never seen a chestnut dapple grey…

Anyway, answers? Is this a modifier to the grey gene which is also a modifier?

[Appsolute]

This page has a good explanation:

http://www.horse-genetics.com/gray-horses.html

“In some heterozygous horses the mutant gene was deactivated in some regions of their body, so normal pigment production has been able to resume, giving the marks known as “blood marks”. Flea-bitten grey horses develop speckles in the original coat colour, after the greying process has started. This might be due to the same mechanism as blood marking, or “flea-bites” may be controlled by a separate gene, as discussed below.”

"Flea-bitten gray horses develop speckles in the original coat color. For example gray horses born chestnut develop chestnut “flea-bites”. If this speckling starts soon enough the flea-bites can become quite large and numerous, with the horse developing to look a bit like a leopard spot appaloosa.

“Flea-bites” are thought to be controlled by a separate and probably recessive gene, not linked to the gray gene. It is possible that other colors of horse can have the flea-bitten genotype, but the speckles wouldn’t show since they are the same color as the coat!"

[Kyzteke]

[QUOTE=Appsolute;7201170]
This page has a good explanation:

http://www.horse-genetics.com/gray-horses.html[/QUOTE]

Cool! So does that mean if you see a “flea bit” gray horse you know for sure it’s not a homozygous gray?

[DawnJL]

I have had gray horses with a chestnut base coat that went through a dapple phase. Most of the ones I’ve seen have already lost all reddish hue by the time they hit the dapple phase, but I had one that came to me at 3 in a dapple phase with a bit of a reddish tone.

[eaconlee]

Chestnuts can be dappled. Here’s one: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=665385780148014&set=a.213465722006691.59800.100000297947158&type=3&theater . You can even still see some of the chestnut on his hind leg. Seen quite a few chestnut-dapple grays. Interesting to hear the info on flea bite marks…always wondered about that.

[Kyzteke]

Thanks for the pics guys! I guess I just never came across a chestnut dappled ‘gray’ before…kind of neat looking…