Equine Colors and Markings

Black

• Black refers to a horse that is solid black all

over its body with no light areas.

• Mane and tail will be black.

Brown• A brown horse varies from medium, to dark, to almost

black.

• A brown horse can always be distinguished from a

black by the light areas at the muzzle, eyes, flanks and

inside the upper legs.

White

• A white horse has pure white coat, including

their main and tail.

Bay

• A horse that has a black mane and tail,

usually black points, remaining body color

varying from tan to brown, or a reddish

brown.

Chestnut

• Dark red or brownish red with the mane and

tail either the same or lighter in color than

the body

Sorrel

• Body color is reddish or copper-red.• Mane and tail usually same color as body, but may be

flaxen

Buckskin

•Body color is yellowish or gold.

•Mane and tail are black and black on lower legs.

Palomino

• Horses which are a golden color, with a white

or light colored mane and tail.

Dun• Horses have a yellowish or gold body color with a

mane and tail that are usually black or brown.

• Usually has “zebra-like” stripes on legs

Roan• Mixture of white and

black, or white and red, hairs over most of the body.

▫ Usually darker on head and lower legs.

Tobiano

• Dark color usually covers

one or both flanks.

• Generally all four legs are

white.

• Head markings are like a

solid-colored horse.

• May be predominantly

dark or white.

• Tail is often two colors.

Tobiano

White markings usually cross the back between the withers and tail

Overo

• Generally dark legs.

• Color is irregular,

scattered or splashy.

• Often bold head

markings, for example, a

bald face.

• May be predominantly

dark or white.

• Tail is usually one color.

Overo

• White markings do not usually cross the

back between the withers and the tail.

Overo

White

TobianoWhite markings usually

cross the back between the withers and tail

Black

Chestnut

Sorrel

Buckskin

Overo

• White markings do not usually cross the back between the withers and the tail.

Overo

Bay

Dun

Brown

Roan

Palomino