Beginning Horsemanship (Colours, Facial Markings, and Feet Markings)

The body can vary from tan through red to a reddish brown. Bays always have black points(black on lower legs) and have black manes and tails. however, as well as black points, it may also have white markings.

A Black almost always has Black eyes, hooves, and skin. The points are always Black. Brown hair on the muzzle indicates that it is not a true Black, but is really brown.

A Brown horse has Brown hair wilth a dark mane and tail. Many Brown horses are mistakenly called black because they are so dark. A close look at the hair on the muzzel will tell you if the horse is black or brown.

A chestnut is a horse whose coat is basically red. The mane and tail may be the same shade of red as the body. If the mane and tail are lighter in colour, it is called a *flaxen.*
The mane and tail of a chestnut horse are never black. Some breed associations recognize Sorrel as colour. In this case the body colour is reddish or copper red while the chestnut usually is a dark red or brownish red.

The true White horse is born pure white and dies the same colour. If during the life of a white horse, hairs of another colour other than white are found, the chances are that the horse was a roan or grey and turned white in old age.

The Dun horse's coat is some shade of yellow. It's colour may range from pale yellow to a dirty canvas colour with mane, tail, skin and hooves from white to black. Duns always have a dorsal stripe down their back.

A *Red Dun* is a dun of reddish orange with a stripe and a red mane and tail.

The *Buckskin* has a yellowish or gold coat with a black mane and tail and is usually black on lower legs. Buckskins do not have dorsal stripes.

Most Grey horses are born blue or almost black. More white hairs come into the coat each year until the horse apears almost white.

The Palomino has golden coat with a white mane and tail. Palominos have no black points.

A Pinto is a spotted horse with more than one colour in his coat in large patches or spots.

A Roan horse has a coat where white hair is mixed with one or more basic colours. There are red roans, strawberry roans and blue roans.

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