Horse coat colors

Basic inheritance explains why a foal is bay instead of black. It doesn’t explain why some color genes carry real health risks, why two genetically “safe” parents can still produce an unexpected outcome, or what a genetic panel is actually checking for. That’s the layer most owners never get into – and it’s the layer …

Most horse coat colors start with one of three base colors – bay, chestnut, or black. The rest is figuring out how dilutions and patterns change that foundation. Horse coat colors at a glance: Start with the base: Bay has a brown body and black points; chestnut has red pigment and no true black points; …