# Do palominos get darker with age?



## maplegum (Dec 6, 2008)

I'm crossing my fingers hoping that Bailey sheds his winter coat into a rich golden colour. He has just turned 2 and I'm noticing the hair under his chest and his face has become quite golden..probably more so than last summer. His winter coat is snow white, no signs of gold at all.

Can you share pictures of your palominos as they mature so I can see their colour changes?

xox Leonie xox


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## Jill (Dec 6, 2008)

Yes, some do, maybe most






When he was younger, Bacardi used to be a light buff color in fall / winter / early spring, however, he is now very golden all year long.

Derby was born looking a golden - sorrel color yet matured to be a light / Isabella palomino, so he went the other way.

Here... see Bacardi as a yearling naturally shed at Erica's, then as a 2yo on the February 25, 2006 and in the spring after his FIRST clip (day of) on May 29, 2006



:yes



And, that "tinge" on is winter coat, I really think it is red clay dirt and not any gold showing through since it's also the same color of his mane... And then how he looked after his last show which shame on me was over a year ago... Basically a progression in chronological order but maybe most interesting is contrast between dirty shaggy picture and the rough clipped picture (3mos apart):





























Then here is Derby from foal to adult -- the opposite "golden" effect:


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## Miniequine (Dec 6, 2008)

Jill,

your pictures are interesting.

I have a colt here that was born very golden,

now at 6 months, his winter coat is white but golden underneath,

expecially on his head.

What color would you guess he'll be? Bacardi's color is gorgeous!

~Sandy


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## Annabellarose (Dec 6, 2008)

Years and years ago, I bred two Palominos from the same cross (same stallion, same mare). They were both very light at birth/as a baby and one got darker, almost the same shade as Jill's beautiful Bacardi, and one got lighter.


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## mad for mini's (Dec 6, 2008)

Good question ! I am sure it depends on the individual and as to what shade they start out at but I am hoping they do turn darker. I have a palomino yearling that is quite light colored, he is also a pinto but he is so light that I can hardly see his patches of white.

Caspian as a weanling






Summer yearling coat






This winters coat as a 1 1/2 year old






Is it also possible that some do not change at all ? Cause I am not seeing a difference here


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## Annabellarose (Dec 6, 2008)

mad for mini's said:


> Is it also possible that some do not change at all? Cause I am not seeing a difference here


I am SURE that it's possible and probably happens all of the time. I can't say that I've ever known one that didn't change in some way, but I haven't known a lot of Palominos. LOL


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## attwoode (Dec 6, 2008)

They seem to be darkest when first born and then after 3 yo in my experience. Some never get very dark, others are dark from the start. Mine generally have a lighter winter coat and get a little darker each spring for the first few years.


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## rabbitsfizz (Dec 6, 2008)

No rules with this, he may, he may not!!!

You'll just have to wait and see.

Lots of things are said to help, shampoos, additives, feed (grass for example) but I have never found that they do, really.

I had a filly go really, really dark as a yearling, then go smutty and as an adult she was a deep cream colour, so no rhyme or reason!!


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## Miniv (Dec 6, 2008)

attwoode said:


> They seem to be darkest when first born and then after 3 yo in my experience. Some never get very dark, others are dark from the start. Mine generally have a lighter winter coat and get a little darker each spring for the first few years.



Same here.......Our palominos vary in shades, look lighter in their fuzzies, and every year shed off a little more golden.


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## Minimor (Dec 6, 2008)

Some absolutely do not change at all. I can say that, because I have one of those. He was born with enough color that you could see he was palomino, but not a dark gold by any means....I was hoping he would darken some with age, but it's not to be so. He's 5--now coming 6--and I don't believe that he'll be any darker at 6 than he was at five...or at 1... This time of year of course he is white, and summer brings a nice but just-barely-gold color to his coat.

I've got another palomino here that is in the same category I think; he's just coming 2 so I can't say for sure that he won't be darker next summer, but I'll be surprised if he is. He was a very pale gold this past summer, and I just don't see him changing with age.


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