# Liver Chestnut, "Black" Chestnut or Regular Chestnut



## Pyrros (Feb 10, 2012)

This mare would be a liver chestnut. Depending on the breed registry depends on what color options you have to register them as, such as AQHA any shade of chestnut is just registered as sorrel. 

The differences between them is merely the shade of the color. Darker is liver. 'black' chestnut is just a really dark liver, to the point the horse appears to be black but is genetically red.


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## Pyrros (Feb 10, 2012)

This stallion is about as dark chestnut/black question as you can get. 










Proven to be chestnut.










This one is also very dark, the give away is often that the lower legs will be a little lighter and or a little 'red' tinted, as you can see on the mare in the second picture.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

She looks like a regular chestnut to me.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I would call her a dark chestnut, but every person you ask is going to have a different answer as the classification of different shades will vary.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

A chestnut is always a chestnut, different shades have different names.

She is liver, a true liver. Think of the color of a liver, as in body part, many people misuse the term imo.

Black chestnut is what it sounds like as seen in the first picture Pyrros posted, the horse literally looks black.

Obviously your mare isn't that dark.

She's beautiful, reminds me of my first horse. True liver chestnut Morgan. And cute name!


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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

I would describe her as liver, but that is subject to a condition - it is red, no matter what. Shade names, like "liver", "black", "sorrel", "pale" etc all mean very little genetically. Additionally, the same horse can go through several different shades within the space of a year.


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## KSAQHA (Mar 22, 2010)

Pyrros said:


> ...Depending on the breed registry depends on what color options you have to register them as, such as AQHA any shade of chestnut is just registered as sorrel...


Actually, AQHA offers both chestnut AND sorrel options. I have a registered QH mare that is similar in color to the OP's, and is registered chestnut. Her dam was a true liver chestnut.


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## piglet (Oct 2, 2012)

I would classify her color as extremely cute.
: )


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Can't have a black chestnut, as chestnuts have the red gene
i would just consider your horse a dark chestnut, as a liver chestnut is darker
I have an example of three full sisters that we raised, and the different expression of that chestnut gene.
Maximized was the first, and was a very light chestnut with flaxen mane and tail
Stitch and Smilie (Smilie is the full sister that I kept out of the four ), are medium chestnut
Shameless is a liver chestnut
Dam was an AQHA chestnut mare and sire was our double.bred Mighty Bright stallion, who was chestnut with a big blanket

Maximized



Stitch




Smilie



Mix


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I'd call that a liver chestnut, but I am not a color expert.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

here you go, far as the definition of liver chestnut

*iver chestnut* or *dark chestnut* are not a separate genetic color, but a descriptive term. The genetic controls for the depth of shade are not presently understood. Liver chestnuts are a very dark-reddish brown. Liver chestnuts are included in the term "dark chestnut." The darkest chestnuts, particularly common in the Morgan horse, may be indistinguishable from true black without very careful inspection. Often confusingly called "black chestnuts," they may be identified by small amounts of reddish hair on the lower legs, mane and tail, or by DNA or pedigree testing. Recently, it has been suggested that the trait or traits that produce certain darker shades of chestnut and bay, referred to as "sooty" coloration follow a recessive mode of inheritance.[2]


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## Pyrros (Feb 10, 2012)

'Black Chestnut' is just a term. The horse is genetically still red, or sorrel. It's just sort of an extremely dark presentation of liver. Black just refers to the fact that it LOOKS black, genetically red.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Pyrros said:


> 'Black Chestnut' is just a term. The horse is genetically still red, or sorrel. It's just sort of an extremely dark presentation of liver. Black just refers to the fact that it LOOKS black, genetically red.


 


Agree, and that is why the term 'black chestnut' is confusing. It is actually an oxymoron

There are all kinds of confusing slangs, and one of my pet peeves is 'shanked snaffle!


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