# Vet said she's dark bay...I disagree (: &&& tiger stripes on chest?



## kailiejaykiss (Jan 20, 2012)

The vet has her listed as dark bay on her recent coggins. Previous owner's coggins paper had her classified as brown... What do yall think?
1st Pic is a winter pic...she is pretty dark NO MEALY MOUTH what so ever...

QUESTION!!! Pic #3 You can basically see a saddle...well kinda--how can I keep her hair from turning orange (she wears fly sheets) but this is saddle wear you can see the saddle and breast collar...is there something I can do to keep her coat from changing???

Last 2 Pix: I call these her "wild hairs" tiger stripes literally burnt orange color, very striking--is this common or rare?

All in all she's a beauty, just wanna know what color yall would classify her?


----------



## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

She could be reg. as either, but I would say brown. Not sure about the stripes.


----------



## CCH (Jan 23, 2011)

She is as brown as the day is long. That means the brown form of agouti (At) rather than the bay form (A)

As far as sun bleaching, it can be accelerated by the salts in sweat. Keep her clean and continue to use UV protection. A sunscreen spray might help. Healthy haircare sunflower sunscreen is the only one I know of specifically for mane, tail, and body hair.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## amberly (Dec 16, 2012)

I was just looking at some bay photos - and it seems like it would be sort of a mix. I mean, where the saddle and such is looks like a brown or a light bay or something.
I am not positive though. I'm no expert on colors.


----------



## Bridgertrot (Dec 2, 2011)

I'm guessing brown as well because she appears lighter in the flanks. Have any winter fuzzy pictures?

IMO the striping is just being caused by sweat sun bleaching out her hair.

Is that a leather halter in the third pic? Because that looks like a scary way to tie.


----------



## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Actually, due to the lack of mealy coloring around her muzzle in the winter and the obvious tendency of her hair to sun fade so badly, I wonder if maybe she might be a fading black instead of a brown.

As for preventing the fading, yes rinse her off whenever she gets even a little bit sweaty. UV protection anytime she has to be out in the sun. Ideally, it would probably work best to turn her out at night and keep her stalled during the day.


----------



## Bridgertrot (Dec 2, 2011)

Pfft I didn't read. If the first pic is winter fuzzies then I think fading black too lol.


----------



## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

I made an educated (novice) guess of fading black too.


----------



## kailiejaykiss (Jan 20, 2012)

Here's a winter FUZZIES pic...she's black...
THE 2nd pic was taken during the later part of January--sunbleached!

Personally I say black too...and in the words of my vet "Sorry to burst your bubble honey...but she's not...she's a dark bay"

hmmm...

oh and that is a tie down in the 3rd pic just unsaddled and walked her in with it decided a quick pic...I agree not a good way to tie--halter always...but it was super quick


----------



## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

LOL, well I don't know about your vet, but none of them around here are too "up-to-date" on equine color genetics. My vet doesn't know the difference between brown and bay and fading black. Probably wouldn't know a double dilute if it walked up and spit in his face. Every time I take a horse to go see him and it isn't an _obvious_ color like gray or sorrel, he just asks "What color do you want me to write down?"


----------



## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

I'd say fading black as well she could be a really dark brown though. Also I just wanna say I love this horse's build before I scrolled down to see all the pics I was thinking Barrel Horse!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Blue Smoke (Dec 22, 2012)

I would say faded black as well, pretty girl  I also love her build.


----------



## Kayella (Feb 11, 2012)

I also vote fading black.  the striped on her chest is probably from where she sweats and beaches like the other posts of her body. Very nice horse!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Nokotaheaven (Apr 11, 2012)

Well.... The horse Spartan in Heartland would be called black... And he's pretty similar to yours
http://www.webidev.com/SitesFiles/aventure-heartland/spartan-2.jpg
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqjuhmlHUJ1r2pnsso1_500.jpg


----------



## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

no expert, but in the pic of her saddled i would say dark bay or brown. guess you coudl do the dna test for an accurate answer


----------



## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

In the summer my bfs black tb can look bay because he bleaches so bad.


----------



## tlkng1 (Dec 14, 2011)

Sorry ...I go with dark bay. She has the black points on her legs (black below the knee), black mane and tail. In the first pic you can see the color change going down her legs...very dark brown, nearly black on top but there is a definite darkening lower down.

Dark bays do not always fade. I had one that faded into an almost chestnut color; I actually put him on a coat darkening supplement. My last horse, also a dark bay, didn't fade at all.


----------



## Cat (Jul 26, 2008)

Really won't know for sure until you do a DNA test. I suspect either fading black or a really dark bay with a lot of smutty. If it was brown I would expect light points around muzzle and other soft areas which I don't see - other than sweat lightening on the neck and back.

As to vets and color - most vets aren't even aware that "brown" is an acceptable color option. It used to be either bay or black. Their main priority is the health of the horse rather than its color.


----------



## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

Fading black IMPO. The fading is being acerbated by sweat - it looks very clearly like it matches where your tack sits. Sweat will cause a coat to bleach, as will the sun.


----------



## LilWillie (May 3, 2013)

I vote fading black as well, he doesn't have the lighter color muzzle from what I can tell. My black horse is currently so bleached out, I think he's actually lighter than my bay horse.


----------



## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

Sun bleached black. none of the typical lighter shading on the muzzle, flanks, etc as a brown, and when her new coat comes in she looks black. Without testing its pretty hard to say for sure. I think the fading is interesting myself.

most vets(and a huge amount of horse people, If I had a penny for every bay varnish roan advertised as a "gorgeous blue roan" I'd be doing pretty good.) have little to no idea about color. I've heard a plain, bright bay advertised as 'rare blood bay', had people argue the difference between a sorrel and a chestnut, and many dark bays called black, and that's not even getting into the roans or bay vs brown...


----------



## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

I vote black also. I now have 7 black horses and they all look almost buckskin by the end of the summer. I have a couple that also get those stripes from sweating. 
Also since Chillaa and NDappy confirmed my guess I am more than convinced I am right. LOL Shalom


----------



## kailiejaykiss (Jan 20, 2012)

It's looking like were gonna go with black here 
But yes agreed won't know 100% without testing...and to be honest I prolly won't...it's nice to get some opinions from others and the reasoning behide it which are all legit. I had a brown mare last year infact they were stalled next to each other...big diff between the two--one face was tan muzzle flanks behind ears and the other was just as black as the rest. And vet wise I guesswhen I said she's black his reaction to it was a lil quick and kinda in a rude fashion...eh I dunno maybe it was me being a little too sensitive but I always wondered what others thought just outta curiosity


----------



## kailiejaykiss (Jan 20, 2012)

Nokotaheaven...
I do see a resemblance!


----------



## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

my black horses dont fade. I dont consider a horse black if it does , I consider it very dark brown , and if it gets reddish I consider it a bay.


----------



## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

stevenson said:


> my black horses dont fade. I dont consider a horse black if it does , I consider it very dark brown , and if it gets reddish I consider it a bay.


Well I am glad that you have such a carefully considered opinion. There are MANY examples of horses that have tested to be black that fade. So you can have your opinion, but it's wrong.


----------



## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

oh well...pfffttt.... It is my opinion and if my horse faded i would not call it black . go look at the pics of my black horses... these babies be black. And since the horse in question has not been tested IT is just opinions anyhow. 
and rude is just rude.


----------



## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

My horses are black and they fade. That does not make them any less black or make them brown.
You are entitled to your opinion. But facts are just that facts and not believing in them does not change reality. 
There was nothing rude in Chillaa s response. Shalom


----------



## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

These horses have all been tested as black. You can call them what you like, it doesn't change their genetic make-up.





































I could post these 'til the cows come home. Just because you think that a horse has to be black at every second in the year to be black, does not mean that you are correct. The OP was wanting to know what colour the horse IS, not what you think it should be called based on your experience.


----------



## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

I guess the comment I made, for an accurate decision on the color.. DNA test the horse. 
was ignored or not read. 

Now here are 2 of my horses that ARE Black same color summer winter spring or fall and summers here can get up to 100 . :-o
oh and my DH is white...:lol: even though he is tanned.


----------



## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

My horses are black also summer winter spring and fall. They fade. Still doesnt make them brown or bay. Just like those horses Chillaa posted TESTED as black and they fade from sweat and sun.
Your feeble attempt to start an argument on a thread that people ask question to learn is as immature as your comment about your husband.
Glad that you desire to show everyone just how informed you are. Good job.


----------

