# What color is this mare?



## chelstucker (Jun 17, 2014)

Hi all! When I got my new mare, I was told she's a sun-bleached bay. But the more I look at her, I'm not really sure. Could she be a bay roan, sooty buckskin or something else? Or, is she really just that sun bleached? I've included her picture as well as pics of my copper bay, that has been turned out 24/7 for the last year for comparison. What do y'all think?


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Do you know anything about the colors of her parents?

She almost looks like she might be smoky black (black with cream).


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## chelstucker (Jun 17, 2014)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> Do you know anything about the colors of her parents?
> 
> She almost looks like she might be smoky black (black with cream).


I don't know anything about her lineage. All I know about her is she's a thoroughbred and raced a few times when she was younger (She's 14 now).


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## BlindHorseEnthusiast4582 (Apr 11, 2016)

I can't offer an opinion really but I agree that it's unlikely she's just sunbleached. Gorgeous girl though, what's her name?


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## k9kenai (Jul 1, 2017)

My ISH was smoky black and he was turned out 24/7, 365 days a year in the sun and he was never that light a shade, even when his coat did get sun bleached. 

Going off of this Thoroughbred Coat Colors website (although I can't vouch for how accurate it may be), my guess would be she's a sooty buckskin.


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## chelstucker (Jun 17, 2014)

BlindHorseEnthusiast4582 said:


> I can't offer an opinion really but I agree that it's unlikely she's just sunbleached. Gorgeous girl though, what's her name?


Her name is Honey. I will be getting her papers eventually and will be able to figure out more then (they are misplaced at the moment). She does have a brand on her left shoulder that I'm pretty sure is CWC (not that I have a clue what it means lol)


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Comparisons don't mean much but bay doesn't tend to sunbleach much at all. Even the very sunbleached horses don't typically look like that. I agree that she's likely something else. Now what else? Several options but until you rule out sunbleaching and get a good idea of her TRUE color (it's likely she has some sunbleaching regardless of color) then who knows. I'd give it a bit, or test if you're interested. I think she likely has cream or if not is a very sunbleached BROWN (NOT bay). You can see her coat is in very poor condition regardless of color/sun, so I'm sure with TLC and shade/new coat you'll get a much better idea.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Yes, really poor coat. TLC will help with that. For comparison here are pics of a Smoky Black that has faded quite a bit and then a Brown Bay that has also faded. Her coat when we got her was horrible and she was much lighter. You will know more about possibilities when you find out colors for her parents or you could test.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Just had a thought. I wasn't aware TBs carried cream, so smoky black may not be an option.


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

Cream carrying TBs do exists, though they are quite rare. Yours could maaaybe be a smoky black but judging from her mane and tail she is definitely prone to some sun bleaching, much more so than your bay by the looks of it. Nutrition can also play a big factor in coat condition & color, especially it seems in brown & black horses. Though she may be getting enough feed to keep weight on her, she may not be receiving the proper minerals and nutrients that her individual body needs. 
Best way to know for sure would be to send away some hair samples to have her tested for cream or wait and see if you can get ahold of her papers. If you know her name, you can even looked her lineage up on the Thoroughbred Horse Pedigree Query


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Though you don't see them racing you do see them in the show ring. Maybe they are just more common in this area. Not saying they are a dime a dozen because they aren't but they aren't rare either.


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## Dehda01 (Jul 25, 2013)

I used to have a brown appendix gelding who would sun bleach to a look close to a light buckskin every summer. Even under a fly sheet!!! Nutrition certainly can have a part in it, as well as sweat and other issues. 

She may be a brown or bay. Time will tell. Do you have any closer pictures of her? Do you know her registered name?

The Milkie lines of thouroughbreds do carry cream, it would be highly unlikely, but it is possible.


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