# Is there names for different shades of sorrel?



## Nokotaheaven (Apr 11, 2012)

As the title says, is there names for different shades of sorrel? I know there's names of shades for everything else, but haven't really heard any for sorrel except 'deep red'


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## Lins (Nov 8, 2011)

Sorrel is sorrel. Around here, English riders call the chestnuts.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## kenda (Oct 10, 2008)

I've heard of Liver chestnut and light chestnut


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## Northernstar (Jul 23, 2011)

I have a sorrel QH, but I've never known there were different shades - she does shine like a new copper penny after a good brushing, however


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## Nokotaheaven (Apr 11, 2012)

Ah ok lol. well ik there's sorrel and chestnut. but we had a guy that was DEEP deep red. When he was out in the sun u could REALLY see the red, we've only seen 1 other horse his shade


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I've heard flaxen chestnut (for a red horse with a blonde mane and tail), liver chestnut (for a deep deep red, almost burgundy horse), and just plain chestnut. And you can replace chestnut in any of those with sorrel.


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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

Flaxen chestnut, liver chestnut, quite a difference between those two. Really though, chestnut/sorrel are the same thing.


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## Nokotaheaven (Apr 11, 2012)

from what ive heard chestnut is actually more of a light, chestnutty colour, where sorrel is darker and more reddish. everyone says shades of chestnut, was jw if there were any specifically for sorrel


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## Reno Bay (Jul 8, 2012)

If you want to get genetically technical, sorrel and chestnut are just two words for the same thing. Depending on where you live, the definition may vary. Chestnut/sorrel can be light, medium, dark, orange, red, or brown. It's really all down to your region and what the general 'dialect' for color is, for lack of a better word.

Chestnuts are 'ee'. Sorrels are 'ee'. There are no differences in their DNA. The only difference is the word used and what individual people consider those words to define.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Sorrel was often referred to a reddish horse with a lighter mane and tail, vs the chestnut who's mane and tail match the coat.


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

Realistically, sorrel is the term for lighter red _stock_ horses. Chestnut being the darker, livery shades. However, most breeds (particularly warmbloods and other European type breeds) just refer to red horses as chestnut and only chestnut, regardless of shade. 

Aside from flaxen and liver, which more help one differentiate between various red horses, the different descriptor words like "blood bay" or "mahogany bay." don't make the color sound any cooler. Just a thought.


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## Nokotaheaven (Apr 11, 2012)

Ah ok, thank you everyone. And to show the sorrel we had, he is a deep red sorrel (what we call him up here).

Spring & summer coat:





























Winter coat:


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## Nokotaheaven (Apr 11, 2012)

winter coat actually shows his colour the best


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## SunnyMeadeFarm (Sep 3, 2012)

Well, In my learning, Sorrel is one shade of Chestnut, There's like Sorrel, Red Chestnut, Liver Chestnut, and some other in betweens, and each of those can have flaxen or pangare or both layered onto them.

That's just my experience, Some say Sorrel is Chestnut, some say Chestnut is Sorrel. Its all the same color.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

I always heard the sorrell as a red horse with same color mane tail and chestnut as a lighter red with lighter mane and tail , and the 'white' mane and tail and socks as 'chrome'


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## Nokotaheaven (Apr 11, 2012)

stevenson said:


> I always heard the sorrell as a red horse with same color mane tail and chestnut as a lighter red with lighter mane and tail , and the 'white' mane and tail and socks as 'chrome'


Yeaa, thats kinda what ive heard too, but there are different shades of chestnut lol


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

Your horse has a lovely 'deep' sorrel color, nice! My guy is more of a wishy washy sorrel!


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## Nokotaheaven (Apr 11, 2012)

Muppetgirl said:


> Your horse has a lovely 'deep' sorrel color, nice! My guy is more of a wishy washy sorrel!


Thank you 
Haha yeah, we've only seen one horse his exact shade. I love it


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## Northernstar (Jul 23, 2011)

His winter coat is _very_ similar to my sorrel mare's on a sunny day! - my current avatar is from early this morning, but now that her winter coat is in, I'll have to get a better photo. He is quite a handsome fellow, by the way


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## Nokotaheaven (Apr 11, 2012)

Northernstar said:


> His winter coat is _very_ similar to my sorrel mare's on a sunny day! - my current avatar is from early this morning, but now that her winter coat is in, I'll have to get a better photo. He is quite a handsome fellow, by the way


Haha okay 
ANd thank you


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