# Grade Appaloosa color question



## HorseOfCourse (Jul 20, 2009)

This is Annie. She hasn't been here very long. I'm not sure what to call her color/pattern. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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## HorseOfCourse (Jul 20, 2009)




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## HorseOfCourse (Jul 20, 2009)




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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

To tell you the truth, names for colors have changed so much during my life that it's hard to keep up. Especially when they started testing for certain colors and patterns. You can look up what the Appaloosa registry is currently calling this color, but the spotted horse is an ancient color. This is a nice mare.


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## Pyrros (Feb 10, 2012)

She looks to be a varnish roan.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## KsKatt (Jun 2, 2014)

Pyrros said:


> She looks to be a varnish roan.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I'm curious where you see the varnish or the roan? I am not disagreeing, I just don't see it. I may need to have things be obvious and not see subtle colors. I'm thinking bay (maybe) with spots. 
I think of roan as being more widespread and uniform. The varnish marks I am familiar with are more facial.
The best example I can offer is my mare;


Looking at the pic, I wonder if the darker spots elsewhere are also varnish marks. But my mare also shows that I am use to very distinct colors, nothing subtle!:lol:


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## Pyrros (Feb 10, 2012)

Varnish often progresses as the horse ages and based on the individual. And varnish roan is one word, one thing. There is roaning throughout her coat and especially behind the ears and on her cheeks. Varnishes typically start out more or less solid an get more 'white' and 'roan' as they go, almost like a grey in that matter.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I do see a faint varnish. However, it is faint, many Appy's will roan out at least somewhat, it does not say anything about her color beyond that.

She is bay. She is beginning to varnish (as many do). I don't know what the precise name for the spots would be.

According (to what I can tell) from APHC (is that the right registry? lol) she would simply be registered as roan.. Since she does not have blanket and is not solid.

I would say she is snowflake (spots over body) with either marbling or frosting. I've never been able to figure out what the term is for spots darker than the base color.


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## NdAppy (Apr 8, 2009)

Bay varnish with lace blanket over the hips with spots. That's about as much a description you can get really. The varnish may or may progress more. Some horses stay pretty minimally varnished and some go to the extreme pretty quickly. similar to grey, there is no predicting how quickly or slowly a horse will change color. 

However, if you add grey to varnish it tends to sped up the process turning a horse "white" within a very, very short time from birth.


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## KsKatt (Jun 2, 2014)

Just for fun, here is Sundancer Maiden in 1991, 3 months old-


In 1994 at 3 years old-


In 1998 at 7 years old-


This year at 23 years old-


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## MiniMom24 (Mar 13, 2013)

Wow, love all the changes. 

<--Op, My Appy is also Annie  



KsKatt said:


> Just for fun, here is Sundancer Maiden in 1991, 3 months old-
> 
> 
> In 1994 at 3 years old-
> ...


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