I think the fact that he doesn’t have super dark black points is what’s throwing me off about his color. His knees and hocks are more of a mix of brown, gray and black than what I would normally expect on a bay. I think this picture illustrates it. His mane and tail also look like they have a good bit of brown in them.
4 Likes
I have a mare that color and we call her “honey bay.” Her papers say “bay or grey.” It was obviously not immediately apparent which color she was going to be. Her legs can look lighter or darker based on time of year and clipping status.
1 Like
One of my tb’s was registered as dark brown/bay. Some horses really change coat color depending on the season, diet, and if they’re out in the sun all day.
2 Likes
I once had a chestnut horse that was often mistaken for a bay. Body was a rich red. Mane and tail were mostly black with some brown and silver hairs mixed in. The tip off was that he had no black on his legs.
2 Likes
I like this. If you’ve watched him go you know “wild bay” is perfectly fitting at times 
3 Likes
That is a baynut. 
14 Likes
Not by any definition of bay but that I’ve seen!
My old hunter was a wild bay, it looked like he walked through ankle deep black paint (and had fawn coloring in the back of his legs) otherwise there was no confusing him with a chestnut and enough black on his legs that it wasn’t a serious question.
Baynuts are those chestnuts with so much back in their mane or tail that you do a double take. But not a lick of black on their body
2 Likes
He’s obviously body clipped in this picture.
4 Likes
Exactly. I was replying to this post:
“I once had a chestnut horse that was often mistaken for a bay. Body was a rich red. Mane and tail were mostly black with some brown and silver hairs mixed in. The tip off was that he had no black on his legs.”
2 Likes
I actually would have to check to see what my former trainer’s horse is registered as - born very bay, but ended up gray.
Ilex - I would call him a light bay if it were up to me. The only issue is that photos can make colors a bit weird, so it may be the photo is washing the brown out to look more chestnut - and would not be the first time USEF/FEI got a color wrong.
They likely go by what colour the owner submits most of the time.
1 Like
Well, yeah, given his job he is likely body clipped all the time…
1 Like
Time to dive off on a tangent. While I was checking on horsetelex to see what color all his progenitors are (brown) this popped up! Is it seriously possible to still get Chin Chin babies? Which I love. But aren’t those tadpoles rather elderly?
I think they still advertise semen for Abdullah, and he has been gone for a really long time.
I mean, he was a great horse, but he won his Olympic gold medal at the Los Angeles games more than 40 years ago. So…. 
1 Like
Lol. Good one!
1 Like
That reminds me a little of the pictures that turn up occasionally of Tapit absolutely covered in mud in his paddock.
But he’s earned enough money in the breeding shed that they can certainly afford all the purple shampoo he could ever need. Lol.
https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=439360948727231&id=100079599882954
12 Likes
Gotcha!
Yes, light bay, he’s a beauty. I was just thinking the same thing about the grooms as I was reading COTH’s article about Four Aces this morning. It’s about time they are being recognized for their importance to their charges.
2 Likes
