# Haflinger Coloring



## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

Haflingers are chestnut with flaxen and pangare/mealy. As I think you've already figured out, palominos are chestnut with a single copy of the cream gene. The flaxen modifier is responsible for the lighter colored mane and tail, while pangare is responsible for the lighter colored muzzle and belly.

Flaxen and pangare are present in other breeds as well, though in most breeds there's a range of how strongly they express. They do always seem to be expressed pretty strongly in Haflingers.

The chestnut color is expressed in a somewhat unique way in Haflingers, which is (I'm guessing) due to some recessive gene pattern that has been selectively bred for. I suspect a similar effect is present in Fjords; most are bay dun, but look much more dilute than bay dun in other breeds. I knew a Fjord/Morgan cross that was bay dun and looked like your typical non-Fjord bay dun. If anyone else knows the genetics behind why Haflingers and/or Fjords seem to express their colors differently, I'd love to know


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I remember seeing an Icelandic herd and while they do have plenty of unusual colors even the "normal" colors (chestnut, bay, etc) look odd.

Interesting as they are similar type to Fjords and Haflingers.

Agree with what Verona said- because those genes are recessive all Haflingers are the same distinctive color (though there are variations in shades and expressions of course).

A light flaxen chestnut can look very similar to a palomino. There are some differences and breed knowledge helps (knowing she's a pure Haflinger I could of guessed her color without a picture)


----------



## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

Maybe the breeds do not allow out crossing . 
Norwegian Fjords have a variety of colors of pale , to sorrel, pali looking and brown duns that are a lot of the buckskin colors, and they do not allow out crossings.


----------

