Sires and Their Grey Yearlings

[jvanrens]

I wish the Jockey Club would get rid of the that gray or roan thing. There is one line of roan in TBs, which is a random mutation in Australia. Regardless, call it what it is and include buckskin while they’re at it.

[skydy]

Here’s another spotted one: https://vimeo.com/876571864

Pedigree: https://www.fasigtipton.com/catalogs/2023/1023/638.pdf

[Scribbler]

@Aussie_2020

A friend bought a paint quarterhorse, white with dark gray markings. I had asked if he would turn white but the seller said oh no, he’s a paint this is his coloring. Well that was ten years ago, today you wouldn’t know he had been any other color than white. Why is this? Did the breeder lie or did this particular horse have a weird color gene?

(When wet you can see some skin color difference)

Typical color progression for pintos with grey.

[Aussie_2020]

So because black and chestnut don’t fade a paint or pinto with those colors will hold the dark coloring?

[skydy]

Grey wins every time, it’s only a matter of how quickly.

[Scribbler]

Yes. Lots of interesting websites on color genetics you can look up.

The grey genes fade out any solid color so you lose the pattern on both pintos and appaloosas (there are multiple pinto and appaloosa patterns, grey takes out the color on all). But you still see the black skin on greyed out pintos when they are wet.

Otherwise pinto patterns do not change over time.

Appaloosas can go through interesting changes and develop new spots over time though.

Roans do not change. A roan typically has a dark solid head while young horses going grey show white hairs on the face and around the eyes

Color breeders typically keep grey horses out of Paint and Appaloosa lines. Also you wouldn’t want grey in your palomino or buckskin breeding program.

[Aussie_2020]

I do remember noticing a few Appys that had striking blankets when young and having the white creep from their hindquarters all the way to their shoulders. I think at least one had the spots seem to get bigger and then vanish. Coloring is strange!

[trubandloki]

@Aussie_2020

I do remember noticing a few Appys that had striking blankets when young and having the white creep from their hindquarters all the way to their shoulders. I think at least one had the spots seem to get bigger and then vanish. Coloring is strange!

Lp gene does weird things…

[Scribbler]

Yes, the appaloosa LP gene can change up a horses color really unpredictably. The other color pattern genes are more stable, all the things lumped under pinto like frame overo, tobiano, Sabino, splash etc. The expression can be unpredictable in the foal, especially if multiple pinto genes are involved. But the foal keeps the pattern for life (unless he goes gray). The white haired skin is pink, and can sunburn.

[quietann]

@Aussie_2020

(When wet you can see some skin color difference)

One of my friends had a gray tobiano Paint gelding like this. His show name was Invisible Ink.