Can we see color change on gray minis?

[targetsmom]

This came up during Equine Affaire this weekend, as some people could not believe that the photos of Max at 4 days and one year were of the same horse! Max was born a silver bay "tovero" - frame overo and tobiano pinto - out of a gray mare who was born a silver bay frame overo.

Here is Max at 4 days, next to his dam Mira, who has been white since weaning (her pinto white - with pink skin- is very minimal on neck, at elbow and on right flank).

Here is Max at about 6 months of age and very hairy:

And here is Max in April of this year at 11 months (he is about the same color now):

Obviously he is not the same color as he was as a foal, but not pure white like his dam was at this age either.

Can we see photos of your grays showing the original color and the change over time? And any other details such as if they are homozygous for gray or carry the silver gene? Neither Mira nor Max are homozygous for gray but they both carry one copy of the silver gene.

 

[rimmerpaints]

Baby hair can so be tricky! You never know what the end result will be like. I had a tricolored colt that was Bay and white and after baby hair was gone he was Black and white. I dont know about grays and changing colors but had to tell you about our colt that we had a couple of yrs ago. Your mini is beautiful for sure!

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

Here is my grey boy (now a gelding!!!) Maple Hollows After Dark.

Baby Bob (and his mommy

):

First clip 2yr old year (I dont have any yearling year but he didnt change much:

After clipping later in his 2 yr old year when his hair coat got its color back:

He is a little lighter this year but not by much, I forgot to take new pics of him though.

 

[ohmt]

Baby hair can so be tricky! You never know what the end result will be like. I had a tricolored colt that was Bay and white and after baby hair was gone he was Black and white. I dont know about grays and changing colors but had to tell you about our colt that we had a couple of yrs ago. Your mini is beautiful for sure!

Many of my foals are born bay and then shed out to 'look' black. Usually by their yearling year they have their bay color back. Once bay always bay. You can't have a foal born bay and then suddenly lose its agouti gene. I'm pretty sure foals just like to try and deceive us when it comes to registration time

LOVE these greys!!! I don't have any because I breed for the appaloosa pattern and they are just not conducive, but I still love to admire other people's greys!

 

[Tony]

Other color changes

The A photo is a mature mare that is a true blue roan. You will see that her legs and head are black but her body is a mixture of black and white hairs making her appear bluish in color. When she has her winter coat she is mostly black.

The photo B is two grey fillies.... a weanling and a two-year old. The weanling was born black and the lighter one was born silver. Both will be white by the time they are eight to ten years of age.

The bottom five pictures are ALL OF THE SAME HORSE at various ages. C is at one day old. You can hopefully see that he shows some white on his nose and over his eyes. By the way, both his sire and dam are grey.

D is the same colt as a yearling. You will notice that he has lots of white hair scattered throughout his face (and also his body which you can't see in this picture).

E is about three years of age... notice the dark at the top of his tail and his legs are still fairly dark. He is also showing dappling at this age.

F is about a year older ... notice his legs have lightened and the tail is lighter. He still shows some dappling, but not as much as the year before.

G is age six... note the tail is almost totally white but he is still keeping some of the black in his mane but all the dapples has disappeared. He is now eight years old... sorry I don't have a current picture. He is almost totally white... his mane has a slight greyish tint but the body is totally white.