# What color will my foal be?



## MeganJoey57 (Aug 1, 2012)

My pony mare is due pretty soon, and I'm trying to guess what color the foal will be. I have no idea on the parent's genetics. The sire is sorrel with dapples and also has a flaxen mane and tail. The dam is a bay roan, but I do know that her dam was a sorrel paint. Any ideas? I was thinking being a sorrel then later shedding to a red roan..?
:?


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## FeatheredFeet (Jan 27, 2010)

Pictures might help. What you describe, might not really be the correct colours of the horses in question.

Lizzie


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## MeganJoey57 (Aug 1, 2012)

I would upload some, my phone won't let me though 
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## FeatheredFeet (Jan 27, 2010)

No worries. Try to add some when you can. Since you are breeding, I presume that the horses involved are a breed and registered. Any pics of them already on the net?

Lizzie


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## MeganJoey57 (Aug 1, 2012)

Not registered, the sire was a rescue pony and the dam is supposedly a full Shetland, her previous owner was not the most reliable though. Anyways, they pull carts and we wanted a team of mother and foal.
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## FeatheredFeet (Jan 27, 2010)

Hmm. Too bad. You'll have to wait a very long time before the foal can be put to harness and according to size, they might not even be suitable for a team in the end. Shetland and Shetland crosses, (often with Minis) have many colours in them and their background. 

Too bad she was bred. There are SO many really nice Shetland and Shetland crosses around right now and at very reasonable prices or sometimes, free. Many are already trained to the cart and which you could be using with the mare immediately.

Lizzie


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## MeganJoey57 (Aug 1, 2012)

Yes, I would rather the sire have better bloodlines and such, we wanted to raise a foal and we could not find any local Shetland stallions. Oh well, to late now! Lol but the foal will have a forever home here and will be loved, that's all that matters to me. In the end they may not be a good driving team, if not, we might invest in one that will though. who knows..
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## FeatheredFeet (Jan 27, 2010)

OK. I understand your thinking, but it is a little bit scewed. First of all, Shetlands come in many different types across the world. What type is yours? You should know that, having set yourself up as a breeder. 

Is your mare Modern or Classic? As I hope you know, the Classic is further broken down into Foundation. All are different. Very different. Now you add some kind of rescue pony into the mix. Not a very good idea but the deed is done. What kind of pony is the rescue? Is he a Shetland or some type thereof? 

For what it's worth, 'teams' are usually horses of an identical height and more often than not, identical colours. If you don't know the true background of these two horses, the height and even colours, could be very different and not able to be used as a team. Colour differences would be ok I suppose, but height, probably not.

I am not a proponent of breeding rescue horses of unknown background anyway. Irresponsible breedings, are just why we have thousands of ponies and horses going to slaughter each month, in the most dreadful circumstances.

I know you say you will keep the baby for ever, but things happen. Life changes. Just look at the enormous numbers of horses given away, starving to death and sent to auction. Many of these, were bred by people who thought they would keep that baby for ever.

I know it's too late for your mare, and do truly hope the baby will have a forever home with you, but the likelihood (as with millions of others) is unfortunately slim.

Regardless, I hope you have an uneventful birth and the baby is all you had hoped for. Have the sire and dam been DNA'd as to colour? This will give you a better idea, as to what they might produce.

Lizzie


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## MeganJoey57 (Aug 1, 2012)

I get what your saying, I really do. I am responsible for all
Of this, and it's fine with me, I accept the responsibilities. So far I have rescued 3 horses. I have a rescued 2 year old paint right now, not papered, but has the biggest heart and will I have ever seen. He truly amazes me every day. I'm not big on registration, because personally I think all horses have the same capabilities. Purebreds are going to slaughter houses these days, we can try to help it, but in reality unless we get useless breeders to stop taking to auction there's nothing we can do. I will NEVER take any of my horses to auction, ever. If circumstances get rough, I'll resort to other options.
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## Red Gate Farm (Aug 28, 2011)

MeganJoey57 said:


> My pony mare is due pretty soon, and I'm trying to guess what color the foal will be. I have no idea on the parent's genetics. The sire is sorrel with dapples and also has a flaxen mane and tail. The dam is a bay roan, but I do know that her dam was a sorrel paint. Any ideas? I was thinking being a sorrel then later shedding to a red roan..?
> :?


Going PURELY by what you've written, here's my uneducated breakdown of possible colours:

Sire can only pass on the red gene.
Dam can pass on the roan gene, bay gene, brown gene the red gene.
Foal possibility is sorrel, bay, brown, red roan or bay roan.


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## FeatheredFeet (Jan 27, 2010)

Ah, now you are speaking my language. There are only two types of breeders, the responsible and irresponsible. 

Responsible breeders...
know that if they cannot be certain that a horse of a given breed or very carefully considered cross, would probably be something desired by those in that breed or cross, they don't breed. That usually means the sire and dam are registered or at the very least, their background is known and documented. The responsible breeder, knows that the sire and dam complimented each other and did not contain the same conformation faults. Even if they are sure they will keep the offspring for ever, they know that if things should change, there would be a ready market for the baby they produce. They know that even in the best considers breedings, the offspring doesn't always turn out as well as expect. They always geld colts before sale, of any horse who is questionable, as to breeding quality. 

Irresponsible breeders...
often think it's fun to bring up a foal. They know nothing of the background of the horses they breed and couldn't tell you their faults, if asked. They breed often, because they have a mare and a handy stallion, who lives close by. They know nothing of the possible market for the foal, if they cannot keep it. Some even think they will make money, breeding and selling, iffy foals. Most are not true fanciers of their chosen breed. True fanciers, look to the future of the breed and know they are producing the best quality possible. Irresponsible breeders, whether the animals are registered or not, just breed and without knowing the first thing about quality or genetics etc. They don't care. They have done no homework, know little about their breed, know little about genetics and just think it would be fun to breed, to get another like their little 'Cindy' or whatever. And their little offspring, seldom turns out to be just like little Cindy.

Same in dogs. This is why we have six million dogs in the US, killed in our shelters each year. Horses or dogs, it's the sad fact, that our animals are being indiscriminately bred each year.

As to colour, on what you have already bred, you can go here, to get some ideas.

Horse Testing - Equine Genetic Testing

However, without knowing the true colours of the horses involved, it might not be realiable.

Lizzie


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

Without further information, the dam is E_ A_ and the sire is ee __. That means there are quite a few unknowns and you could end up with black, bay, brown, or chestnut. On top of that you could have roan on any of those colors.


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## MeganJoey57 (Aug 1, 2012)

Red Gate Farm said:


> Going PURELY by what you've written, here's my uneducated breakdown of possible colours:
> 
> Sire can only pass on the red gene.
> Dam can pass on the roan gene, bay gene, brown gene the red gene.
> Foal possibility is sorrel, bay, brown, red roan or bay roan.


Thanks so much 
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## MeganJoey57 (Aug 1, 2012)

verona1016 said:


> Without further information, the dam is E_ A_ and the sire is ee __. That means there are quite a few unknowns and you could end up with black, bay, brown, or chestnut. On top of that you could have roan on any of those colors.


Thank you 
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## cmarie (Dec 19, 2011)

here is a color calculator that's fun to play around with.
Color Calculator


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## equinelyn (Dec 15, 2010)

The color calculator is AWESOME! :happydance:


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## MeganJoey57 (Aug 1, 2012)

equinelyn said:


> The color calculator is AWESOME! :happydance:


Haha I know!! I've been playing around with it like crazy 
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