Horse Color Explained - Common and Uncommon Colours For Horses and Ponies

Did you know?hairs than white; 'light grey' when there are more white
The coat colour of your horse or pony can tell youhairs than black; and 'flea-bitten' has flecks of black or
what colour they are. If you are not sure what colorbrown hairs on a white coat. The foal colours in grey
your horse or pony really is, have a look at the colourhorses and ponies vary. They are often born much
of the 'points.'darker and become lighter as they get older.
The 'points' of your horse are the muzzle, tips of thePiebald: large patches of black and white. This is a
ears, the mane, the tail, and the lower part of the legs.horse coat colour that has different names in different
Remember they could have white markings on someareas of the world. This equine colour can also be
of these points that may trick you!called paint or pinto
The colours of horses include:Skewbald: large patches of any other colour than
Black: black all over including the points, mane and tail.black and white. This is another colour in a horse that
Look at the colour of the muzzle - it will be black. In thishas different names in different areas of the world.
horse colour your horse or pony will not have brownThis equine color can also be called paint or pinto
around the muzzle!Palomino: Golden yellow coat, (ideally the colour of a
Brindle: this rare horses colouring has drippy stripingnewly minted gold coin) with a white mane and tail.
that is not regularly spaced on the horses coat, andThis one is my favourite pony color!
brindle horses often have a vertical flank striping.Appaloosa: spotted coat mostly either brown spots on
Brindle horses are unlike other colour of horses anda white coat or white spots as a blanket on a brown
once seen are not forgotten!coat. This is another horse color where the foal colour
Brown: brown or dark brown all over, sometimescan be different at birth, and some are born with no
nearly black. The colour of the muzzle tells you theyappaloosa markings.
are brown even if the mane and tail and legs areDun: mousey brown to golden yellow with black points,
black.mane and tail.
Bay: a light brown or a red brown colour with blackBlue roan: white hairs through a mostly black or dark
points and black mane and tail. This is a commonbrown coat. The points are black.
horse color that is often call 'brown' by someone whoRed roan: white hairs through a bay coat. The points
is not familiar with horses.are black.
Chestnut: a ginger or yellow brown colour. The pointsStrawberry roan: white hairs through a chestnut coat.
of the horse are brown - similar to the coat colour orThe points are the same as a chestnut horse.
lighter. Chestnuts are never black.The horse colorings of grey horses and roan horses
Grey: a mixture of black and white hairs. Variations ofare often confused, but the roan has a solid color head
grey include: 'dapple grey' when there are more blackand legs.