# Neat..mushroom ponies!



## CritterCountry (Jan 26, 2009)

Came across this site and I can only think that the color they are referring to as 'mushroom' is the silver dapple gene?

http://www.halstockshetlands.co.uk/mushroom-ponies.htm

I just saw the link and thought what in the heck could mushroom ponies be? You can imagine what I was thinking..little mushroom shaped ponies...lol.






So thought that was interesting that in the U.K. silver dapple is referred to as mushroom. I'm learning something new every day.





BTW surf the site and look at their ponies. Some of them are breathtaking. I am thinking when I can afford to have a pony again, that I want a Welsh Section A. I just think they are beautiful. But I was wondering why their backs dip so much?

I also noted some old style shetlands have high butts too..is this a desired trait? I can't imagine that kind of body structure holding out for too long?? I know nothing of either breed, so thought I would ask.


----------



## Crabtree Farm (Jan 26, 2009)

The Aussies call it "Taffy". It is truely a beautiful color.

Tina


----------



## disneyhorse (Jan 26, 2009)

These ponies all have the "silver" gene. It can cause "silver black" (solid grey varying from very very pale light with lighter-to-white manes to almost black with lighter-to-white manes), "silver dapple" (often the silver dapples exhibit stunning dappled bodies), "silver bay" (bay with charcoal leg points and a silvery-to-white mane and tail), and "silver buckskin" (looks like a silver black but has more gold tone to the body) and others. Basically it modifies the black hair on the body... so any black hair will turn silvery (either dark silver all the way to white). It does not touch red, so any red parts of the horse (mane or body, etc) would look pretty much the same.

Interesting "marketing ploy" to give the silvers a name like "mushroom" though!

Andrea


----------



## My-Lil-Pony (Jan 26, 2009)

I have not heard of them being called Mushroom that is funny



We have a short stirrup pony at the barn who was imported and they called her "taffy". She is a actually a gray but I am sure at one point she did appear silver dapple while she was going gray.


----------



## crponies (Jan 26, 2009)

Here's some more reading on it for you: mushroom shetlands


----------



## Boinky (Jan 27, 2009)

definatly an interesting marketing ploy.. I'd be some upset to buy one of those mares that was NOT silver because they said she produced it..when infact the silver gene came from the sire.. they were really pushing those mares as being producers when those of us that understand silver know that gene did not come from the mother.


----------



## rabbitsfizz (Jan 27, 2009)

Hey, guys, no, I'm sorry this is nothing to do with Silver.

It is Chestnut based and seems unique to real Shetlands.

I am not sure of the genetic make up of this and I too was highly suspect of it at first but it does appear to be genuine.

As far as I know there is no Silver in real Shetlands, and obviously no way it could get in now, either.

The colour does not reproduce very often, the Firth ponies are mostly pale Red Dun (registered as "cream" Dun) and then the odd one comes out this colour.

There are no dapples on these ponies, either, it is not like Silver where you get that unique "Rocking Horse" effect on occasion, these ponies are uniformly beige!!

I bought one for a friend a few years back and she has only ever had Chestnut or Black foals to date (obviously dependant on what she is bred to) none her own colour.

There are a couple of affixes that have a lot of ponies this colour Grimpowood being one that springs to mind, no idea if they are even still around, let alone have a website, but it would be worth googling to see.


----------



## Shari (Jan 27, 2009)

I talked to one of the folks over a year ago that are looking into the "Mushroom" ponies. They have had them gen tested for silver and the ponies are Neg for the Silver gene.

Read all the pages in depth....pretty interesting reading.

Looked into it because a couple of Icelandic's I know where tested for the Silver because they look like they should be...but they also tested Neg for the Silver gene. So I gave the Mushroom pony link and email to them..... am sure there will be more genetic testing in the future.


----------



## rabbitsfizz (Jan 28, 2009)

Shari, there is Silver in Icelandics, isn't there??


----------



## StarRidgeAcres (Jan 28, 2009)

Forgive my ignorance, but is that really what "shetlands" look like? There are some seriously thick-necked, long-backed horses pictures on that site.


----------



## babygoose (Jan 28, 2009)

I'll take them all please



Goodness they are cute!


----------



## CritterCountry (Jan 28, 2009)

VERY interesting...and yes, I wondered if that is the way the old style shetlands were supposed to look too.


----------



## Boinky (Jan 28, 2009)

I have looked at several top European shetland breeder pages and many of them are very butt high and oddly shaped to say the least..and i wouldn't think it would be idea to "function". I am guessing those shapes are desired since some of the top winners are conformed that way?? I would love to hear more about why the build is the way it is if there are specific functions it helps facilitate?


----------

