# Questions about chestnut/sorrel...



## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

Bear with me, this is my first "colored" horse [I had a gray previously] so it's alll new. haha

Basically I've noticed that, as my chestnut has grown a winter coat, he's gained those light "soft" areas you typically see on browns.
And I've kind of begun to wonder if he truly is chestnut like I thought.

He's basically "auburn"-colored [I'm a redhead and we have exactly the same shade of hair! haha], with a slightly darker mane+tail. He does have counter-shading in the form of a year-round "dorsal stripe" and some light shoulder barring in the summer.

Is all that pretty typical amongst the various shades of sorrel/chestnut? I feel sort of silly asking, and he's a gelding so it truly does not matter, but why not, right? :lol:

Maybe he's gained the soft points because he's a darker chestnut??

He has high white stockings all the way around so there's no "telltale" color change at the coronet band...

He's my avatar, but I have plentyyy more pictures if this isn't super cut and dried.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

He's an Arab, yes? As such, that completely rules out him being dun, as Arabs don't carry dun.

If I remember from pictures of him, he is definitely chestnut (or sorrel, if you prefer using that word). To be bay or brown (the only other color possibility with a red coat color), he would have to have black hard points, namely ears, mane, tail, muzzle and legs. Which, IIRC, he does not have. 

Some coat color variation between summer and winter coats seems to be fairly normal with non-black horses. Not the "Ermahger! It's a different horse!" variations that are the hallmark of a brown (At) horse, but slight shade variations.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

I'm not familiar with color changes in Arabs, but our sorrel Paints' winter coats are noticeably more "brownish" compared to their summer "copper" color.


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## EliRose (Aug 12, 2012)

Not the greatest video, but you can definitely see on the lighter area on chestnut's belly/flank areas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaDI32XAaMI&list=UUeNnXN5z8lCMx6U8GSjE6WA


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

Good to know guys, thanks!

And that's the thing, Drafty - [as far as I've found] he's not registered and he was sold to me as a Quarab. I'm 99.9% sure he's pure Arab and I'm pretty certain that, if I were to happen upon the right place to dig, I might just find some AHA papers for him. 
But his last 3 owners [out of at least 6] have been convinced that he's a cross of some sort.

From his first day home, back in May - full summer coat:



Now:


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## Northernstar (Jul 23, 2011)

My first instincts are to say he's a chestnut- however, I see a lot of sorrel in him with his summer coat...

I have a sorrel QH who is very, very coppery all year round, and just over a year ago, acquired a Morgan who is a unique_ liver_ chestnut.

Some say the difference between chestnut (not liver) and sorrel are regional differences, but I don't think so when I look at my sorrel's extreme copper color.

I'm going to stick with your boy as a chestnut for now, and let's see what other's may think! He's a beauty, by the way 

** Have a look at my 'barn' and maybe you'll see something there


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

he is pretty. He almost could be a dun if that dorsal stripe is year round. 
He could have him dna'd for color.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

That's not uncommon coloring for a chestnut. While not _every_ one has the lighter soft points, many do, especially in winter. I believe it's a bit of a holdover from back in their wild days; natural camouflage that isn't as effective anymore ;-). It's not extreme enough to wonder if Pangare is playing a part and I'm not sure if Arabs have pangare anyway.


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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

Most definitely chestnut. Which, genetically, are exactly the same thing. Chestnuts and Sorrels are both e/e. So he's both.
I have one chestnut that looks like a red dun and one that is a dark "chocolate" colour and their manes range from flaxen to "normal" to red. 
And he's gorgeous whatever breed he is.


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

Interesting, thanks guys!

I might one day have him color tested for white patterms [just for fun] and I might throw in the chestnut/sorrel one just to be sure he's chestnut/sorrel [I agree that both colors are genetically the same, I just prefer the term "chestnut" haha]. He has a little belly spot which intrigues me in terms of white. :lol:
But that's one day in the far far future. 
He does keep the "dorsal stripe" year-round, but I'm 100% sure it's countershading - it isn't as crisp or "tight" as a 'real' one would be. But I did have someone get sooooo excited once about my "rare" dorsal-striped chestnut. She was like "he has a dorsal stripe!!! I've never seen that! He's so special!" Why yes, he is _soooo_ special and rare. :rofl:

And Jen, Arabs don't have pangare. :lol:


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## kenda (Oct 10, 2008)

My bright chestnut half arab mare gets light fur on her muzzle, loin area and the long hair on the backs of her cannons & fetlocks during the winter as well. The underside of her mane is usually pretty light blonde as well, although the top layer and her tail are darker.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Fairly certain he isn't dun. His coat doesn't have that peachy quality to it with the darker legs and head.

I have a friend who has a brown (registered bay) Arab gelding who has a fairly distinct "dorsal stripe" (it's actually counter-shading). She was 100% convinced he was a dun and nothing I could say would change her mind. She finally started researching Arabs and found out that they don't have dun. She was VERY disappointed.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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