# Chestnut, Flaxen Chestnut or Sorrel?



## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Sorrel and chestnut are the exact same thing, except 'sorrel' is usually used in the West on stock horses, and 'chestnut' in the East with sport horses. They are interchangeable.

Flaxen sorrel or flaxen chestnut is just a more detailed classification for sorrels/chestnuts. Usually a horse with a lighter mane than the body is called a "flaxen" chestnut or sorrel.

I have a flaxen chestnut, I call her this instead of just a sorrel or chestnut because of her countershading, which includes barring on the legs and a line down her back that's often mistaken for a dorsal stripe.

You could call your horse either a chestnut, sorrel, flaxen chestnut, or flaxen sorrel.


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

Like said, sorrel and chestnut are genetically the exact same. Sorrel is a term only accepted by the APHA and AQHA and is used in the western world, usually referring to the light almost orange colour that chestnuts can get. Any other breed is a chestnut, regardless of shade.

Actually, equiniphile, flaxen is a gene that only affects sorrels/chestnuts and that's why their manes and tales are lighter like that and it should be used when describing the horse. Kind of like referring to a silver bay, you wouldn't just call it a bay. I would say your guy is a flaxen chestnut. He has a lightened mane and tail, a lightened muzzle, and some lightening on his legs. My friend's flaxen chestnut TB has the same colouring.


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## Mocha26 (Oct 27, 2010)

Good question  i think a lot of people may get confused on coloring! I would consider him the flaxen gene because his mane & tail are so light!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DancingWithSunny (Mar 13, 2011)

Thanks for the help guys


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## Equilove (Feb 21, 2011)

I would call him ADORABLE.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Poseidon said:


> Like said, sorrel and chestnut are genetically the exact same. Sorrel is a term only accepted by the APHA and AQHA and is used in the western world, usually referring to the light almost orange colour that chestnuts can get. Any other breed is a chestnut, regardless of shade.


Sorry - incorrect.

They are different. Sorrel is red tones, the Chestnut is brown tones.

Per AQHA:

http://americashorsedaily.com/images/pdfs/quarter-horse-coat-colors.pdf


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

That's what I mean: Sorrel is the red (sometimes almost orange) colour, not the dark one, which would be chestnut. However, other breeds don't recognize the colour as "Sorrel", it's always chestnut regardless of shade.

I worded it funny, didn't I?


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## DancingWithSunny (Mar 13, 2011)

Equilove said:


> I would call him ADORABLE.


Hehe, thank you, I would say you're right  Not that I'm at all biased!


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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

mls said:


> Sorry - incorrect.
> 
> They are different. Sorrel is red tones, the Chestnut is brown tones.
> 
> ...


I'm sorry. Just because a registering body says there is a difference, doesn't mean there is one. Isn't this the same body that only recently accepted double dilutes but was fine with single dilutes?

Chestnut and Sorrel are the SAME colour genetically. Both would test as ee.


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

Chiilaa said:


> I'm sorry. Just because a registering body says there is a difference, doesn't mean there is one. Isn't this the same body that only recently accepted double dilutes but was fine with single dilutes?
> 
> Chestnut and Sorrel are the SAME colour genetically. Both would test as ee.


*sigh* Unfortunately, yes. They also only recently started recognizing bay roans as their own colour. For yearsss they were just called red roans and registered as such. Chestnut/Sorrel is a VERY different colour than bay. 

The AQHA will register them as different colours though, sorrel and chestnut. If it's the red-orangey shade, they get called sorrel. If they're technically liver chestnuts or just more brown, they're chestnuts.


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## NdAppy (Apr 8, 2009)

When it comes down to it, I would _never_ trust a registry to get the right color or to tell me the color. They are no where near up to date on color genetics. The JC is a perfect example of this...


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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

Registering bodies are so dumb with colour sometimes. I know I rave about this, but in Australia we have a body called the Buckskin and Dun Horse Assoc. Granted they are just a colour registry... but still...

*headdesk*


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

Is that registry part of the International Buckskin Horse Association? Hahaha. It's a colour registry for buckskins and duns. I do think their website says that buckskins CAN have dorsal stripes though.


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