The gray color of the horse: what color is it, history of origin and connection with character

The black and bay colors of horses are described in modern and classical literature, it is not difficult to imagine a horse of this color even to people who have seen these animals only a few times in their lives. But what a gray-colored horse looks like, many cannot imagine. A foal can be born with this color, or the bluish coloring appears gradually as the animal matures.

Origin story

The color of a horse is a combination of shades of wool, skin, mane and tail, eyes. Color is inherited genetically. The gray, or gray, suit is called a gray color, in which black and white hairs are combined to form an amazing palette.With age, the skin of the animal becomes lighter, as there are more white hairs. The mane and tail of gray-colored horses can remain dark - black or bay. Bright contrast is especially appreciated by breeders.

Most often representatives of the gray color are found among the Oryol trotters. Count Alexei Orlov, the founder of this breed, brought a stallion in 1775, which received the name Smetanka for the amazing silver-gray color of the coat. The offspring obtained from Smetanka (only 5 foals) betrayed a unique set of genes to the next generations, and the gray shade began to be often repeated in horses of the Oryol breed. Its appearance is due to the absence of a coloring pigment in the hairs of wool.

What a gray horse looks like: variations and shades

Gray-gray, or gray-haired, suit does not apply to the main shades. These horses are gray in color, uniform in color without spots, distinguishable borders of the transition of colors. Gray animals can be:

• gray (this is the lightest tone), which is often confused with white;
• gray (darker shade of gray);
• wet asph alt color (the darkest color variation).

These are the most common options for a gray horse. Light gray mare, looks almost white with a bluish tint. Therefore, they are mistakenly called white horses.

Important: white-colored horses do not exist, even the lightest animals in shade are gray. A gray tint makes the color intense gray, and a dark saturated color of the body can also tint blue.

Large spots on the skin of a horse, located in accordance with the plexus of blood vessels, having a lighter shade, are called "apples". Small dark spots, often scattered over the animal's body, are called "buckwheat". Horses with spots, “in apples”, “in buckwheat” do not belong to a gray suit.At the same time, with age, “apples” or “buckwheat” may appear on the skin of a gray animal.

Foals can be distinguished immediately after birth, you should pay attention to the color of the skin of the animal. Whatever the baby, but if his skin is gray, by 3-4 years old it will be an animal of gray color.

Genetics

The bluish color does not always appear at birth. Foals genetically predisposed to become “gray mares” can be born bay or black, and at the age of 3-4 years they change a lot, brightening. First, the head, the belly of the horse is highlighted, much later, the legs brighten.

Unknowingly, animals of this color were often considered old, hence the expression "bullshit". After all, strange ideas and outright stupidity are characteristic of older people.With age, horses of any color turn gray, the color becomes much lighter than in young animals.

Relationship between character and color

It has been installed for centuries. Black and bay are considered the most hardy, fast and strong horses. Red-colored animals are wayward, cunning and independent. Gray horses are good-natured and accommodating, but they are often illegible in food and suffer from poisoning and digestive diseases. You can hear the opinion that gray-colored horses are not too smart, but breeders refute this statement, considering their horses to be the most beautiful and smart.

The relationship between color and character is not always traced, so when buying a pet, you should pay attention to the nature of his ancestors, heredity. All animals have a passport. For thoroughbred animals, this will be a document of a certain color, which indicates the color of the horse, his ancestors.For purebred animals, DNA analysis is performed.

A horse, even more than any other pet, should be chosen with the heart. After all, these are strong animals, which, in the absence of love, mutual understanding and skills in working with these pets, can cause injury to the rider. Horses are able to turn over the cart they are harnessed to, rush or stand on their hind legs. Therefore, the most important thing is not the color of the horse, but its character and a sincere desire to make friends with a person and see him as his master.

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