What's the big hype about grey's(and not the show)

I have always wanted a grey horse- and needless to say my first ever horse is grey- however- I certainly wouldn’t choose a grey horse over another colored horse that is a better horse…I just happened to have my dream horse fall in my lap for free. I think there’s 2 things that make greys appealing: they stand out, and also there is just something romantic about a grey/white horse: unicorns maybe haha? Lastly for me, I’ve always been obsessed with grey TBs- less than 10% of thoroughbreds are grey so they really stand out in the racing world, and many of them are very well bred- my guy has Native Dancer not very far back in his pedigree.

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I wonder if SOME of the expansion of grey horses also comes from the Irish hype. You’ll find Irish horses in all colors, especially as now there are more WB/TB blood imported here, BUT the ones with Irish Draught descent are mostly grey.
If I see a big boned grey horse I will probably think Irish.[/QUOTE]

Ooh I do like those big dark grey Irish types. The dark dappling with the with dark mane and tail as others have said.

Personally I have always ridden a bay with a star. I leased 4 horses before I ended up buying and each one was just a bigger version of a bay with a star. Then I went horse shopping and brought home a looker chestnut who flunked his vet check and ended up with… a bright bay with black legs, and a star! Had that horse for 8 years and still wish I hadn’t sold him. I am currently horseless but if I were shopping I think my preferences have just been molded by history–bay with star all the way!

In my last horse shopping saga, I came very close to buying two different grey horses (it was a longggg saga)…both of them were sweet and talented, and I was SUPER bummed they were grey. Last thing I wanted. In each cases vetting issues made the decision for me, and it’s a good thing. I am a terrible groom and my horses live out full time. Ended up with a bay with not one white hair on him…I secretly was disappointed because I think white adds personality to the face, but of course he has a giant personality of his own and couldn’t be more adorable if he tried, so that’s all ok.
Plus he has like Teflon hair – he always looks completely sparkling clean no matter what. It’s perfect for me!!

My only grey was a resale project. He passed the major requirements of soundness and rideability, being grey was icing on the cake. All things equal for a sale project, I would pick a grey because for whatever the reason is, people love greys. For a horse for myself, all things equal, I’d go for brown with minimal white! One grey was enough for me, thanks!

Please wish me luck as I’m vetting this horse on Wednesday He’s the last color I wanted and he’s much lighter in “person” as he’s been body clipped. But he jumps great, is a lovely mover, is tolerant, has a decent mind and will hopefully vet sound.

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Love the dapples. Luck!

I am finally getting my big grey horse fix in April as I’ve put a deposit on a big, beautiful grey/white Friesian x Percheron cross gelding. He’s 8 years old, 17hds and has a face to die for. Totally bought him just for fun though he has been started over fences and has basic dressage training so we’ll see better what he can do once he’s home.

It’s the opposite here.

Probably because the country is mostly mud eight months a year.

My sister has a grey eventer (now retired). He was a handsome chap, but my memories are just of endless endless ENDLESS baths.

My bay is wipe down and ready to go. Would never have anything other than a mud coloured horse!

I don’t have a grey, never have. Come to think of it, I think I’ve only ridden 2 in my entire life. But I am tentatively horse shopping, as a. I want something that can jump and b. My current horse hasn’t been sound in nearly a year and I’m not extrordinarily hopeful that she’ll ever be sound. So, when I’m looking, the melanomas are certainly a bit of a scare. I like grays but they’re not really my favorite. Preferably, I’ll take anything with spots, and the taller the better. When it comes down to it, I really couldn’t care less what color the horse is. Physically, a really well built plain bay (my absolute least favorite color) will be much more attractive than a poorly conformed, gray, chestnut, pinto, whatever. I thought I got lucky with my mare, she’s got a nice build and is a gorgeous dappled palomino with a long mane that covers her entire neck.

I owned a grey when I was younger. Gorgeous. Now he is boarded with me for his retirement and has melanomas and other health issues. I know of various other greys with melanomas… I’d likely never get another grey unless they were absolutely the perfect horse otherwise.

I like all colors. Not really as into Palominos but I have a super nice one boarded here that I love.

I think people used to like greys because they stood out. However, now, it seems at least half the horses in the warmup ring at an event are grey. :lol:

I guess that’s what happens when everyone jumps on the same trend!

Honestly, I think a true black horse or a really chromey bay/chestnut stands out more than a grey. But that’s just my opinion.

Late to this party but I heard a great quote that I’m going to paraphrase:

“I’d rather have the most butt ugly horse that I can move up the levels with than the most beautiful (grey) that I can’t rise above BN.”

I don’t care about color but I am partial to chestnuts with chrome.

I keep saying I’m not going to buy another gray/white horse, but yet I keep ending up with them :stuck_out_tongue:

Having leased a gray whom I adored, I… wouldn’t deliberately choose one, given the manure stain factor. But then, she loved to sleep with her right haunch on her manure pile. Getting that stain out was… a lot of work.

I do think that dark dappled grays are GORGEOUS though and my eye is drawn to them whenever I see a fancy one competing. So, there’s something there…

The grey I mentioned was ISH - half Registered Irish Draught (very, very good lines), and green passported…

… Everyone thought he was an arab…

I think Irish isn’t such a hype over here, because every third horse is Irish. In fact two of mine are (aforementioned Irish Sporthorse and a young dun Irish Draught x Connemara) :wink: I think they are a good stamp, because they are sensible, straightforward, but athletic too, so suitable for amateurs and pros alike. You probably have the American equivalent - Appendix QH or something. :slight_smile: The exotic is always fashionable - Spanish horses are a huge hype over here at the moment.

I’ve always found greys to be eye-catching, and had a lovely steel grey as a teenager. I bred to a grey stallion in 2007 hoping for a grey foal. Well I got what I wanted, but now wish he was a different color. It’s just so much work keeping him clean now that he’s getting lighter. I will say though I do love all the attention he gets when I take him out, my chromey black/dark bay horses never received as much attention. I won’t say never, but I definitely will not be trying to add another grey to my herd.

My grey. http://74.91.148.99/images/Sandstone2%20May%20’13.JPG

AshKnoll he is lovely!

Yes AshKnoll, Gorgeous!

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I’ve always found greys to be eye-catching, and had a lovely steel grey as a teenager. I bred to a grey stallion in 2007 hoping for a grey foal. Well I got what I wanted, but now wish he was a different color. It’s just so much work keeping him clean now that he’s getting lighter. I will say though I do love all the attention he gets when I take him out, my chromey black/dark bay horses never received as much attention. I won’t say never, but I definitely will not be trying to add another grey to my herd.

My grey. http://74.91.148.99/images/Sandstone2%20May%20’13.JPG[/QUOTE]

So pretty!