# What colour could the sire have been?



## riddlemethis (Jun 3, 2008)

Anything and everything. Chestnut, black, bay, gray, buckskin, palomino, smoky black, any of the champagnes, any sort of dun. Etc etc etc etc.

There is no way to know what the sire was based on your mare unless she's DNA tested and even then we would need to know what the dam was as well.


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

^ Pretty much.
Grey takes over any base color and fleebitten is not always a guarentee, it's just something that occurs, depending on how that particular horse greys out.
Also, black is always dominant over red when it comes to genetics in horses, so your mare could have got her black gene and agouti from either side.
It's possible that the sire could have been a bay, a black (or any variation) or even sorrel
It would only help to know what the dam was as well, though you could still determine little from that without testing.


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

It's extremely difficult to figure out color backwards like that. The only 100% for sure color combination is chestnut + cremello = palomino, anything else could really have an extensive list of colors because, for example, a horse could be a buckskin dun, but not pass on ANY of of the modifying genes (agouti, cream, and dun) to a foal.


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## riddlemethis (Jun 3, 2008)

Poseidon said:


> It's extremely difficult to figure out color backwards like that. The only 100% for sure color combination is chestnut + cremello = palomino, anything else could really have an extensive list of colors because, for example, a horse could be a buckskin dun, but not pass on ANY of of the modifying genes (agouti, cream, and dun) to a foal.


And even that isn't 100%. If that chestnut carries pearl.... LOL :lol:


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

Touche!


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## Sweeney Road (Feb 12, 2012)

I had a feeling I was going to get told that! Looks as if some DNA testing for colour might be in order.

Thanks!


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## Sweeney Road (Feb 12, 2012)

I forgot to ask--does it change the equation any if I mention that all horses in the scenario are purebred Arabians? Polish, to be a little more exact.


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## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

Yeah a little, Arabians only come in certain colors, purebred ones at least. Sorrel, bay, black, and grey, (well I think they are discovering dominant white but I haven't read on that yet but that's unlikely a choice in your case) so you can maybe guess based on that.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

Well, really, it just narrows the colors down to the only ones that Arabians can be: black, chestnut, bay/brown, and gray.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Bridgertrot (Dec 2, 2011)

Poseidon said:


> It's extremely difficult to figure out color backwards like that. The only 100% for sure color combination is chestnut + cremello = palomino, anything else could really have an extensive list of colors because, for example, a horse could be a buckskin dun, but not pass on ANY of of the modifying genes (agouti, cream, and dun) to a foal.


You forgot too chestnut + chestnut = chestnut :lol: They always breed true.


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## riddlemethis (Jun 3, 2008)

They have found 3 lines of DW in PB arabs.


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## riddlemethis (Jun 3, 2008)

Bridgertrot said:


> You forgot too chestnut + chestnut = chestnut :lol: They always breed true.


Nothing ever really "breeds true." Chestnut + chestnut can give you pearl if both horses carry it.


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## Bridgertrot (Dec 2, 2011)

riddlemethis said:


> Nothing ever really "breeds true." Chestnut + chestnut can give you pearl if both horses carry it.


I'm speaking from a simplicity standpoint...some genes can hide yes but if they are _nothing_ but chestnut (I'm sure we could debate this for days :lol:

chestnut + chestnut = chestnut


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## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

riddlemethis said:


> They have found 3 lines of DW in PB arabs.


Yes I knew it was something like that thank you!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Sweeney Road (Feb 12, 2012)

So I still need to do a little bit of DNA testing, don't I?

Thanks again!


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