If you’ve ever stood by a paddock and wondered how riders seem to identify horse colours so effortlessly, you’re not alone. The world of equine coats is wonderfully complex, with shades that shift in the sunlight and patterns that seem painted by nature itself.
Each hue tells a story written in genetics. Two base pigments, red and black, form the foundation of every horse’s colouring, and countless genetic variations create the incredible range we see today. Whether you’re new to the equestrian world or simply fascinated by these elegant animals, learning to recognise different coat types adds depth to every stable visit and photograph.
What appears at first glance to be just “brown” or “grey” can reveal hints of heritage, breed, and even personality. This simple guide breaks down the major colour groups, helping you spot the subtle differences that make each horse unique.
This article is for general knowledge only and is based on information from online sources.
Black
True black horses are striking for their rich, even colour across the body, mane, and tail. While they may have white markings on their legs or face, their coats remain a deep, uniform shade.
Some have striped hooves, but overall, the look is sleek and classic. Black coats can fade slightly in harsh sunlight, taking on a brownish tint during summer months.
Genuine blacks always show dark skin beneath their coat, distinguishing them from dark bays or browns that may appear similar at first glance.
Chestnut
Chestnut horses range from light copper to dark mahogany, always with a reddish undertone. Lighter variations, such as flaxen chestnut, have pale manes and tails, while darker liver chestnuts appear almost chocolate.
Despite this range, the mane and tail never turn black. The colour comes entirely from red pigment, making chestnuts one of the most genetically straightforward coat types.
Many people confuse chestnuts with sorrels, though some registries use these terms interchangeably for the same reddish hue.
Bay
Bays combine reddish-brown coats with distinct black points: the mane, tail, and lower legs. The shade can vary from bright red bay to dark chocolate bay, but those black accents always give the breed away.
Bay is one of the most common horse colours worldwide, appearing across nearly every breed. The contrast between body and points creates a polished, athletic appearance that many riders favour.
Wild horses often display bay colouring, suggesting it may have offered survival advantages in natural environments.
Gray
Gray horses lighten as they age, often appearing white in maturity. They may display fascinating patterns like dapple gray, iron gray, or fleabitten gray, where tiny dark flecks scatter through the coat.
Born darker, grays progressively lose pigment over the years. Most gray horses carry dark skin underneath their coats, which helps distinguish them from true whites or cremellos.
Interestingly, gray is actually a modifier gene rather than a base colour, meaning grays can start life as any other colour before fading.
Buckskin
Buckskins wear coats of gold, tan, or cream with black manes, tails, and legs. Their appearance often brings to mind the horses of old Western films.
Some even show faint stripes or dappling across their shoulders and hindquarters. The buckskin colour results from a cream dilution gene acting on a bay base, softening the reddish body while keeping the black points intact.
Many buckskins also display primitive markings inherited from ancient wild horses, adding to their rugged, frontier charm and historical appeal.
Palomino
Palominos are instantly recognisable by their golden coats and creamy or white manes and tails. The colour ranges from pale yellow to deep bronze, earning them comparisons to expensive jewellery or sunset hues.
Their striking appearance has made them favourites in parades, shows, and films. Palomino colouring comes from a single cream gene diluting a chestnut base, creating that signature metallic sheen.
Some registries accept palominos based strictly on colour, regardless of breed, celebrating the beauty of this eye-catching shade.
Cremello
Cremellos have a uniform cream coat, pink skin, and usually blue eyes. Their colouring makes them stand out in any field, though their fair skin requires protection from strong sun.
Cremellos result from two copies of the cream dilution gene, washing out nearly all pigment. Despite their pale appearance, they differ genetically from true white horses, which carry separate colour genes.
Many people mistake cremellos for albinos, but true albinism does not naturally occur in horses due to genetic factors.
Perlino
Similar to the cremello, the perlino’s cream coat carries a subtle reddish tint in the mane and tail. They too have pink skin and blue eyes, producing a soft, pearly appearance.
Perlinos are double-diluted bays, meaning they have the bay gene underneath all that cream. If you look closely in certain light, you might detect faint hints of the darker points trying to show through.
Both perlinos and cremellos need extra care in sunny climates to prevent sunburn on their sensitive, lightly pigmented skin.
Dun
Duns can look similar to buckskins but have unique primitive markings, such as a dark dorsal stripe down the back and horizontal leg barring that resembles zebra stripes. These ancient patterns hint at wild ancestry.
Blue duns, also called grullas, display silvery-grey or mouse-toned coats with dark points and a dorsal stripe. Red duns have pale tan or gold coats with a reddish tint and visible primitive markings running along their bodies.
The dun gene is one of the oldest colour modifiers known in horses.
Appaloosa Spotted Patterns
Spotted coats occur in breeds like the Appaloosa, Knabstrupper, and British Spotted Pony, each with distinctive patterns. Leopard spot patterns feature a white base covered in dark or coloured spots scattered across the entire body.
Few spot leopards are mostly white, with sparse spotting on the face, legs, and flanks. Blanket spot patterns show a dark body with a white blanket over the hindquarters, often dotted with spots matching the base colour.
Snowflake patterns scatter white speckles over a dark body, creating a frosted look.
Pinto And Paint Patterns
Pinto horses feature large patches of white and another base colour, with several distinct patterns. Tobiano displays rounded white patches that cross the back, typically paired with dark heads and legs.
Overo, or frame, patterns show sharp-edged patches running horizontally, often with white faces and blue eyes. Sabino produces blurred white markings that climb from the legs up the sides and belly, common in heavy breeds like Clydesdales.
Splash white appears as though the horse has been dipped in white paint, with extensive white on the lower body.
Roan
Roans are defined by white hairs intermingled with darker ones throughout the coat. Unlike grays, their colour stays consistent with age, maintaining the same mix of light and dark hairs year after year.
Red, or strawberry, roans have a chestnut base with white hairs giving a pinkish hue. Bay roans combine the bay base with roaning, plus the black mane and legs typical of bays.
Blue roans feature a black base mixed with white hairs for a slate-blue look that catches the eye in any lighting.
