Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky
Solid horse colors include:
- Bay
- Black
- Brown
- Chestnut (or sorrel)
- Buckskin
- Gray
- White
- Palomino
If a horse is roan, owners are encouraged to specify whether it is a blue or a red roan. If the horse has a paint or pinto color pattern, owners should specify if it is overo or tobiano and what the base body color is (black, brown, chestnut, or bay).
For appaloosa coloring, owners should record the base color as well as the coat pattern. For example, use descriptive terms, such as "A dark bay Appaloosa with a white blanket and spots that extend up to the withers and a mottled muzzle." Certain breed associations have different ways to characterize the coloring of a horse.
Check out these Web sites on breed identification:
