Page 299 - Anatomy and Physiology of Farm Animals, 8th Edition

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(A) (B)
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Figure 14-9. (A) Red arrowhead indicates chestnut on the medial aspect of the equine forelimb, just
proximal to the carpus. (B) Yellow arrowhead indicates ergot on the plantar surface of the fetlock of this
hindfoot.

Jockey Club, which registers Thoroughbred adjectives can be added to chestnut to
horses). describe the color more specifically. One
A gray horse’s coat has an admixture of variation of chestnut is sorrel, most often
white and darker (generally black) hairs. encountered in reference to the Quarter
The skin is black. Many gray horses are Horse. In this breed, sorrel is used for cop-
dark at foaling and gradually accumulate pery or reddish chestnut shades, whereas
white hairs as they age, lightening the the term chestnut is reserved for darker
entire coat. When the darker hairs are red, shades.
the gray may have a pink cast, and depend- Palomino describes a light‐colored
ing on the breed and the individual’s body with lighter mane and tail. The most
preference, these horses may be referred to desirable palomino horses have a body
as rose gray or roan (discussed below). color of “newly minted gold” with white
Dappling is characterized by a pattern of mane and tail. This ideal is uncommon,
dark and light circles in the coat with the though, and most palominos have body
centers lighter. Any color can be dappled, hairs in some less golden shade of yellow.
but the term is most commonly applied to All palominos’ manes and tails are white or
gray horses. cream. Strong dilutions of palomino can be
Chestnut horses are some shade of red nearly white in appearance. These diluted
or brown, varying from diluted shades that horses, described as cremello, often arise
are nearly yellow to a deep liver chestnut. from palomino to palomino crosses.
The points on the chestnut may be the A buckskin’s body color is yellow or
same as the body color, lighter (sometimes gold, and points are black. Many horses
even flaxen), or slightly darker, but they are with this color also carry dun markings
never black. As with bay, many descriptive (discussed below), most prominently the