# Do all white facial markings always have pink skin underneath them?



## Arizahn (Sep 25, 2011)

I'm curious, as realised today that Grusha's passport describes her at four months old as being a 14.3 grey filly with a white star, but she has no pink skin anywhere at all, including on her face?

I was told by her previous owner that she had been born chestnut. Obviously she's greyed out now. Still has a multicoloured mane and tail, darker along the centre, and a faint dorsal stripe that can be seen far more clearly now she's in her summer coat. Black hooves...they match the passport anyway!

She also has a little patch of chestnut hair under her forelock, that is very soft and fine compared to the rest of her coat. Sort of fuzzy. And now in summer hundreds of fleabites: should have called her Freckles!

Have been Googling the question to no avail...


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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

Any white patch that is truly white, will have pink skin underneath. 
That's why with grey horses (usually older ones getting registered) will ask you to body clip the white area to confirm if they are white, or just grey. 
You won't always see the pink skin unless you clip.

All under this filly's face is white, as well:










Including under these white patches on her throat latch:










You just can't tell until I clip her.


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## Arizahn (Sep 25, 2011)

I guess she just had a fake star as part of her greying out then! Either that or I have the wrong passport, sure hope not!

That filly is lovely, btw.


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## BarrelracingArabian (Mar 31, 2010)

You could clip her to makr sure i know our two greys only show their white markings when wet or clipped.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Arizahn (Sep 25, 2011)

I noticed it when I was bathing her. I had sponged down her face with warm water and realised I could see her skin clearly through the wet hair...no pink!


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## BarrelracingArabian (Mar 31, 2010)

Then it is quite possible she just lightened up more in that spot and they didnt check to make sure it was true white.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

Arizahn said:


> I guess she just had a fake star as part of her greying out then! Either that or I have the wrong passport, sure hope not!
> 
> That filly is lovely, btw.


Greys are tough! She could just be greying out unevenly. The best way to find out is clip her. Her papers are marked with or without the star? It would have been visible as a chestnut when she was born.

This mare has a full blaze, actually. You only saw a few pink areas around her nose in the summer when she shedded out, unless I clipped her entire face. 










And thanks! Roxy is my spoiled rotten little brat. This week (hopefully!) she gets yanked out of pasture heaven to start getting trained. We'll see how much she likes me then! LOL


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## Arizahn (Sep 25, 2011)

Her passport has the star marked, along with her facial whorls. Vet did the markings.


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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

I'm sure you got the right horse! Vet's are great at healing, not so great with colours.. 
It might have gotten over looked as a white spot, or her hair could be just a bit too long to see through with being wet. I'd still clip just to see!


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## Arizahn (Sep 25, 2011)

I don't usually clip her: Northern Ireland isn't as warm as some areas, but I think I will ask around the yard and see if I can pay a friend to clip the area. Or I could ask our farrier on Tuesday. He also clips horses.


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## ThirteenAcres (Apr 27, 2012)

Vets are definitely not trained in exact coloring, at least to the point some of us would expect. haha

My mare has faux white markings all the time, but was born only with a star. At this point in time she looks to have a full stocking and it is as black as can be underneath. Grey is SO tricky marking wise. At times she looks like she has a sock as well.


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## Arizahn (Sep 25, 2011)

This is why greys are so interesting: so much variety! Some of them get called white since they look white, yet others look almost dun! I love greys!


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## lilkitty90 (Nov 11, 2009)

i would like to point out that the star may be really small, and not quite have pink skin under it . is BARELY pink and you can barely tell there is a snip on his face in the summer because it gets so dark. 








but in the winter its definitely noticeable









im pretty sure his skin under there isn't a giant patch of pink, i think its a few freckly pink spots that makes it hard to notice sometimes. maybe thats whats going on?


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