# what colour is shadow?



## 7rayray7 (Nov 27, 2011)

Hi! About 8 months ago I bought a 'black' shetland pony which has turned out to be definitely not black, but I'm left being unsure as to what colour she actually is. It wasn't until I took these pictures today that I'm starting to wonder if she's a dark chestnut. any advice would be muchly appreciated 


These are some pictures i took today

thanks


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## goneriding (Jun 6, 2011)

Looks like a liver chestnut.


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## Derry girl (Nov 20, 2011)

My bfs father must have the twin of your pony.. its uncanny how alike they are lol he was this exact colour in the summer months (the sun lightens their coat) and then when the winter set in he turned jet black again.. i had a liver chestnut horse once, your pony wouldnt have quite as much ginger/auburn colour but hes not far of... hes just unique :wink:


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## RedTree (Jan 20, 2010)

Isn't that a badass brown??


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## palominolover (Apr 28, 2010)

Liver chestnut =)


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## NdAppy (Apr 8, 2009)

Not liver chestnut. Looks like an extremely sunfaded black.


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## TexasBlaze (Oct 4, 2010)

I think sunfaded black as well.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

Being an owner of a fading black, I'd say.... it's a fading black. Cinny gets even LIGHTER than that in the summer, but he's def a black. I'm sure your poneh is too.

There are supplements you can give them to keep from fading, they can be a little pricey. The main ingredient that keeps them from fading is Paprika...so I feed Cin about a teaspoon a day. If you show this can give you a false positive on some drug tests though.... In Cin's case, it seems to really work well.


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## crimson88 (Aug 29, 2009)

She is black, just sunfaded.


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## HarleyWood (Oct 14, 2011)

she still could be black my Gelding which is a black and white paint will brown out durning the summer he just went back to black and looks like himself again.


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## fresh paint girl (May 27, 2011)

Sun fadded black


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Agree on the faded black. A liver chestnut horse will get lighter the closer you get to their hooves.

Here is an example of a true liver chestnut horse


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## 7rayray7 (Nov 27, 2011)

thanks heaps for your responses. I would agree with the sun faded black, except for one thing. her coat under her main where the sun doesn't reach is not black. It's not as light as the rest of her coat, but it's definitely not black. And this area hasn't been exposed to the sun since her summer coat came through. so yeah? not sure...


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## fresh paint girl (May 27, 2011)

7rayray7 said:


> thanks heaps for your responses. I would agree with the sun faded black, except for one thing. her coat under her main where the sun doesn't reach is not black. It's not as light as the rest of her coat, but it's definitely not black. And this area hasn't been exposed to the sun since her summer coat came through. so yeah? not sure...


Probably just a brown then.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

Cinny fades under his mane too
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## 7rayray7 (Nov 27, 2011)

Thanks heaps everyone for your responses, it is greatly appreciated


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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

How old is this horse?


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## 7rayray7 (Nov 27, 2011)

when i bought her a few months ago, i was told that she was 10


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## Surayya (Dec 7, 2011)

Gotta agree with fade black as well.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

smrobs, I would call that horse a Seal Brown.

The OP's pony, I would call a dark bay or just brown. My mini, Chocolate, is the same color.


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## Surayya (Dec 7, 2011)

I dont agree with Seal Brown, as there is no tan around the flanks, elbows or muzzle/eye areas, could be wrong but I am under the understanding that Seal Browns have to have at least some shading in those areas, other wise they are Black or Dk Bays.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

There appears to be brown on her flanks or belly, and her legs. I agree that there is none (at least in the pic) of any on her muzzle; but i would still call her a seal brown.


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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

iridehorses said:


> There appears to be brown on her flanks or belly, and her legs. I agree that there is none (at least in the pic) of any on her muzzle; but i would still call her a seal brown.


Dark liver chestnuts have often been called brown for this reason. Look at the horse you are talking about again, and this time, look at the lower leg. It gets definitely lighter, and more towards a chestnut colour. That is one of the easiest ways to tell a liver chestnut from a brown or sun fading black


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

I love reading these posts about color - there is so much confusion about it. I've learned a good deal from them and I'm impressed about how much some of the members know about genetics. I may be old and have been around horses pretty much my whole life but I love learning new things - color, or the nuances of it, was just not something that was really thought about.


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## Surayya (Dec 7, 2011)

iridehorses said:


> There appears to be brown on her flanks or belly, and her legs. I agree that there is none (at least in the pic) of any on her muzzle; but i would still call her a seal brown.


On Seal Bown - the flank, behind the elbows & around the muzzle & eye are a clear Tan well the rest of the body is much darker brown ie..








rather than faded black (this horse shows extreme fading), note the lack of tan colouration around the muzzle & eyes, the flank is also the SAME colour as the horses body rather than paler...








both have been colour tested - the 1st horse is Seal Brown, the 2nd true Black.


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## NdAppy (Apr 8, 2009)

Browns can very well vary in body tone as well as any other color. They can be lighter as well. They _will_ have the lighter muzzle, flanks and inner elbows though.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

iridehorses said:


> smrobs, I would call that horse a Seal Brown.


LOL, I know he looks it, but he is definitely a liver chestnut. We used to have one that was colored almost identical to him. Unfortunately, I have no good pictures of old Judge.
Reata Ranch Home of World Class Show Horses


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## kywalkers2012 (Oct 25, 2011)

I'm gonna say she's a sunfaded black.


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## paintedpastures (Jun 21, 2011)

Looks liver chestnut.Mane & tail look more dark brown than black.A fading blacks I have had still retains the black of the mane & tail.


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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

paintedpastures said:


> Looks liver chestnut.Mane & tail look more dark brown than black.A fading blacks I have had still retains the black of the mane & tail.


The pony posted by the OP is definitely not liver chestnut. No lighter coronet band at all. Sun fading blacks can and do fade in the mane and tail.


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## Country Woman (Dec 14, 2011)

very dark brown almost black


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