4/5YO bay mare - mane going grey??!!

ncarter

ncarter

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We have a stunning bay mare at our yard, she is only young (4 or 5 I think), and this winter her mane has gone really grey! Still with black mixed in so it looks like when a dark haired human is going gray (rather than completely white). Her tail has too, but to a much lesser extent. It was completely unexpected!

She still looks fantastic, but very unusual now.

Just wondered if this has happened to anyone else? Or what has caused it? (would it be a grey somewhere back in the breeding?)

I will try and get a pic this eve (with her owner's permission)

I think she is a hanovarian x TB, and I think they have checked the colour of her parents, and both were dark and/or bay.

Thanks.
 
My bay mare has grey hairs in her mane and tail. She's thought to be TB x shire and I've heard that it's poss from the shire side. Wouldn't worry just enjoy your unusual horse.
 
Photos would be great. If neither parent is grey, it cannot be grey.

My guess would be that sabino is the culprit. Does she have any white markings at all (even a teeny star or white heel)?

My bay mare has grey hairs in her mane and tail. She's thought to be TB x shire and I've heard that it's poss from the shire side.
Click to expand...

I'd like to see a photo. Again sabino is probably the cause here too (both Tb's and Shires have it... well a lot of breeds do as it's rife in arabs and think how many breeds have an arab in their ancestry somewhere).
 
I'm not a colour expert, but my big bay horse has white hairs in his mane and tail - I was told it's a gene called rabicano? He does also have white flecks in his coat, but it's mainly his tail, where if you brush the hairs aside, you can see lots of white hairs at the sides of the dock.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabicano
 
My bay has quite a few white hairs in her tail, rising 5yo, but her sire or dam was grey so I suppose that where it comes from?
(that or stress, which wouldn't surprise me:o:D)

Will they become more plentiful over the years?
 
My horse is the same- though I assumed age related as he is 16 (he had the grey bits when I got him last year!)- though would be cool if it was genetic instead, never really thought about it!
 
ncarter said:
We have a stunning bay mare at our yard, she is only young (4 or 5 I think), and this winter her mane has gone really grey! Still with black mixed in so it looks like when a dark haired human is going gray (rather than completely white). Her tail has too, but to a much lesser extent. It was completely unexpected!

She still looks fantastic, but very unusual now.

Just wondered if this has happened to anyone else? Or what has caused it? (would it be a grey somewhere back in the breeding?)

I will try and get a pic this eve (with her owner's permission)

I think she is a hanovarian x TB, and I think they have checked the colour of her parents, and both were dark and/or bay.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

My mare has a grey streak in her tail I'm always joking its her Cruelella Deville stripe :)
 
This is not just a few white hairs, it is really noticeable even from a distance, and has just changed over this winter - will def get a photo tonight :)
 
Ok, here are a couple of photos taken in the field today - the owner is also going to send me one that may show it better.





Thoughts anyone? I am so intrigued by it!

Nevertheless, she is still a beautiful horse :D
 
Photos show mane just like my mare's. Mine doesn't wear a neck rug and there are no hairs missing so I think it's genetic. Will try and get pics of my horse tomorrow as heavens opened up at the horses tonight.
 
My boy is so similar- only has a tiny bit of white on his face, otherwise solid bay, but has a few darker patches on his body- you might see in this picture? His mane is same as OPs horse.. sorry for hijack but very interested!

465756_10152443128152837_370831877_o.jpg
 
The most likely cause is Sabino. It can do odd things like Gulastra Plume (grey tail - but no grey gene). You can also get the Gulastra effect in the mane. Having white markings, even tiny ones, suggests that sabino is a possibility.

This is the most striking Gulastra Plume that I've seen.

greytailedcolt.jpg
 
would that sort of colouring give any indication as to the breeding of the horse Faracat?

our suspicion was that she was welsh cross tb, she was16.2hh
 
Sadly Sabino is common (maybe sadly is the wrong word, but it doesn't give much of a clue as to breed).

577902_3013193173787_2083427816_n.jpg
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TB x welsh is possible.

Without the sabino, she would have been seal brown (often mistaken for dark bay). Was her tail Gulastra/'grey' too?
 
Faracat said:
Sadly Sabino is common (maybe sadly is the wrong word, but it doesn't give much of a clue as to breed).

TB x welsh is possible.

Without the sabino, she would have been seal brown (often mistaken for dark bay). Was her tail Gulastra/'grey' too?
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yes her tail was grey too, when i went to see her i was going to see a bay mare and was presented with her
 
Hi faracat, yes apparently she has a tiny bit of white on her face (I had not noticed it before) .... so I think it is the sabino gene (I will do some research on it).

Loving the Gulastra plume!!!

Thank you all for your help x
 
Faracat said:
Photos would be great. If neither parent is grey, it cannot be grey.

My guess would be that sabino is the culprit. Does she have any white markings at all (even a teeny star or white heel)?



I'd like to see a photo. Again sabino is probably the cause here too (both Tb's and Shires have it... well a lot of breeds do as it's rife in arabs and think how many breeds have an arab in their ancestry somewhere).
Click to expand...

Hi I am the owner of this mare she has not got any white marking anywhere on her body she is bright bay with black legs her mane was jet black
 
It is certainly a bit of a mystery.

It could possibly still be sabino, although the lack of white markings makes this a bit less likely.

Other things that cause white hairs to grow include pressure, damage to the skin (ie a wound), viruses and fungal infections. Diet can have an effect on pigment (copper and zinc deficiency are known to fade coat colour).
 
How interesting, love the term 'gulastra plume' and that Arab is gorgeous. There was a horse posted on a facebook group recently that was standard bay with a tail white from the dock, it looked awesome! I think it was a warmblood or a TB.
 
mandwhy said:
How interesting, love the term 'gulastra plume' and that Arab is gorgeous. There was a horse posted on a facebook group recently that was standard bay with a tail white from the dock, it looked awesome! I think it was a warmblood or a TB.
Click to expand...

Could you post the photo on here?
 
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