Color by Breed

Below is a list of breeds and the colors that exist within that breed gene pool. Some of the colors listed may not be registerable with the breed registry but still exist in the gene pool all the same. I have tried to make note of such occurences wherever I find them. This is not even remotely a comprehensive list of breeds, but I will add to it as I'm able.




Arabians: black, chestnut, bay, brown, and grey. Patterns include sabino and rabicano. The IAHA still lists roan as a color, but true dark-headed roan does not exist in the breed. What they call "roan" is actually a rosy shade of grey that bay or chestnut horses go through when they grey out. There are also a handful of purported palomino and buckskin Arabs, but the cream gene doesn't exist in the gene pool, so those horses are really only light chestnuts (with enhanced flaxen manes and tails) or bays.

Clydesdales: black and bay. Patterns include sabino. Most, if not all, Clydesdales carry the sabino pattern to some degree. Some extremely marked individuals have been confused with roans, but true dark-headed roan does not exist in the breed. Grey is also not found in the breed, though many extremely marked black sabinos are confused with greys. Supposedly, chestnut can be found in the breed (and it does figure logically), but I've never seen photographic evidence of it.

Friesians: black and chestnut. Friesians are predominantly homozygous black, but a handful of individuals are heterozygous, meaning they carry one black gene and one chestnut. Occasionally, two heterozygous individuals are bred, and a chestnut foal is produced. It is very rare, however, and only four chestnuts are currently known. For more info and pictures, see this page: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/4075/obizuth.html. Historically, Friesians were also known to have come in grey, but none exist now.

Morgans: black, chestnut, bay, brown, grey, all cream dilutions, all dun dilutions, roan, and silver dapple. Patterns include frame overo, sabino, and rabicano. The sabino pattern can cause unusual roan-looking horses that seem to be unique to the Morgan breed. They are roaned all over, including their heads and legs, so they are not true dark-headed roans. That said, true, dark-headed roans do exist in the breed though they are incredibly rare. As of November 2005, only 2 roan Morgans are left, a gelding and an elderly mare. For more information see The Rainbow Morgan Horse Association.

Quarter Horses: black, chestnut, bay, brown, grey, all cream dilutions, all dun dilutions, roan, silver dapple, pearl, and champagne. Patterns include frame overo and sabino. Until 2004, double dilute creams (cremello, perlino, and smoky cream) were not recognized by the AQHA even though they obviously existed. Single dilute creams (palomino, buckskin, and smoky black) have always been accepted. Also in 2004, the AQHA rescinded their excessive white rule, allowing any horse with 2 AQHA registered parents to be registered, no matter how much white they expressed. Frame overo and sabino, from minimum to maximum expression, are responsible for the "crop out Paints" seen in the breed.

Paint: black, chestnut, bay, brown, grey, all cream dilutions, all dun dilutions, roan, silver dapple, pearl, and champagne. Patterns include tobiano, frame overo, tovero, splash white, and sabino. Any color goes so long as the horse is patterned. :-)

Saddlebreds: black, chestnut, bay, brown, grey, all cream dilutions, silver dapple, roan, and champagne. Patterns include tobiano, frame overo, tovero, sabino, and rabicano. True dark-headed roans are exceedingly rare, but a few do still exist.

Standardbreds: black, chestnut, bay, brown, grey, all cream dilutions, abd roan. Patterns include tobiano, sabino, and rabicano. True dark-headed roans and cream dilutes are rare, but a few do still exist.

Thoroughbreds: black, chestnut, bay, brown, grey, and all cream dilutions. Patterns include sabino, frame overo, and rabicano. As with Arabians, the Jockey Club still lists roan as a color, but true dark-headed roan does not exist in the breed. What they call "roan" is actually a rosy shade of grey that bay or black horses go through when they grey out.

Back to Main Page