Alfie&Milo
Well-Known Member
As you can see from my picture my yearling is a dark grey and white skewbald but I've been told this will fade to white over time, is this always true? I love his colour!
Do all grey and white horses eventually turn completely white???
- Thread starter Alfie&Milo
- Start date
wilsha
Well-Known Member
only when hes very old hepobably wont go compleley white as he is skewbald but greys and dapple greys go lighter ad more flea bitten as they get older
abbieandfiona
Well-Known Member
Mine was born a dun, went lots of shades of grey and now is very much white each year she gets lighter.
Honey08
Waffled a lot!
I know a pony called Patch, that was skewbald, and is now completely white at 10 yrs. You can only see his patches when he is wet now!
Alfie&Milo
Well-Known Member
ohh
thatsmygirl
Well-Known Member
i love my dapple grey boy, Dont want a steel grey. Would have to paint him dark again[
jodie3
Well-Known Member
Ditto this! A horse I had was down on his passport as blue and white but when I bought him at about 9 he was totally white, apart from when he was wet when you could see the different coloured skin patches. His old owner sent me some photos of him as a youngster and he was coloured very like your yearling - sorry!
I'm sure someone more knowledgable than me will explain it better but I think its because the greying gene is more dominant?
I know years ago I was looking to breed an Appaloosa and was advised never to use a grey mare as even if the foal was spotty it would grey out.
Booboos
Well-Known Member
R was dappley grey when I got him at 6, but he is now white with a lot of chesnut spots at 11! I think this might mean he was born chesnut, but not sure!
Umbongo
Well-Known Member
I also know a couple of coloureds that are completely grey at about 10 years too! However to the same effect I know many coloured horses that haven't faded to grey and are in their 20's.
I always thought that most grey horses do eventually grey out and become a lighter grey. I didn't know that coloureds could too until I saw it for myself!
I always thought that most grey horses do eventually grey out and become a lighter grey. I didn't know that coloureds could too until I saw it for myself!
GLEEK
Well-Known Member
My horse is was dapple grey on her passport now she is completely green and brown no white to be seen any where!!!
legaldancer
Well-Known Member
I too know of a blue & white pony that went completely white over the years.
However, I once had a blue & white mare that was also a bit spotty on her quarters. Think they're known as Pintaloosas now. I had her for nearly 3 years & her colouring didn't change in that time. I saw her a couple of years later & she still hadn't faded. She was a blue roan & white skewbald, so a little bit different to a dapple type grey.
However, I once had a blue & white mare that was also a bit spotty on her quarters. Think they're known as Pintaloosas now. I had her for nearly 3 years & her colouring didn't change in that time. I saw her a couple of years later & she still hadn't faded. She was a blue roan & white skewbald, so a little bit different to a dapple type grey.
LeneHorse
Well-Known Member
My mare's the same. She was quite dark grey dappled when I got her at 4 - you could clearly see she had a white blaze and socks - but now at 12 she is white with a lot of flea bitten chestnut spots mainly on her face and shoulders. This freckled look suits her cheeky character!
Re OP there was a pony at our yard that was coloured when he came as a youngster, but went white quite quickly. You could still see his coloured bits when he was newly clipped or had a bath.
Kallibear
Well-Known Member
Yep, all 'grey' horses go white eventually and your horse looks like it's greying out already.
How quickly varies though - my friends grey was completely white by the time he was 3yrs old but I know a 14yr old horse who's still quite dark. I'd guess that is yours is already showing greying at a yearling, he'll go white quickly. Sorry!
How quickly varies though - my friends grey was completely white by the time he was 3yrs old but I know a 14yr old horse who's still quite dark. I'd guess that is yours is already showing greying at a yearling, he'll go white quickly. Sorry!
JanetGeorge
Well-Known Member
They do that to you! My lovely boy was white (once!)
But he gets more 'mottled' with age - and my lack of energy!
It's not that the grey gene is dominant - it's just that it's THERE! When one parent is grey, there is a 50% chance the offspring will carry the grey gene - and go grey.
If BOTH parents are grey, there is a 75% chance that the offspring will carry the grey gene - and go grey!
If neither parent is grey, the offspring will NOT be grey.
If either parent is homozygous for grey, there is a 100% cerainty that the offspring will be grey! Gery is NOT a colour gene - it's a colour modifying gene.
jodie3
Well-Known Member
Thank you JanetGeorge, I knew someone would be able to explain it properly!