# Difference between Sorrel and chestnut?



## horsecrazygirl (Apr 23, 2012)

First off, if there is a thread about this already someone please direct me toward it. If not, Can someone please tell me if there is a difference between sorrel and chestnut? If there is, what is it?


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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

Genetically, there is no difference. The difference depends on your breed of choice, your riding style, and your location.

In Australia, sorrel is absolutely unheard of. Only a few "western" people use the term. Everything here that is red is chestnut.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

It is common in the Paint circles around here to differentiate between the shades of chestnut and sorrel. The APHA recognizes:

*Chestnut*
body color dark red or brownish red; range from very light to liver chestnut; liver chestnut can be distinguished from black or brown only by the bronze or copper highlights on the legs; mane and tail usually dark red or brownish red, but may be flaxen.

*Sorrel
*body color reddish or copper-red; mane and tail usually same color as body, but may be flaxen or very dark.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

i agree with Painthorses. Chestnut has the diff mane and tail . Sorrell same color mane and tail. And i grew up with being called Chrome when they have sox and flaxen mane tail .


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

What Chilaa said. Genetically there is absolutely no difference, it's just a matter of nomenclature.

Generally in western circles, any red horse that is not a bay, dun, or roan is a sorrel. If you ask my old BO (who is an old-school cowboy), every horse that is red (not bay/dun/roan) is a sorrel, regardless of shade...unless it's an Arab. Then it's a chestnut. Lol.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> What Chilaa said. Genetically there is absolutely no difference, it's just a matter of nomenclature.
> 
> Generally in western circles, any red horse that is not a bay, dun, or roan is a sorrel. If you ask my old BO (who is an old-school cowboy), every horse that is red (not bay/dun/roan) is a sorrel, regardless of shade...unless it's an Arab. Then it's a chestnut. Lol.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


That makes sense why our vet said my wife's horse is chestnut even though when we first got him, he was the color of a new penny. Have to guess that's why they named him Copper. All of our other horses that are the same color are sorrel. Copper is part Arab and the rest are QH or TWH. 

My wife still argues that there is a difference between the two. I've heard that with English riders, chestnut is used but western use sorrel.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## GamingGrrl (Jan 16, 2013)

For me it's always been sorrel has a red body and a lighter mane and tail, chestnut is red body and red mane and tail.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Like Chiilaa and Drafty said, genetically, as far as _base_ coat goes, there is no difference between this









And this








as both of those horses are genetically e/e (red)

However, whether you use both terms to differentiate shade will greatly depend on where you're from and what circles you run in.

Where I'm from, there are 3 recognized shades that have their own names...a _sorrel_, like the first one I posted and any other red horse that leans toward an orangey color; a _chestnut_, which is a deeper, richer red like this









And a _liver_ chestnut, like the other one I posted above.

BUT, there is absolutely nothing wrong with calling all "red" horses either sorrel or chestnut as both are technically correct...though chestnut is more widely recognized.


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## clippityclop (Jul 12, 2012)

_Where I'm from, there are 3 recognized shades that have their own names...a sorrel, like the first one I posted and any other red horse that leans toward an orangey color; a chestnut, which is a deeper, richer red_

That's how i grew up - I had a deep copper chestnut horse (who even had a few black liver spots here and there with a black hair or two in his mane and tail) and I called him a chestnut and I had a lighter, orangy-er (LOL) gelding that was several shades lighter and I called him a sorrel. I don't think I could change it if I tried - it is sort of stuck in my head that way now.


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## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

Lol where I'm from red horses that are not bay or dun are sorrels. But chestnut and sorrel are two names for the same color the are all e/e.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## RubieLee (Mar 2, 2012)

Where I'm at, Sorrel horses have a slightly lighter colored lower leg than their body. Chestnuts with blonde or tan manes and tails are called flaxen Chestnuts. Liver Chestnuts are dark. Flaxen Liver Chestnuts look like a silver dapple. And a regular chestnut is any shade of red not mentioned above...


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## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

Lol this is good example of why the english language is so complicated. :lol: 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Bridgertrot (Dec 2, 2011)

smrobs said:


>


I've seen some call those brown, which is incorrect. This is brown:


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

Shrug. I use them interchangeably. I usually refer to a bright orange color as sorrel and darker, livery color as chestnut. I also only really use sorrel on stock breeds. I wouldn't refer to the bright orange Hanoverian at my barn as sorrel, but I would to the QH near her stall that's the same color. 

Either way, most people will understand what you mean when you say sorrel or chestnut.


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## horsecrazygirl (Apr 23, 2012)

Okay thanks everyone! This makes more sense. I was wondering if this horse is a chestnut or a sorrel. I was trying to explain someone what color he was but couldn't quite decide. he is the one with the dark brown blanket.


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## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

You can use either term neither is wrong
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

horsecrazygirl said:


> Okay thanks everyone! This makes more sense. I was wondering if this horse is a chestnut or a sorrel. I was trying to explain someone what color he was but couldn't quite decide. he is the one with the dark brown blanket.


Around here, we would call him sorrel.


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## clippityclop (Jul 12, 2012)

Same here - sorrel


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

In my area, the Western riders tend to lean towards the term "sorrel" and the English riders use "chestnut". I use them interchangeably.


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

equiniphile said:


> In my area, the Western riders tend to lean towards the term "sorrel" and the English riders use "chestnut". I use them interchangeably.


Same thing in my area. I've always ridden English, which is probably why I always use chestnut


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

Yeah, I only ever use chestnut, and perhaps flaxen chestnut or liver chestnut depending on the shade. 

It's no different than using blood bay, bay or dark bay to describe a black horse with agouti (although dark bay is now known to be almost exclusively brown). 

Same as using "buttermilk" or "claybank" to describe buckskin and dun. Genetically, all the shades are the same, they just come up with descriptive words based on shade.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SaddleOnline (Oct 20, 2011)

I was always taught that east of the Mississippi used the term chestnut and west used sorrel. Makes sense for English and western too. We have to remember that these names for colors came about long before we understood the genetics behind the color.

Good question though!


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## horsecrazygirl (Apr 23, 2012)

Okay. I genrally use chestnut. But I ride westren. I guess most people here ride english so he would probably be referred to as a chestnut.


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