# What color would you call this?



## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

This is a horse that I use to ride, and who I adore. He is one of the most even tempered appys I have met, and was very talented in his day. Anyway, his underlying color has always intrigued me. What would you call it? Chestnut? If so its no shade of chestnut I have ever seen. He isn't registered so we have no idea on what color his parents were.


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## A knack for horses (Jun 17, 2010)

I dont know, but it looks like the LP gene is in full display on this horse.

I'm thinking some type of roan, and my best guess would be a chestnut roan, if there is such a thing.

Beautiful horse, by the way.


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

A knack, a chestnut roan is a red roan.

However, I would say his base colour is chestnut, so I would say he's a chestnut varnish. That's what the roany part is. 

He wouldn't be a normal roan because the flecks spread on to his face and legs, plus the LP gene is really obvious from his spots.

NDAppy is really good with Appy colours and patterns, so I hope she can confirm his colour.


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## A knack for horses (Jun 17, 2010)

Poseidon said:


> A knack, a chestnut roan is a red roan.


*facepalm* 

I've seen this color before. Every weekend, in fact. My instructors horse is a red roan. I never put the chestnut color with a red roan, if that makes sense. :? :wink:









She looks much more chestnut in the winter, but you can see the chestnut to her on her front legs and shoulder


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## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

I was thinking chestnut. It has to be one of the richest, darkest shades of chestnut I have ever seen. His pattern is one of my favorites when it comes to appys, and I am kind of glad that he kept some of his base color. Some of the roaning appys I have seen have gone completely white as they got older. This guy is in his 20s so he probably won't change any more. I love his build too, 16 hands and such a tank!


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## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

A knack for horses said:


> *facepalm*
> 
> I've seen this color before. Every weekend, in fact. My instructors horse is a red roan. I never put the chestnut color with a red roan, if that makes sense. :? :wink:
> 
> ...


Don't worry, I never connected the dots either until just now! Not sure what I thought red roan was, other than pretty. :wink:


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

Hahaha. I think most people think "strawberry" roan when you say red roan. Like bright sorrel, which I think are more common or the basic understanding of a red roan, but it would technically be any chestnut/sorrel with the roan gene. Haha. And until recently, bay roans were called red roans.


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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

I am going to go out on a limb here and say black base with varnish roan LP over top. Those spots are black, they wouldn't be black on a red based horse. LP can do some very funky things to colour, and I have seen a horse that tested to be black display very similar to this.


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## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

I think his spots are actually brown/chestnut as well.

here's another picture that kinda, sorta shows those couple of spots he has:










Wish I had some better pictures of him.


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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

What we need is ND to come share her expert opinion. I am still sticking to black to be honest. LP is crazy sometimes.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I will bet that he is certainly a red base and he looks to me like a dark or liver chestnut (which would explain the black-ish spots).

Beautiful coloring.


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## NdAppy (Apr 8, 2009)

Not a black base. Legs scream red base. I say a basic varnish chestnut.


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## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

NdAppy said:


> Not a black base. Legs scream red base. I say a basic varnish chestnut.


Yeah, I was thinking that it would be weird for his legs and mane to be that dirty blonde color with a black base. Of course, I have no idea how much Appy color can affect mane and tail color.


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## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

smrobs said:


> I will bet that he is certainly a red base and he looks to me like a dark or liver chestnut (which would explain the black-ish spots).
> 
> Beautiful coloring.


He is very sexxy! I think that coupled with his "hunky" build he is a rather stunning horse. I was given the opportunity to buy him, but he was way out of my price range. :-(


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## Hobo (Feb 20, 2011)

Chestnut is his color, Varnish roaning is his pattern.


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## silent storm (Feb 20, 2011)

how old is she because if she is young she could turn gray


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## CheyAut (Nov 26, 2008)

Chestnut. Lp, the appy gene (that gave him his varnish roan) does funky things to shades.


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## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

silent storm said:


> how old is she because if she is young she could turn gray


He is in his twenties now, so I think he is done changing colors. I have known this horse for about 6+ years now, and he got a little whiter in that time, but not much.


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## JerBear (Jan 23, 2011)

Hes defiantly not a black base because if he was the bottom of his legs would be black and so would his mane tail. Therefore he would be a bay. General rule. Bays got black on there legs.... Other colors do not.


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## JerBear (Jan 23, 2011)

Lemme correct my post a little bit.... Other colors do not besides Bays Buckskins or Duns. Reds never have black legs....


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

LP can do strange things to base color and "erase" the dark legs of black-based horses. That said, I do believe that this is a chestnut Appaloosa "roan."


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

Oh he's easy...Varnish Roan...very common in the Appaloosa type breeds  Chestnut of course...


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## wafflestheunicorn (Feb 23, 2011)

QHDragon said:


> I think his spots are actually brown/chestnut as well.
> 
> here's another picture that kinda, sorta shows those couple of spots he has:
> 
> ...


 WOW!!! cool stirrup leathers!! what kind are they? or are they just webbers close to the last hole?


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

I found this interesting: A friend of mine called the ApHC last week to ID a horse she'd bought, and they told her that they no longer recognize "varnish roan" as a color, or at least as a proper term. Now it's plain "roan," which to me is misleading and too easily confused with the KIT gene in Quarter Horses and other breeds.


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## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

wafflestheunicorn said:


> WOW!!! cool stirrup leathers!! what kind are they? or are they just webbers close to the last hole?


They are bottom adjust leathers. I had them made for me by Gary's Leather. They were about $60 shipped, so cost me the same as regular leathers and they have my initials on the buckle covers.  I would recommend him to anybody!


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## trynottofall (Feb 23, 2011)

He sort of looks like the red roan at my barn...not sure though. He looks like he is at least some kind of roan.


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## Starlite (Jan 25, 2011)

Hi, what is LP?  Linda Parelli? ****..just kidding. But seriously, what are you guys referring to when you keep saying "LP"?


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## NdAppy (Apr 8, 2009)

LP and PATN are what cause the appaloosa coloring. LP tends to cause more varnish roaning when it is alone or with PATN.


This is my grade appy mare. This is just a short slide show showing home LP roaning (varnish roaning) can progress. Click to view it.


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## Starlite (Jan 25, 2011)

I love her pink lips..she is beautiful Thanks for explaining the LP. 

(who is the little equestrian? Is she your daughter?)


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## NdAppy (Apr 8, 2009)

lol No I have all boys. That is the daughter of the woman I bought Phoenix from. The first pictures with her in "training" were at their place. The most recent picture in that is the one with the storm clouds and her being extremely overweight, and that was 2+ years ago. 

Here she was the other day in winter woolies - 



















She'll be whiter come spring and she sheds out.


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## slc (Jan 30, 2011)

Brown varnish roan with brown spots


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

NdAppy said:


> She'll be whiter come spring and she sheds out.


You promise that we are going to have a spring:lol:


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## NdAppy (Apr 8, 2009)

I hope so. I have to keep telling myself that spring will come eventually... If I lost hope I think I would turn into a Popsicle.


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