# Can a horse change color and patern?



## jannette (Aug 24, 2011)

I purchased a new mare about 3 weeks ago. I love her she's great, so regardless im keeping her. however I went over today and picked up her papers, becuz i'd forgot to get them when I picked her up, and the picture on the papers do not match her at all. her papers do say she is a gray with tobiano pattern but she looks now at 13 like a completely different horse..ive purchased all of my horses through this breeder and have always been very happy and never had a reason not to trust her sooo what do you think? here's the pics...can this be??? she said if you wet her down you can still see the original patter.


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

All gray horses are born a "normal" color and change to gray with age. She was born black tobiano and remains genetically black underneath the gray, but changed as she aged.


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## NdAppy (Apr 8, 2009)

Ditto what Po said. And the lady was correct, soak her and you can see where she would have originally had the black base. :wink:


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## barrelbeginner (Jan 31, 2012)

U can kinda tell.. evven with her not soaked.. I think so.. Pretty horse btw


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

jannette said:


> I purchased a new mare about 3 weeks ago. I love her she's great, so regardless im keeping her. however I went over today and picked up her papers, becuz i'd forgot to get them when I picked her up, and the picture on the papers do not match her at all. her papers do say she is a gray with tobiano pattern but she looks now at 13 like a completely different horse..ive purchased all of my horses through this breeder and have always been very happy and never had a reason not to trust her sooo what do you think? here's the pics...can this be??? she said if you wet her down you can still see the original patter.


That's why, when I'm breeding for color and pattern, I won't use a grey. They're all born either chestnut, black or bay with the pattern and then they start to fade (grey out) as they get older until some don't even look like they have a pattern anymore. She's just greying out, right now she's looking kind of flea bitten and you can still see her pattern.


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## jannette (Aug 24, 2011)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> That's why, when I'm breeding for color and pattern, I won't use a grey. They're all born either chestnut, black or bay with the pattern and then they start to fade (grey out) as they get older until some don't even look like they have a pattern anymore. She's just greying out, right now she's looking kind of flea bitten and you can still see her pattern.


 
that's why the breeder was selling her, she got a good deal and she's a great little horse but she wasn't going to fit into her breeding, she breeds for loud color and big butts .

thanx everyone for your help!!! now that I really look at her I can see patterns in her gray..crazy I just didn't know this was possible lol


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## nickers103 (Aug 10, 2010)

I never knew this was possible either; at least, in a paint pattern that is. I've heard (and seen) plenty of what would appear to be solid colored horses turn gray but I have never heard of a paint colored horse turning gray. That's really cool!


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## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

Grey trumps all base colors. If the horse inherited a grey gene from it's grey parent then it will grey no matter what the base is. Genetically the horse is still its base color though.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## NdAppy (Apr 8, 2009)

Just think of grey as a "blanket" that covers all other colors.


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## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

Yes exactly ^^^
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

Ndappy you and Chillaa should charge for this advice. LOL Shalom


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## jimgreene (Sep 13, 2013)

i did not know this


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