# Sorrel Mare Changing Colors?



## CrossCountry (May 18, 2013)

My mare Nova turned 3 on April 1st, and has been getting darker and darker as she sheds out. She used to be a very golden colored sorrel and now she's much darker, almost like a liver chestnut. What do you guys think is happening?


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I don't know, but I just wanted to say she is gorgeous! I love her in both colors.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Seasonal and/or diet-related change is very common and normal in chestnut horses. This is particularly dramatic, but that's all it will be.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

I had a buckskin filly who would change in similarly dramatic ways from season to season. Some horses do, some horses don't 
She's lovely, by the way!


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

Very dramatic change! 

I have never had or known of a chestnut (sorrel for western people) to change colors like that. Slightly redder or more orange in the spring, yes. 

Your horse appears to have dappling so would guess she may have the silver dapple gene. She now looks a lot like a chocolate. There are two main ones, Chocolate which is black based with silver dapple gene or Red Chocolate which is Bay with the silver dapple gene. 

I do not know of a Chestnut or red based coat with the silver dapple gene, but I do wonder if you are the owner of one!


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Sooty can gradually make an appearance in my experience and could also be a factor in addition to diet, nutrition, salt and all those other things. The palomino stallion that sired several of my horses started out much lighter than he is and my babies have all darkened to some degree. Some much more than others over time. Others have random "grease" spots that have shown up.


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## Boo Walker (Jul 25, 2012)

What a beautiful Mustang!


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## cbar (Nov 27, 2015)

I don't know squat about color and genetics, etc. But she is stunning!!!


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## BlindHorseEnthusiast4582 (Apr 11, 2016)

Oh wow, she's changed a ton since I saw her last!


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