# What's the one colour you wouldn't want in your breeding program?



## Matt73 (Feb 5, 2011)

Okay. Most of us know that there are no wrong colours; it's the horse that counts. That being said, if you had two of the exact horses in front of you that were different colours what _wouldn't_ you choose? For me, it would be anything roan. I know many of these aren't colours, but more modifiers...but for simplicity's sake, let's just group them together


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## ruffian (Feb 5, 2011)

There are some beautiful grey horses out there - but they just don't appeal to me as much as other colors.


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## MindyLee (Feb 5, 2011)

I dont like black...

only way if I do would be a nice black bay like a mule color black bay...

Nor grey or silver, BUT I do own a silver dapple that is just stunning, but thats it.


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## Minimor (Feb 5, 2011)

I voted bay--but I don't mean a nice red bay, the bay that I absolutely don't want, be it for breeding or just to own, is the yucky mule brown/bay. I loathe that color. It would have to be a very, very nice horse before I would buy it in spite of it being that color--and to be honest I can't imagine that there is a horse out there that is nice enough to overcome that awful color!





Second would probably be appaloosa; I like a nice blanket appy and the loud leopards but wouldn't want too many of them in my herd. I don't go for the varnish apps at all


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## Watcheye (Feb 5, 2011)

Not a huge fan of homozygous gray. I like having more variety with my colors vs knowing they will always wash out. Also I am not horridly excited about the silver modifier though I have seen some silvers that have blown me away. My first mini was silver bay and he was the best and I have one that I am pretty sure is homozygous gray



. I adore both of them obviously, this is just taking color (in this case the color modifier) into mind.


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## Raine Ranch Minis (Feb 5, 2011)

I voted Grey, but I have one! LOL






Love her and she is bred, but do NOT want any more!!!






She is all I have for a brood mare, but she is a Great show horse! She has a 4-H State first place in mini mares & over all grand champ (against big horses) , over all horse in our local club, and made me over all youth in that club too under her belt for her first show season! She placed 3rd in mine and her first AMHR show. Can't wait for this baby this year!!!





Anyway back to the poll. All of the other colors I would WANT! I want a rainbow of colors!


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## Relic (Feb 5, 2011)

No perlino or grey wanted here...but have come to pretend a nice shinny black while walking past my fave GREY driving gelding..so you just never know about color till that one special one comes along even wearing a shade that doesn't appeal









other then that l'll take a bay or black any day..


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## ohmt (Feb 5, 2011)

Light chestnuts and the dull bays I don't like much. For patterns I really don't like bald faces, though one of my favorite broodmares had a bald face and 2 more who I would never ever part with have apron faces. Because I have too many silvers as it is (and because once you have one silver your whole herd seems to turn silver) I don't think I would buy one unless it was VERY special. Really I like most colors/patterns though and would take on any if the horse was the conformation I like.


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## mydaddysjag (Feb 5, 2011)

Im not a fan of double dilutes, dont like the pink skin.


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## Maple Hollow Farm (Feb 5, 2011)

Well I had to say grey since its for the breeding program aspect (I love a solid grey-gorgeous, but not a pinto or appy since it eventually fades away to white and any awesome pattern can no longer be seen). I just dont like the odds for a grey horse's foal to turn grey and ruin the color, that being said I had a grey stallion and bred him to one mare and have a non grey pinto foal, bred him back to the same mare for this year so might still get one grey from him, but he is a gelding now mainly because he was a little too hot headed for a stallion plus being grey, it was only a matter of time until I gelded him LOL! As for perlino/cremello horses I dont particularly care for the color itself but like to keep it in my breeding program to produce those gorgeous buckskins and palominos!


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## Knottymare (Feb 6, 2011)

This is an interesting conversation. I don't have a breeding program and very likely, never will... but I am certainly a horse nut and am smitten by the minis.





In the course of doing a lot of rescue, I've probably had every color and pattern out there at one point or another LOL... and I've been surprised by some horses in a color that I otherwise HATE but in that particular horse, love it. For instance, I'm not a big fan of chestnut/sorrel but we had an OTTB that was the ORANGEST chestnut and he was gorgeous!





IF I were a breeder, I'd love to learn more about duns, buckskins, blacks and all of those interesting genetics... and I would not want to have any roans.


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## Crabby-Chicken (Feb 6, 2011)

Uhg I hate silver dapple AND



grey... Guess what... here is my stallion. Silver dapple grey stallion. Who woulda thunk it. He is awesome though.


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## weebiscuit (Feb 6, 2011)

I like all colors, but when I get a foal that's all white except for a tiny patch of color on an ear or on the poll, I cringe a little, as they are just so darn hard to keep them looking good when it's muddy and filthy outside. And the grass stains are SO apparent!


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## Knottymare (Feb 6, 2011)

Crabby-Chicken said:


> Uhg I hate silver dapple AND
> 
> 
> 
> grey... Guess what... here is my stallion. Silver dapple grey stallion. Who woulda thunk it. He is awesome though.


This picture is just stunning. I swooned when I saw it!


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## rabbitsfizz (Feb 6, 2011)

I would have a grey mare- they only have one foal a year and that has a fifty fifty chance of not being grey, but I would not use a grey stallion.

I know there are people that like greys- I am happy for them- I am not one of them and grey just messes up colours, patterns and everything. So, no, no matter how nice the horse, I would not use a grey stallion. My loss, I know!


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## AnnaC (Feb 6, 2011)

For myself I am not too fussed about colour, but my daughter really does not like chestnuts so a couple of 'funny' stories......

My original mini mare (solid bay) came to me when she was in foal as a 3 year old for her first foal. She foaled the following year a chestnut and white pinto. She is now 21 and over the years she has thrown many different colours for me depending upon the stallion used - bays, blacks, black and white pintos, appy, but never another chestnut. One of her daughters (black and white pinto) is extremely stunning so we decided to repeat that breeding (to my Falabella boy). Great excitement waiting for this foal to arrive (last year), we were waiting right there at the birth ready to greet a replica baby.........she threw a CHESTNUT!! LOL!! I wont say what daughter said!!

Last year anyway was nearly a 'disaster' colour wise for poor daughter. We covered most of our girls with Dragon (Darmonds Boogermans Bravado) - sorrel pinto and overo LWO+ - and rightly expected to get some colour from our coloured girls. The first 4 foals to be born were SOLID CHESTNUTS!! LOL!! Daughter nearly gave up, but I couldn't help laughing!! The next two (from black and white pinto mares) were solid black - more acceptable in daughter's eyes - but the rest were coloured in various ways, so redeemed themselves. LOL!

Just goes to show you can never count on what colour will appear from our wonderful minis.





Anna


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## rabbitsfizz (Feb 6, 2011)

Bred a black mare to a black, minimal Tobiano.

Got a chestnut foal!

Bred the chestnut foal (mare) to a black base Fewspot Pintaloosa.

Got a bay base blanket Appy.

Lo que sera!

The only sure thing about horse colour/pattern is that there is _no_ sure thing.


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## Jill (Feb 6, 2011)

Gosh, I can think of examples in every single color that I would be proud to own and happy to use in our program. However, I picked appy as my least desirable. I don't see as much of the type of horse I like in that color yet I can think of some jaw dropping, amazing horses of that variety that are complete eye candy. My second least favorite color "thing" is many other peoples' favorite and that's pinto. I almost always prefer a solid color horse over a pinto.

Good horses don't come in bad colors. As far as preferred colors, I really like cream dilutes and also silvers. Partial to true greys as well. Lots of these colors in our herd.


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## Kim~Crayonboxminiatures (Feb 6, 2011)

The only color I don't think I'd own would be grey, I don't like the looks of it, how it fades the original color. It also "erases" the spots I'm trying to get on a horse in my breeding program (for appaloosa).

I'm not a big fan of silver or solid chesnut, but I've seen horses in those colors that I would love to own, so a good horse really isn't a bad color.


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## kaykay (Feb 6, 2011)

Most of you know I breed a lot of pinto and overo



LOL

But I will never turn down a great horse because of color.

For awhile I owned a grey stallion because he was/is amazing.(D&S Nestlies Crunch now owned by Fran) He gave me this stunning grey daughter. Like her sire she is a very slow greying miniature. She was undefeated in huge color classes at the Ohio World show 2 years in a row and numerous other halter and color wins when she was showing. My top glory with her was winning Champion Halter mare against some farms that I have admired for years at the area national show a long with her numerous owned, bred and shown by wins.

By the way her dam is a frame overo lol.

A great horse is NEVER a bad color!


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## targetsmom (Feb 6, 2011)

I said Appaloosa, because we breed for PtHA registered pintos and are purists. For years and years PtHA would not allow ANY app blood in their registry and we know why they changed the rules ($$$$), but that doesn't mean we have to.

We know many people breeding for pinto would not want any grays, but we are not about to reject Max because he is turning gray! Just remember, gray doubles the color possibilities. The other thing about grays is that I read they are one of the most popular colors in other breeds.


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## LindaL (Feb 6, 2011)

Like most people, I don't really think there is a bad color when it comes to an AMAZING horse...but there are some colors/patterns that I dislike more than others, but would never say "never" on owning any of them.

Case in point..one of those colors I really don't like much is that "mule brown" (black bay)...but guess what?? My 2 yr old stallion, Khan, IS that color and I LOVE him! If I "just" look at his color, I go "bleh" LOL




but if I look PAST the color and see the horse I drool!








I picked "Appaloosa", which is kind of funny since I was/am a HUGE big horse Appaloosa fan! I grew up owning Appies. In the Minis, tho, I have seen not many Appaloosas that I'd love to own. Maybe it's not even the color...not sure, but I have yet to own an Appaloosa Mini...and usually look past them when looking for a horse to buy.


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## Annabellarose (Feb 6, 2011)

I voted for Appaloosa (I have/breed Pintos), but I actually do not dislike any of the Appaloosa patterns. However, I, personally, do NOT like "Pintaloosa". I love all of the Pinto patterns and I love all of the Appaloosa patterns, but I do not want them mixed; on the horse or in its pedigree.


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## sedeh (Feb 6, 2011)

I voted Grey but I actually like grey horses!! But the question is what I wouldn't want in my breeding program. I breed for Pintos and with the greying gene after a few years you lose all your markings and just have a white horse!!



My least favorite colors are the double dilutes.


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## Birchcrestminis (Feb 6, 2011)

My least favorite color on a mini is the mousey mule brown bay. Tied for second would be double dilutes and appaloosas. I also really don't like the all white horse with the medicine hat pattern. I like all other colors. But as been said a million times, a great horse is a great horse regardless of color.


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## susanne (Feb 6, 2011)

Perhaps I shouldn't respond, as I don't breed, but I will anyway...

The only color I wouldn't "choose" to add to my herd is a color that I already have. I love each of the colors in my little foursome --bright blood bay, silver dapple, chestnut pinto, and strawberry roan -- but I also love the variety -- each is distinctly different.


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## RockRiverTiff (Feb 6, 2011)

I, like other posters, wouldn't turn down the right horse in ANY color. That said, I chose "silver anything" because we already have quite a few silver carriers. In fact, all of our homebred foals for five years straight were silver bays; we broke the silver bay streak in 2010...with a silver black.


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## Helicopter (Feb 6, 2011)

I don't breed, I just seem to collect and collect and collect some more. Who's an idiot?........ ME!! .





My least favourite colour would have to be the double dilutes. Just don't appeal. Sorry.





I have many different colours but have decided my preferred colours are plain old black and chestnut .......so easy to clean.


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## Genie (Feb 6, 2011)

Good topic Matt



helps us know the market better if you are breeding to sell!


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## ontherisefarm (Feb 6, 2011)

I also believe that there is no bad color on a good horse but for breeding I would not use a grey. I like pintos and other color patterns and grey washes those out over time.. My second choice is Silver...Silver is a beautiful color but when your foals for several years in a row all come out with silver its gets old... I do love all colors but when it comes to my own preference I love the dilutes, facial markings,blue eyes and colors that make the horse stand out...


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## Mona (Feb 6, 2011)

Even though I am no longer breeding, I did so for 16 years, so I will answer too.



My breeding program was centered mainly around the pinto pattern, and I also raised a few appaloosas earlier on, so I am with the others that choose grey, as the one that I wouldn't want to breed. I LOVE a good grey horse, and in fact, owned a beautiful little grey stallion, but sold him as it really is heart breaking to a "pattern" breeder to see those beautiful markings fade to white.


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## REO (Feb 6, 2011)

While I think silver dapples and greys are pretty, I wouldn't like those in my breeding herd. Maybe as driving geldings so I can enjoy their color!

Pintos!





Black pintos!


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## topnotchminis (Feb 6, 2011)

I personally don't like Some palomino horses, but I do own one. I like the dark ones, not the light ones. I love roans though.


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## Leeana (Feb 6, 2011)

Color is about the last thing I look at and take into consideration. However, I do like to have a consistant look to the ponies so I have to add consistant color in there somewhere. Im not a big silver bay fan...but own and have owned several silver bays.


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## Miniequine (Feb 6, 2011)

Interesting topic Matt. Not a big dilute fan either,,, 

I would not want silver, double dilute, grey or Chestnut, silver being the least liked.

It's funny that most say a good horse can be any color.... I WISH the judges

felt that way LOL

 It's neat to read the differing likes and dislikes. 





I can not imagine not liking a bay! I don't care for doulble dilute,, but my favorite horse

at the World show last fall,, a perlino! go figure! 

 

~Sandy


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## Bonny (Feb 6, 2011)

I am not crazy about solid chestnut. I like chestnut pinto ok if there is a lot of white to make the color interesting.

I love greys.


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## Indian*R*A*I*N*Dance (Feb 6, 2011)

As much as I dont like the double dilute colors, Bay is at the bottom. Im my opinion, there boring.

REO I'm with you on the black pintos! Love them!


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## Matt73 (Feb 6, 2011)

Interesting. Quite a few don't care for the double dilutes. I'm surprised.


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## minimomNC (Feb 6, 2011)

I voted appaloosa, just not my cup of tea. But I would have chestnuts in my barn all day long, as well as greys. They are my favorite, nothing shines as easy as a chestnut horse. And I just love greys. Since I breed for me to keep, then it doesn't matter to me as long as both sire and dam are very nice horses.


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## Charlotte (Feb 6, 2011)

Well, I'm afraid you can add me to the ones not liking double dilutes.

Now, I don't want any grays in my breeding herd because I prefer the dark/intense colors and pintos , but many grays are so stunning with their white coloration, but the dark skin on muzzle and eye.

Silvers I LOVE! The striking ones with deep color, strong dapples and snow white manes and tails.

The solid blacks that look like satin.



Like Skipper, but he's not quite solid. The RICH chestnuts like Quester Bars, Franks running stallion. He just shimmered and glowed.

Did I say I love horses?





Charlotte


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## Tiny Hooves (Feb 6, 2011)

For myself I don't really care for the Cremello or Perlino's, but if I had to choose one I think I would take the Perlino over the Cremello. 

I LOVE 




 :wub bay's, blood bay's, silver bay's, & silver black's. I own several silver bay's & 1 silver black. The rich dark hershey colored silver bay or indian red bay with white mane & tail are just GORGEOUS!!! (to me) 



 :yes The blood bay's I prefer over dark bay's even though I have a dark bay colt that I just LOVE!!!



 :wub I wouldn't trade him for nothing. So really like other's have said a good horse is a good horse no matter what color they are!!


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## Jean_B (Feb 6, 2011)

You needed the option "I'm color blind"...when it came to buying/breeding, I NEVER considered color. Only conformation.


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## PaintNminis (Feb 7, 2011)

my least favorite Color would have to be the Double Dilutes

I did have a Perlino Stallion Whom I just Adored & thought he was Very Stunning!!!!









He Passed away Several Years Ago





my other not so Favorite are the Medicine Hat Pintos

and I have One of those too!!! I couldn't Love her anymore if she was a another Color.











I really Like Pintos with LOTS of Contrast


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## Getitia (Feb 7, 2011)

Can't really vote, as we currently have every color listed in our breeding herd. The color of the horse is not even a selection consideration we have as part of our breeding program. Now some colors I find more appealing than others - but the horse could be purple, green, orange or pink



if it is exceptional in type and movement


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## Tenltraining (Feb 7, 2011)

I really dont pay much attention to the color either on the horses. Its one of the last things I consider. WE choose horses first on conformation, type, movement, bloodlines basically. I have a lot of different colors in my herd. I have to admit that I used to not like perlinos or cremellos as much but now that we have them in our breeding program I am wowed by what we have gotten as far as color they can produce. Its really wonderful to see all the buckskins out there, but As long as I get good conformation on my babies for show prospects Im happy. If they have some pretty color that is just an extra bonus.


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## Carolyn R (Feb 7, 2011)

I also like a nice horse in any color,and a nice horse is a nice horse. If I were just out to buy a georgous mini, any color would do an a georgous horse. If I were looking at that horse to add to my breeding program, I would have to say no to grays. There are MANY beautiful grays out there, and I drool over some of them, I just don't want to incorperate them into my herd.


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## Lewella (Feb 7, 2011)

I tend to avoid gray but I won't pass up an exceptional one that would fit in my breeding program. I simply do not particularly like to look at the color after years of having gray Arabians!


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## Little Wolf Ranch (Feb 7, 2011)

I voted no to grey simply because it seems once you have one your whole herd turns grey!


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## Annabellarose (Feb 7, 2011)

Matt73 said:


> Interesting. Quite a few don't care for the double dilutes. I'm surprised.


You can add me to that list! Again, I voted for Appaloosa because I have/breed a couple of Pintos and I do not like when Pintos and Appaloosas are crossed, but I do not dislike Appaloosa; if I had/bred Appaloosas, I would not want Pintos! It just happened that the first horses that I purchased were Pintos and I am too in love with them to sell them and switch to Appaloosas. However, as far as my color preference (you asked about the color that we would not want in our breeding program, not our color preference), I do not like Perlinos and Cremellos AT ALL. I absolutely WOULD add one to my herd (if it was not Appaloosa related) if I thought that it was a quality individual and that it would improve my herd and/or if I valued it as a performance animal, but I would prefer any other color!


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## [email protected] (Feb 7, 2011)

I voted gray, but seeing as I have a grey pinto stallion and a grey mare - lol! There isn't a horse color I don't like, but breeding I'd LOVE a gorgeous bay pinto. Right now it looks like I'm breeding Fresians - too many blacks - but I love black horses.


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## StarRidgeAcres (Feb 7, 2011)

I voted but my post went into the abyss!lol

I really do not want any appy characteristics in my breeding horses - visually or even in their pedigree. I've seen some stunning apps - Catch comes to mind - but it's just not for me.

As for double dilutes, I agree they sometimes are overlooked in the ring, but I LOVE having them in my breeding program because of all the desirable/saleable colors they produce. If you have a perlino and can get black-based dilute (quality of conformation being first of course) foals, they really, really are marketable. And then so many people really love palominos, so having a cremello is wonderful for that.

Again, hopefully we all are more concerned with conformation, but after that color is just another of the many factors based on personal preferences and what the market is. Color, use, pedigree, height preferences...they all play a role.

Great topic Matt!


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## hobbyhorse23 (Feb 7, 2011)

This is definitely interesting! Some of my favorite colors (black bay, silver and pintaloosa) have been listed as strong dislikes and others I'm not fond of have been at the top of people's lists. Hmm....

My least favorite color to have around, breeding or otherwise, would be a red roan. They can be pretty in Welshes and such but in minis I haven't seen one I liked yet and they clip out AWFUL colors. Like a chestnut but worse as they turn pink!



Ugh. Second would be a really orangy chestnut with no markings as to me that is just not an attractive color. A copper chestnut or liver chestnut or one with a lot of color variation in its coat is fine for me as a non-breeding animal but I'd prefer something with a little more genetic possibility when breeding.

I like greys as long as the base color wasn't something stunning, then it's just sad to watch it fade!





I hate the look of double creme dilutes but like others here, would have one for breeding as they produce outstanding colors I _do_ like such as buckskin.



Not a big fan of palomino in minis however as it clips out so light. LOVE it in big horses!

Things I'd love to have in a breeding program are white markings on any base color, deep dark bays with red (not mealy) highlights, dun anything, buckskins, silver dapples with white socks, appies and pintos for producing pintaloosas, blue or bay roans...anything eye-catching and stunning! I love the rainbow of colors possible with our little guys and the crazy colors like smoky silver black are my favorites. OBVIOUSLY, as everyone else said, conformation/temperament/movement all come first, but in a perfect world....

I'd just leave the solid red horses out of my program for the most part as I'm going to get quite enough solid chestnuts breeding from the darker, more patterned horses. Why up my chances?





Leia

P.S.- The single biggest lesson I'm taking from this thread is that no matter what color your foal is, there's probably someone out there who likes it!


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## heartkranch (Feb 7, 2011)

I hate sorrels, silver, and double dilutes. Everything else is fine. haha I have one sorrel pinto but everything else is "black" base.

I have one mare that is a grey, I love them but I wouldn't have a grey stallion unless its just a awesome horse.


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## kaprikorn (Feb 7, 2011)

I voted gray although I do own a gray. She is a dapple gray so will not fade to white. Still has dark areas over her croup, shoulders and lower legs. Beautiful dapples over her barrel, hips and shoulders. . .salt & pepper mane and tail. . .her name is Pepper



She is 5 so not much more to change I think.

Love a dark silver bay but NOT a silver dapple anything. . .

Sheryl


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## ohmt (Feb 7, 2011)

Please disregard earlier post. Thanks


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## Matt73 (Feb 7, 2011)

ohmt said:


> You are funny-what you have IS a silver dapple/silver black! Yep, dapple gray and silver dapple/silver black are one and the same
> 
> 
> 
> ...



A dapple grey is not a silver black. A dapple grey is a grey horse that happens to have dapples. They are, often, like this while they are maturing (going from whatever colour they were born...to grey/light). 4 and 5 year old greys will often have dapples. 10-15+ year old greys are usually very white.

Silver black is a completely different modifier/colour. Silver blacks will stay the colour they are. They may have dapples on and off or they may have none.


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## Matt73 (Feb 7, 2011)

ohmt said:


> You are funny-what you have IS a silver dapple/silver black! Yep, dapple gray and silver dapple/silver black are one and the same
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Why did you say that silver black and dapple grey are one in the same? And then you went on to say that, no, the mare is actually grey? Like I said, Grey and Silver Black are completely different.


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## chandab (Feb 7, 2011)

Matt73 said:


> Why did you say that silver black and dapple grey are one in the same? And then you went on to say that, no, the mare is actually grey? Like I said, Grey and Silver Black are completely different.


Probably just a confusion between "silver dapple" and "dapple grey" terms (not necessarily the colors).


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## ohmt (Feb 7, 2011)

To clarify why I posted what I did-growing up everyone called silver blacks, dapple greys. From her description, I thought she was referring to silver black. After looking at her website and seeing the mare I knew her mare was actually grey which is why I came back and did the ETA.

I apologize if I confused anyone. I have removed it.


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## Matt73 (Feb 8, 2011)

No need to apologise. But, like I said, a silver black is not a dapple grey.


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## Matt73 (Feb 8, 2011)

chandab said:


> Probably just a confusion between "silver dapple" and "dapple grey" terms (not necessarily the colors).


A "silver dapple" is, actually, a silver black horse with dapples. A "dapple grey" is a grey horse with dapples. They are two different things; nothing to be confused about. It should be a dapple silver horse, like a dapple grey or a dapple palomino or a dapple bay or a....I'm sorry. The silver "dapple" thing bugs me. Sorry. To put it simply, a silver black is born silver black. A grey can be born any colour and turn grey over time.


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## Minimor (Feb 8, 2011)

Thing is, the horse was initially described as a true dapple grey that will not fade to white. To me that indicated that the horse could be a silver black with lots of dappling, and was just being mis-described as 'dapple grey'. I suspect that is what ohmt thought too. However, when she saw a photo she changed that to say that the horse is in fact grey. The "confusion" came from the statement that the horse will not fade to white.

Because the horse is in fact grey, and not a dappled silver black, the horse will eventually turn white.

I could have actually voted for the double dilute colors too. I can see the value of a double dilute in a breeding program if you wish to breed for palomino and/or buckskin, but a double dilute isn't something that I care to own. I just don't care for all that pink skin on the face.

At one time I preferred to not have much white on the face or legs of our horses. However, now that I have a loud pinto and several sabino pinto/roans I do kind of like the white markings.

I'm surprised that so many people dislike roan--I have one true roan and I don't think that he clips out to be a yucky color at all! I love my sabino roans--that is some very neat coloring.


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## normajeanbaker (Feb 8, 2011)

A great horse is never a bad color, however, you will never see a double dilute in my barn. And, I am also not a fan of bays. Even when I was in full szed horses, I never cared for bays.

~Jen~


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## Annabellarose (Feb 8, 2011)

Some grey horses do stay grey and never turn completely "white" (and, even then, they are still called grey), but, most all grey horses do lighten considerably over time. I haven't seen the horse in question (that was described as a grey that "will not fade to white"), but if that horse is truly a grey and lives into its late twenties it will probably be considerably lighter than it was when it was a two year old.


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## Kari Masoner (Feb 8, 2011)

A good horse is never a bad color... However, after conformation, personality, and atheleticism, I would still not have a grey horse... I'm with the rest. It would be heartbreaking to watch a colorful horse fade out like a well-worn pair of blue jeans...

Perlinos and cremellos are a necessary evil... <g> I too started out not liking the 'freaky blue eyes and pink skin' and would run as far as I could. But, I LOVE buckskins and know the only way to breed them true is to have cremello or perlino in your breeding program. That being said, I have the cutest little cremello stallion by LK Doctor Dream. Unfortunately, he has sticky stifle and will have to be gelded. I am now looking at the most beautiful cremello (think the Lone Ranger's Horse Silver) stallion. He looks like satin.

I also (usually) don't like sorrels, but I have a beautiful "Little Girl with a Red Dress On" sorrel Quarter Horse mare... Has but a small white star on her forehead. During the summer she gleams like a new copper penny.

Also don't particularly care for red roans, but love a dark blue roan with black points. Love blood bays - used to have a blood bay Arabian mare (El Paso granddaughter) that was gorgeous with a blaze and 3 white socks.

I normally don't like Appaloosas because I don't like their pink 'spottled' noses, (but recently found out that some owners are blackening the noses for the show ring)... The large horse Appaloosas I've been around have a few screws loose and have scrawny tails. But, I have a Pintaloosa stallion (with a crappy attitude that's going to get him gelded if he doesn't straighten out!) that is really very pretty and naturally doesn't have the pink nose and has a flowing white & black tail... Just the pink 'spottled' ahem, undercarriage.... He has four white socks and large white patches on his body with more of a 'blue roaning' on the dark areas. He's a son of Brewers Dynamo DreamMaker and a grandson of Bond Dynamo with Orion Light Vant Huttenest in his background as well... And Orion is a beautiful Appaloosa!

So, basically, as soon as you say "I don't like (insert color here)" along comes one that makes you salivate... There are no absolutes when it comes to horses or colors... 

Kari


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## Matt73 (Feb 8, 2011)

Minimor said:


> Thing is, the horse was initially described as a true dapple grey that will not fade to white. To me that indicated that the horse could be a silver black with lots of dappling, and was just being mis-described as 'dapple grey'. I suspect that is what ohmt thought too. However, when she saw a photo she changed that to say that the horse is in fact grey. The "confusion" came from the statement that the horse will not fade to white.
> 
> Because the horse is in fact grey, and not a dappled silver black, the horse will eventually turn white.
> 
> ...


There is no such thing as a "true dapple grey that will not fade to white". A dapple grey is just an intermediate step in a lightening of a grey horse. I've never seen a grey horse not get much lighter over time.

""Dapple gray" is an intermediate stage not seen on all grays, but often considered highly attractive. It consists of a dark hair coat with "dapples", which are dark rings with lighter hairs on the inside of the ring, scattered over the entire body of the animal. It is another possible intermediate step in the graying process of the horse. Dappled grays should not be confused with the slight dappling "bloom" seen on horses that are very healthy or slightly overweight, as "bloom" dapples disappear should the horse lose condition."


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## chandab (Feb 8, 2011)

Matt73 said:


> A "silver dapple" is, actually, a silver black horse with dapples. A "dapple grey" is a grey horse with dapples. They are two different things; nothing to be confused about. It should be a dapple silver horse, like a dapple grey or a dapple palomino or a dapple bay or a....I'm sorry. The silver "dapple" thing bugs me. Sorry. To put it simply, a silver black is born silver black. A grey can be born any colour and turn grey over time.


I realize they are very different, but that doesn't mean someone might not confuse the terms.

I have 4 silver horses: one silver black (she is definitely silver dapple, has dapples always), one silver bay dun (looks very dark dunalino), one silver bay varnish roan, and one silver buckskin (probably actually a silver smokey brown).


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## midnight star stables (Feb 8, 2011)

Matt73 said:


> There is no such thing as a "true dapple grey that will not fade to white". A dapple grey is just an intermediate step in a lightening of a grey horse. I've never seen a grey horse not get much lighter over time.
> 
> ""Dapple gray" is an intermediate stage not seen on all grays, but often considered highly attractive. It consists of a dark hair coat with "dapples", which are dark rings with lighter hairs on the inside of the ring, scattered over the entire body of the animal. It is another possible intermediate step in the graying process of the horse. Dappled grays should not be confused with the slight dappling "bloom" seen on horses that are very healthy or slightly overweight, as "bloom" dapples disappear should the horse lose condition."



I just wanted to agree




My mare is a "dapple grey" but gets lighter and lighter each year. It's just the way greys are.





I am odd in that I dislike silvers, buckskins, palominos and I hate tobianos.

Other than those, I like all other colours. I love a sharp black or bay and I love frame overos. I also love the look of my perlino gelding - glad he's a gelding though as I'd have no intrest in the colours he'd produce.


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## midnight star stables (Feb 8, 2011)

I also found it funny that so many dislike grey and double dilutes. I only have 4 horses and own on of each of those disliked colours! To each their own.


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## MountainMeadows (Feb 8, 2011)

Seems like color is kind of a "fad" thing in minis -- probably because we are lucky and they come in so many different variations ! ! !











Lot's of folks here are kind of down on grey - which I personally think is a beautiful color on a well conformed horse. If you have been in this industry for quite awhile, there was a time when grey dominated the show ring -- just think about all those beautiful Blue Boy and Egyptian King horses -- THEY RULED ! !

Then along came the buckskin craze - Buckeroo ! !

Then came the appaloosas - Happy Appy ! !

Then there have been the stunning chestnuts -- Boogerman & Return of the King ! ! !

Now there seems to be a trend for dilutes - Billy Idol & Buff ! ! !

There have always been bays & tobianos that have done well in the breeding programs and the show ring. Palimonos are also always desirable, but getting the truly gold palomino seems elusive in the miniatures.

Sooo - it seems to follow what is winning in the ring at any given time - and as many have said -- There is no bad color for a good horse ! ! Lucky us - we are miniature horse folks - we don't have to stick with just a few "boring" colors


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## AshleyNicole (Feb 8, 2011)

Of course like a lot of people have said a nice horse of any color is what we are after first and foremost. I have several very nice grays one is a nice mare I use for breeding and another a older EK stallion I might use a few times. I think the mare has only had one or two foals that have grayed out of maybe 8 and she usually produces really nice grullo foals so I think I can take my chances lol. Usually I don't like appys but love Piano man and loved Sign on the dotted line from Critter Creek so I try to not to say I don't like a certain color lol.


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## Songcatcher (Feb 8, 2011)

Sure a lot of argueing over the difference between Silver Dapple and Dapple Gray. Of Course there is a difference, but a lot of people still don't know what it is. If I had a dollar for every Silver that was registered as a Gray, I could buy a whole herd of horses.


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## Riverdance (Feb 8, 2011)

I love the Cremello horses. When I was a little girl, all I ever wanted was a white horse with blue eyes and a long mane and tail.





I am not a pinto fan, but own some. As for Apps, I have never likes them. (except for a really pretty blanket App)


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## D W 2 (Feb 8, 2011)

Well, seeing as you ask about a breeding program I would have to say grey and red roans. I like to have the double dilutes in my program because of the beautiful colors that they throw, then you can have chestnut, sorrel, black and they all throw beautiful offspring, of course as everyone else says you look at conformation first, but to me nothing puts a well put together horse over the top then raising those beautiful buckskins and golden palominos.


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## Annabellarose (Feb 9, 2011)

Songcatcher said:


> Sure a lot of argueing over the difference between Silver Dapple and Dapple Gray. Of Course there is a difference, but a lot of people still don't know what it is. If I had a dollar for every Silver that was registered as a Gray, I could buy a whole herd of horses.


I feel that way about smokey black horses that are registered as grey. I own a "grey" (on her registration certificate) mare that is actually a smokey black and I have seen a lot of others.


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## Kim~Crayonboxminiatures (Feb 9, 2011)

Looks like according to the poll, I picked the wrong pattern to get addicted too... good thing there are other appy spot lovers out there!!


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## High Meadow Miniatures (Feb 9, 2011)

I am not especially fond of grey, though it wouldn't ever keep me from buying a good horse. Double dilutes are also not one of my favorite colors to simply look at, but I do love the colors they produce. My Buckeroo son is a cremello, my Buckeroo grandaughter is a perlino and my Destiny grandaughter is smokey cream.


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## Dona (Feb 9, 2011)

Since I love the wild pinto patterns, I would never use a gray stallion in my breeding program.....altho I think a gray/white horse with dark skin can be extremely beautiful to look at.

I have also never liked the double dilutes, simply because their pink skin & "off" white coloring is just not attractive to me. But if I were into breeding for Buckskins, I would definitely have some in my breeding program.


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## ruffian (Feb 9, 2011)

Kim~Crayonboxminiatures said:


> Looks like according to the poll, I picked the wrong pattern to get addicted too... good thing there are other appy spot lovers out there!!


It's interesting that "Appaloosa" was listed as a color option, when appaloosas can be any color.

Apparently a lot of these folks never heard of the Lone Ranger, and his fiery horse "SILVER!" If I remember right, Silver was a perlino.

I have to admit that the appaloosa patterned horses IMO are much much better conformationally than they were 20+ years ago. Some friends specialize in apps, and they are stunning.


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## Matt73 (Feb 9, 2011)

ruffian said:


> It's interesting that "Appaloosa" was listed as a color option, when appaloosas can be any color.
> 
> Apparently a lot of these folks never heard of the Lone Ranger, and his fiery horse "SILVER!" If I remember right, Silver was a perlino.
> 
> I have to admit that the appaloosa patterned horses IMO are much much better conformationally than they were 20+ years ago. Some friends specialize in apps, and they are stunning.


I said that I knew many of the options were not colours (ie. silver, appaloosa, pinto etc.). I guess I should have titled this "What's is/are the colours and/or patterns etc. you wouldn't want in you breeding program"


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## Little Wolf Ranch (Feb 9, 2011)

I am going to go ahead and post again in better detail. . .

I used to not like greys, anything with silver and hated cremellos and perlinos. . .until I fell in love with buckskins and palominos and smokey blacks LOL. . ..

The one color I would LOVE to have as a performance gelding would be a dapple grey with a solid black mane and tail - only seen a few in my experience with miniatures - a lot in QH's and TB's and I just LOVE it. Would NEVER use it in breeding. . .wait I take that back. . . . .a forum member recently posted her new addition who I would to have LOVED to have had it was a filly/mare who was a dapply grey splash overo with a blue eye I believe? Yeah - I'd take her in a heartbeat




(no joking - I'm being serious)

To make a long story short, I purchased a solid cremello stallion (will be giving him 3 mares this year - his first year breeding) to help me get the buckskins, palominos and smokey blacks - all the colors I love! So yeah I had to get past all the scarey pink skin but it's not that bad after you get used to it - plus the genetics are just awesome!

I was looking this past October for a really loud frame overo/splash mare to add to the herd and what did I come home with? A SOLID SILVER BAY



I hated silver anything (I think it's contagious and suddenly every foal thereafter is a silver something haha) but one look at her and she stole my heart. She's also my first mare due to foal and I could care less if it carries or expresses silver! I know my pasture pics do not give her justice but she's a very square and balanced mare who I feel that I am very lucky to have in my herd. She's actually made me fall in love with silver bays - I love the dramatic colors in her mane and tail!

So there you have it folks - a GREAT horse is ALWAYS A GREAT COLOR. Never say never - you'll end up regretting and eating those words. Eventually a horse will come along and steal your heart and will be the one color you cant stand.


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## MindyLee (Feb 9, 2011)

Even tho its I'll never get this color for me at least _(unless Sentra dose throw me one which is possible),_ I have to say my *new* favorite color is brendle like Riverdance's "Marbles"


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## chandab (Feb 9, 2011)

JNK Miniatures said:


> So there you have it folks - a GREAT horse is ALWAYS A GREAT COLOR. Never say never - you'll end up regretting and eating those words. Eventually a horse will come along and steal your heart and will be the one color you cant stand.


Isn't that the truth. I voted appaloosa, which I still don't care for, but I do have an appaloosa bred mare in my herd. She barely shows characteristics, but her sire was a silversomething leopard appy. And, I just love this mare.


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