Horse Crazy Horse Club - horse colours and markings

GREY

A mixture of black and white hairs throughout. The coat varies from light to iron (very dark). The skin is black.

FLEABITTEN GREY

Grey coat flecked with brown specks.

DAPPLED GREY

Light grey base coat with grey rings.

ROAN

A body colour with white hairs interspersed, which lightens the overall effect.

STRAWBERRY ROAN

Chestnut body colour with white hair giving a pinkish red tinge.

BLUE ROAN

Black or brown body colour with white hair giving a blue tinge.

DUN

Light sandy-coloured coat with black mane and tail, often accompanied by a dark, dorsal eel-stripe extending from the line of the neck to the tail and sometimes by "zebra markings" (stripes) on the withers and legs - the vestiges of a primitive form of camouflage. Dun can vary from yellow to "mouse", depending on the diffusion of pigment. The skin is black.

BLACK

All black except for occasional white on the legs and/or head.

CHESTNUT

Varies from a pale golden colour to a rich, red gold. The mane and tail may be
lighter or darker than the coat colour.

LIVER CHESTNUT

The darkest of the chestnut shades.

PALOMINO

Gold coat with white mane and tail.

SPOTTED

Small, more or less circular patches of hair of a different colour from the main body colour and distributed over various areas of the body.

PIEBALD

Large, irregular patches of black and white

BRINDLE

Brown or grey streaked or patched a darker colour.

BAY

Reddish coat with black mane, tail and "points (i.e. limbs). The coat colour may
vary from red to brown or yellowish.

SORREL

A light-red chestnut.

BROWN

A mixture of black and brown hairs, with black limbs, mane and tail. A very
dark brown horse may appear almost black.

SKEWBALD

Large, irregular patches of white and any other colour except black.

CREAM

Cream coloured coat with unpigmented skin (also known as cremello)

WHITE MARKINGS

White markings on the face and legs and, occasionally, on the body, are a valuable
means of distinguishing one horse from another and are therefore noted in detail on
veterinary certificates and registration papers.