What colour is my mini...........

[Girrawheen]

After reading so many posts on colour, I have come to understand that it is more complex than one thinks (for newbies like myself anyway lol).

I would appreciate it if anyone could help me identify the exact colour of my mini.

I was told he was black, but after seeing the beautiful filly posted by MyBarakah, I am now not sure what he is! He came to me a chocolate colour (a brown shade anyway, definately not jet black) but is slowly turning a different colour??????. He will be 4 months at the end of March and I realise he is still changing, but what age would I expect his final colour to come through?

His Sire is Pintaloosa and his Dam is Jet Black/Roan fleck/marble markings (info I was given).

Thank you in advance for any help.

First are a couple of photos or his original colour (when I first got him) ~

and his colour now

 

[Ashley]

He is black with what looks like some sabino around his fetlock. I might add he need some serious foot work done.

 

[Lauralee]

He is still a black. He's simply sunfaded.

 

[LindaL]

Yes, he is black with sabino (since it sounds like his dam is sabino also).

 

[Matt73]

He is black with what looks like some sabino around his fetlock. I might add he need some serious foot work done.

Ditto

 

[Girrawheen]

Thank you for the replies so far.

Ashley could you please explain about his footwork

: ? The farrier is due to come out again, but I would like to know what you meant (as I am a newbie) and am keen to learn more.

Many thanks

 

[Ashley]

He shouldnt be standing up on them like he is. HE needs less heal, more toe. Its hard to explain but he needs a better angle down his leg to his hoof instead of droping off. He almost looks like he is being trimmed like a donkey.

Part of it might be the pic but it still dont look right.

 

[Girrawheen]

Thanks Ashley

He is definately due for a trim but in that particular photo he was resting that back leg. I am new so you would definately know more than me, I will have my farrier correct it. Thanks very much

:

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Yes he is a Black- they are often born even lighter than that- the coat changes a lot in the first couple of years and if you clip him he will go an even stranger colour!!

 

[Meavey]

MyBarakah@´s foal is going grey, she has a grey sire, and greys are normally born unussually dark like she is, so that´s probably why that foal´s color looks different.

Yours is and will stay black.

:

 

[Sue_C.]

Yes, I agree with black as well. But...judging by that striped hoof, I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up with some appy-roaning as well.

As for his feet, it looks to me as if his heel has contracted, which makes his heels look even higher, as they don't spread properly. Yes, definately talk to your farrier about it, and what can be done to bring his feet back to a more normal angle. I have seen something similar on a lot of baby feet, before the adult foot has finished growing out. whereas the foal's hoof begins so small and narrow, it sometimes "holds" the adult hoof in too tight. Hopefully, it is something so simple and easily fixed.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

The foot looks to be minimal Sabino, to me, I do not see any Appy there at all.

 

[Girrawheen]

Thank you for your replies.

I forgot to mention that he has blue eyes. Not sure if that will make any difference at all.

Thanks again.

 

[Jill]

Yes, he looks black to me too, and the striped feet and blue eyes I think all indicate pinto / sabino in the genetics! And, yes, do talk this over with your farrier. His hoof angles are not at all "right" and I agree that it looks like he has contracted heels. I bought a filly once with a very "clubby" front foot and with frequent farrier care and inbetween rasping of the heel, we got her all corrected. Her case didn't look exactly like his, but I do know that a farrier can make a big improvement. He may want you to get a rasp (file) so you can rasp his heals inbetween trims as my farrier had me do for that filly.

 

[maplegum]

I can't help you there with his colour, sorry. I guess some of them can be little surprise packages, just like the colt on the farm from where I bought Bailey.

He was born a light caramel colour, with some white splashes. 4 months later he is JET BLACK!! They clipped him out for a show and you would never know it was the same horse. I was amazed by what I had seen.

I guess you are just going to have to wait and see.

:

 

[rabbitsfizz]

The "caramel" colt may well be Silver- (Taffy) what colour were his mane and tail??

Sabino does not give blue eyes but a lot of foals do have a blue tinge to their eyes for some time- he would not appear to have bright blue eyes??

 

[Girrawheen]

His eyes are blue (this is the reason the breeder named him "Cobalt") but Jane I know what you mean about bright blue eyes! I have seen these on horses and Cobalt does not have eyes like that :no: . He would have more of a blue that you only see in a certain light.

I have been stressing all day about his feet as I am unable to get the farrier out until Thursday. The farrier had only been three weeks before the hoof photos were taken. Does anyone see his hoof problems as really serious?

Thanks

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Do not stress so much- he is young and anything that is wrong can be out right in a couple of goes.

Your problem is very common with farriers not used to paring horses that will never be shod.

It is one of the factors that led me to pare my own (that and the farrier giving me a set of tools and telling me to do it- poor man was 6ft 4 ins and did not really have the "bend" ability!!)

I really would look into either having a good long talk with him or getting another farrier- preferably one who will teach you to do the work.

He is not taking nearly enough heel off- basically at the moment you are paying him for nothing- a lot of "shoeing" farriers think this way unfortunately- they seem to have got stuck twenty years ago.

Have a talk with him, say you are not satisfied- you can be as diplomatic as you like but he needs to know the truth.

If he gets bent out of shape about it and goes off in a strop you are really not a lot worse off as he does not appear to be doing anything at all.

The foot needs balancing and opening out- both things you could easily learn to do, but the foal will not become a cripple overnight.

If you look at some of the feet on the rescue Forum, and realise that those atrocities (some I remember had to be taken off with a band saw under anaesthetic) came right you will put it all into perspective.

The feet need correction, quite badly, but you are now aware of the problem so it will be put right.

Stop stressing he will not be lamed forever

 

[Girrawheen]

Thanks Jane, I really appreciate your words of wisdom. I was told to use this particular farrier by the breeder, as apparently he is used to doing a lot of mini work. Is every four weeks enough to have the farrier out? His feet seem to have grown out extremely quickly since his last visit (just on four weeks ago), but maybe this is totally normal. He reminds me of a horse on high heels at the moment lol. So would I be right in saying that his feet should be starting to look like a half circle at the front rather than a tight U shape (I really hope that makes sense). Will he be perfectly fine until Thursday (another 5 days)?

Thanks again.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

If he is coming every four weeks- well, I'm sorry but he needs a few words form you- the foot would not grow that way if it were being pared properly.

My foals have just been pared for the first time in three months- I have just brought them up they are officially "yearlings" now) and they are fine- just took the heels out a bit and levelled off the toe and away they went.

I would not recommend leaving them this long- I have not been well and could not do them easily- I did check on them, however, and they were never critical.

They did not at any time have the toes that your chap has- but I have to stress that different horses from their feet different ways.

Your farrier really is doing a poor job you need to give him a gentle poke!!

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