Burnished horse. Black horse suit

The black horse was highly valued at all times. This rare and unique color will appeal to all horse lovers and especially powerful, purposeful, strict and mobile personalities.

More than once, this particular color was sung in songs and fairy tales, where agility, unprecedented speed and courage are usually attributed to such horses, and not without good reasons. Black horses, indeed, are distinguished by high agility, strength and efficiency, while surprisingly combining grace, rigor and calmness.

Historical and cultural heritage

In medieval Europe, black horses were feared and hated. In the era of the formation and flourishing of Christianity, black was given exclusively negative meaning and was attributed to a diabolical origin. Ravens were considered the horse of the Horseman of the Apocalypse and a creature that came out of hell. Black was associated exclusively with death, and black horses were most often found only in hearse teams.

IN Slavic culture had a special attitude to this suit - they were revered and feared at the same time. Russian heroes were most often depicted precisely on representatives of this suit, while noting the special endurance, strength and waywardness of the horse. They were afraid of black horses because of the influence of Christian beliefs, in particular, a negative attitude towards everything black. Although among the ancient pagan Slavs, black horses were a positive symbol and it was even believed that they were the horses of the gods.

legends Eastern peoples attributed to black horses protection from evil, evil eye and disease. A black horse as a gift expressed special honor and respect for a person.

IN Japan black horses were part of the ritual, they were brought to the temples to bring the desired rain.

And in African countries, the black horse is an absolute symbol of beauty.

Gallery: black horse (25 photos)

Color Features

The black horse is a special horse fully black color, which can be compared with the many faces of the color of the black crow, hence it takes its name. Black, together with bay and red suit, make up basis the basic color type of horses, where the black color is much less common than others. The appearance of this color is due to the presence of a special dominant Extention gene, which gives an amazing black shade to the coat.

When breeding a black stallion Necessarily take into account the colors of the parents. From two black horses, a foal of the same color is obtained, much less often in this way a bay individual can be obtained.

The result of mating a bay and a black individual is more often bay foals, less often - black. Rare exceptions are black foals, which appeared as a result of crossing bay horses. The probability of inheriting a black suit from parents is on average possible in 70% of cases.

Only at birth, the stallion does not have a bright black shade of wool, but often has gray, dark gray or even bay hair. Already with adulthood, after a natural molt, the pigmentation of the coat intensifies and begins to be expressed more sharply. This color is inherent in all breeds and varieties of horses, both working and racing, but is especially common in such breeds:

• English pony (fell);
• East Frisian;
• shire;
• American perchers;
• Spanish hybrids.

The Friesian breed is represented exclusively from black horses.

Varieties of black horses

• breed;
• conditions of detention;
• the presence or absence of molting wool;
• color of parents.

classic color

The black suit of the horse in the classic version is wholly a dark black horse whose coat shimmers blue in the sun, which is especially pronounced in foals. This variety, with proper care and good conditions, is not subject to molting. The hair of the mane and tail is visually even darker than a uniform black color. classic black is much rarer than black with impurities, due to which it is especially highly valued.

Ash black color

This variety is practically no different from the classic color version, except that in bright light a slightly ashen tint appears. wool. This decoy is very rare. With different lighting, a bluish, brown, dark and light brown shade of black wool can be distinguished.

Raven-piebald goof

One of the most colorful varieties of black horses, which is expressed in bright white spots against a black background. Such an incredibly contrasting color of black and white looks effectively and impressive. Especially appreciated if the legs are painted in different colors. In the USA, this type of horse is called paints and they personify Indian culture, because it was precisely such race animals that were predominantly owned by the indigenous people of America.

crow-roan

This suit is formed by a combination of the genetic characteristics of a black horse with a roan gene. Outwardly, the color of a horse of this type looks like an evenly distributed gray or ashy. The peculiarity can be revealed by a close examination of the coat - white and black hairs are alternately evenly distributed throughout the horse's body.

Crow in tan

This podcast is characterized by black color fading in open sunlight with the constant stay of a black horse under the scorching sun. black horse acquires partially or completely brown, bay color, while being genetically black. After a natural molt, the natural color returns, but there have also been episodes when the color remained bay even after a molt.

A very rare variety of black horses is the karak suit and silver-black. Karakovaya- horses, the black coat of which is combined with reddish hairs in the eyes, lips and groin. silver- black horse differs in a more smoky color of the body than the head and limbs. Representatives of this species are especially valued if the tail and mane are silver-white.

Attention, only TODAY!

A black horse always delights the public, whether it be sports competitions or shows. In some breeds, a black horse is significantly more expensive than its gray or bay counterpart. The black suit has several suits, and the hair of black horses, regardless of breed, has a beautiful, silvery sheen.

The black horses received the name of the suit for the shiny, rich dark hair, close in color to the crow's wing. Most black horses have a uniform black color with a bluish tint. A black horse can “burn out” when exposed to the sun for a long time. That is why some friezes, whose suit is exclusively black, seem to be dark bay.

Black horses are born most often smoky or silver-black, tan or bay. The black color may appear after the first adult molt at about 6 to 9 months.

Black apprentices

The black suit has several subsuits or varieties:

• Crow in the sun
• Piebald crow,
• Silver-black,
• Karakova,
• moire,
• Crow-roan.
• Crow in tan

Black horses in tan have a dark, brown-brown color of the body with a black mane and tail. Most often, this shade of color is acquired by horses that are on the pasture in the summer, but some have it from birth. In Rus', this apprentice was called a brown suit.

Piebald Crow

A black horse with large white spots or patches wears a black and piebald suit. This is one of the most elegant apprentices, characterized by a sharp contrast in color. Spots can be varied in shape and size, but always with clear boundaries. Crow-piebald suit - the main horse of the Shire breed.

silver black

The silver-black apprentice is distinguished by a lighter, smoky color of the body with pronounced “apples”. The color of the head and limbs is noticeably darker than the body. The most valuable representatives with a silver-white mane and tail.

Karakovaya

A black horse with a reddish tint in the groin area, around the lips and eyes, and on the shoulder blades is a representative of the caracque coat. One of the most common colors among the Thoroughbred riding breed.

moire

Valuable and very expensive color in the Arabian breed, horses of this apprenticeship were bred for show in the USA. Distinctive feature- a bluish tint of black-ash wool.

crow-roan

The crow-roan apprentice was also obtained artificially by adding the "roan" gene. In nature, horses of this color are not found. A black horse with the "roan" gene has white and black hairs evenly distributed throughout the body, which creates a feeling of ashy. Another name for the suit is mouse or mouse.

The distribution of the black color

Black horses are found in a wide variety of breeds, but only two breeds of horses have an exclusively black suit.

The first one is Frisian. The Friesian is a black horse bred many centuries ago in Holland. It is distinguished by its expressive appearance, beautiful and spacious movements, friendliness and a very long tail and mane.

The second exclusively black horse represents the French Ariège breed. Ariègians are allowed to have small white markings on their heads, and reddish-brown markings in winter. The black horse is often found among the Trakehner and Hanoverian breed, German and Dutch Bloodhorses, Percherons, Shires, English Thoroughbreds and American Trotters.

The black horse is less common in the Arabian and Akhal-Teke breeds, but in the Terek, Budenov and Don breeds, black horses are quite rare and most often are not purebred and are not allowed for breeding. The black color looks much more spectacular in the sports arena, which is why in last years many European stud farms began to actively breed black horses. A special contribution to the popularization of the color was made by the black Totillas, a real star of the dressage arena of the 21st century.

A black horse is not a breed - this is the name of horses that have a certain coat color. It is very rare to meet a black horse, therefore such individuals are valued by horse breeders. This article will discuss the features of black horses and the nuances of their maintenance at home.

Features of a black horse

The black horse has a noble appearance and a powerful physique. In daylight, the black color of the animal's coat with an emerald, bluish or silver tint. Given this unique coloration, black horses were especially revered in the royal stables.

Did you know? Name« crow» , which denotes the color of the animal, comes from the word "crow", since the color of the wings of the bird is identical to the color of the horse's coat.

Historically, it is believed that black-colored animals are descended from oriental horses. The black color of wool is inherent in many breeds, but experts say that it is very difficult to keep it in its pure form (this requires complex selection work).

The black horse is valued for its amazing color. Sometimes the color of the coat can change, reddish spots often appear on the body. The saturation of the color of the hairline and skin pigment, first of all, depends on the strength of the immune system. That is why only strong and healthy horses have a perfect black color with a characteristic tint.

The color of the coat and its intensity depend on certain factors:

• nutrition of a horse (when the diet is incorrect, the horse is malnourished, or his body feels a lack of nutrients);
• season and intensity of sunlight (in summer, the horse's coat often burns out under the influence of sunlight, and in winter it becomes the same);
• haircuts, after which the mane can brighten.

The black color of the horse's coat persists throughout life due to the high content of melanin pigment in the skin. The nature of the suit directly depends on heredity. So, the black color in the color of the animal is preserved, since there are genes:

• MC1R - responsible for the main color;
• ACIP (agouti) provides dark markings over the base color.

The main gene is the agouti gene, which allows for a dark coat color in foals whose parents had abnormal coat color, or light markings on the body. Thus, when crossing parents of different stripes, you can get a black color of the foal's coat.

For example, when crossing a bay and a black individual, it is possible to obtain black foals (sometimes you can get black young animals when crossing bay animals).

types of horses

The following varieties are attributed to the black suit:

The role of the breed in breeding the suit

To obtain a black suit, the breed of the animal has practically no effect on the result of crossing individuals with each other. The main criterion is the black color of the female and male, so the probability of getting a black foal is as high as possible. Some breeds have a high percentage of breeding black foals, so it is advisable to use their representatives for mating.

Did you know? It was the Friesian horse, as a representative of the black color, that was first bred in Holland in the 13th century. Up to this point, the description of such horses has been mentionedonlyin historical sources.

Black color can be found in horse breeds, which include:

Care

To maintain a presentable appearance, black horses need to be given more time than ordinary ones (especially with regard to coat care). Appearance the horse is spoiled by small particles of dust that regularly settle on the animal's fur. To solve this problem, black horses are combed out daily with a special brush. Combing is carried out according to hair growth, initially paying attention to the body of the animal, and then the mane and tail.

Important! In order to avoid illnessesAnimals fall down only in late spring, summer and early autumn, when it is warm outside. In the cold season, they do dry cleaning.

Nutrition

The main food for black horses is hay. Suitable dry fine grass, without the content of large particles of plants. High-quality hay necessarily has a pleasant smell of dried grass, which is provided proper storage. It is not recommended to store hay above the stable, as it can absorb odors (including feces), and horses will be reluctant to eat it or refuse to use it at all.

Important!Check hay for dust before feeding. To do this, you just need to hit him with a stick. If dust rises, then it is forbidden to give such a product to horses, otherwise they may get asthma.

Old hay, with particles of rotten plants, can provoke the development of diseases in animals. Before laying hay in the feeders, it is recommended to shake it well. This is done in order to exclude the possibility of mouse nests and bird feathers getting into the feed, which harm the horse's body. Oats are the second most important food product. For feeding choose a clean, dried product. It must be checked and sieved before being given to animals.
In the hot season, oats are advised to be sprayed with salted water, as well as adding chopped straw to it, which will force the animals to chew the grains rather than swallow them whole (this will ensure good digestion and eliminate problems with the digestive tract). In the heat, horses are given bran. They have a cooling effect on the body. It is especially good to give bran pre-soaked in warm water after the hard work of the animal.

If in the summer time the horse for some reason does not graze on green meadows, it is provided with freshly cut grass. Greens are used soft and juicy - withered grass is not suitable as food, as it can cause constipation with serious consequences. Horses are very fond of carrots and apples; they are added to the diet as vitamin supplements. Animals need water at room temperature.

It is forbidden to give cold water, it can cause a runny nose. In summer, horses are recommended to be watered clean. river water, in winter - well. In the case of watering an animal with tap water, it is preliminarily defended. In the summer, the horse consumes b O more liquid than in winter, and this is due primarily to high temperatures and active work. The minimum that a horse drinks is 4 buckets per day, so it is necessary to ensure that there is fresh water in the stable in each drinker.

Mating and reproduction

In order to get healthy individuals during the breeding process, breeders control the process of their mating. Preparation for the marriage period is mandatory.

For this:

• the diet is enriched with the necessary nutritional supplements;
• hygiene is more carefully observed, daily care is performed;
• check the sperm of the stallion and examine the genitals of the female;
• paired with a male and a female.

When choosing horses for mating, the following indicators must be considered:

• the absence of diseases in individuals;
• high natural qualities;
• beautiful exterior and performance of individuals;
• the mare must be taller than the horse.

Breeding of horses is carried out by manual, cooking, mowing and artificial methods.

• manual method involves the artificial creation of conditions for mating. A couple of horses are placed in a secluded place. Horseshoes are removed from the mare, the tail is tied up, and so that the female does not hit the male with her hoof, special belts are used.
• Cooking method breeding is associated with the herd method of keeping horses. For breeding offspring using a similar method, one stallion is used for 10 mares. They are placed in a separate room. After mating has been carried out, the male is isolated, and the females are returned to the general herd.
• mowing method has a high chance of fertilization. According to this method, females are divided into schools (20 individuals each); one male is released for each shoal. During the mating season, the male covers absolutely the entire joint.
• Large horse breeding enterprises often use the method artificial insemination. To do this, each female is manually fertilized with sperm taken from the best males. After fertilization, the mare carries the fetus for 11 months, after which one or two foals may be born.

Possible diseases

Horse health problems can be infectious or non-infectious, so every illness is different. Treatment is carried out depending on the nature and degree of its development. A common infectious disease in horses is glanders, it is chronic.

Its appearance is associated with the bacterium Psedomonas mallei, which enters the body by airborne droplets and spreads through common feeders and drinkers. The danger of the disease is its asymptomatic course for 3 weeks (during this time, all individuals in the stable can become infected).
The disease will become acute if the symptoms are:

• increase in body temperature;
• apathetic behavior of a sick individual;
• rapid breathing;
• muscle weakness.

Also, glanders can be chronic if accompanied by:

• dry cough;
• fever;
• emphysema of the lungs.

Treatment of individuals suffering from glanders does not give a positive result, so they are recommended to be eliminated. As a preventive measure, regular inspection of animals and malleinization are recommended.

Myt is another infectious disease. This is the so-called throat disease with inflammation of the nasopharyngeal mucosa and lymph nodes under the jaw. The causative agent of the disease is Streptococcus equi. This is a bacterium that is capable of transmitting infection from one individual to another upon contact.
The reasons for the development of myt in individuals include:

• unbalanced diet;
• poor ventilation in the stable;
• lack of exercise (rest) of the animal.

If we talk about the symptoms of myt, then they call:

• elevated body temperature;
• poor appetite, refusal to eat;
• purulent discharge from the nose, abscesses in the mouth;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• cough.

To cure an individual, warm compresses are made, the submandibular glands are wrapped.

Important!In the process of treatment, sick horses should not be given oats. It is necessary to ensure that the room where they live is dry and warm.

Scabies- a non-communicable disease that can also often be found in horses. It is manifested by inflammation of the skin (often on the limbs, neck and head). It occurs under the influence of ticks that settle on the body of a horse.
The disease is characterized by:

- a disease that affects the limbs of an animal.

The reasons are:

• frequent limb injuries;
• not enough good conditions content;
• improper diet.

Symptoms of the disease:

• increased body temperature;
• pain when bending the limbs;
• swelling of the fetlocks;
• increase in bone near the hoof.

Features of the treatment consist in applying raw clay to the hoof and a little higher, up to the metacarpal bone. The clay is regularly moistened so that it does not dry out. Sick individuals adjust the diet, reducing the amount of food and water consumed per day.

Thus, a black horse is a unique animal that has an unusual color. Keeping a black horse at home will not be difficult if you take into account the basic recommendations and pay Special attention caring for the horse's body to maintain its attractive appearance.

Color is an important feature involved in determining the breed of horses. This is not only the color of the animal, but a combination of colors of the body, legs, mane, tail and eye color. The color develops along with the maturation of the horse, it cannot be determined at the birth of a foal.

Suits and tricks: general concepts

The suit is determined by a combination of signs - the color of the integumentary hair on different parts of the body is taken into account, as well as the color of the mane and tail. There are 5 primary colors in the color of horses - brown, black, white, yellow and red. But there are no such suits - black or white. There are 4 main suits:

• black;
• bay;
• redhead;
• gray.

All other colors of horses are derived from the four main colors. In general, the definition and classification of suits is a convention.

There are also omissions. These are, so to speak, variants of the suit (“suit + shade”). According to the suit, they determine:

• the intensity of the suit - how much the color of the cover is saturated, lighter or darker;
• color nuances - the same color can have different shades, golden, red, etc.
• color unevenness.

Below we describe the suits and their tricks.

Crow (Black)

Black horses have black hair, skin, and eyes. There are individuals that can fade in the sun, and there are those that remain black forever (they are called non-fading black, raven black or jet black).

Black handsome men are quick-tempered and wayward, having a black horse is the dream of every connoisseur of horse brethren. Among the nomads, the black horse was known as a symbol of admiration, and was the most expensive gift for any family. In the cultures of other peoples, a black horse is a harbinger of troubles, an intermediary between a person and otherworldly forces.

The black horse was distinguished by its splendor on the battlefield, evoked horror and awe in the enemy. This is exactly what the famous Bucephalus, which belonged to the conqueror Alexander the Great, was like.

The black suit has several tricks:

• Crow in tan (dull black, dusty black or fading black). Such a horse is distinguished by the property of fading under the rays of the summer sun. The black pigmentation in these horses is unstable, and if the horse has to spend a lot of time under the scorching sun, the color can turn from black to almost brown. But with the advent of winter, such horses turn black again.
• Silver black (silver black or chocolate silver). This excuse includes individuals in which the body is black, and the hair of the mane and tail is silver. In addition, the hairline of the body is lightened due to silvery hairs.
• Smoky black or ash black (smoky black). The color of the hairline is less saturated, it has a special tint - chestnut or chocolate. In winter, "smoky black" horses do not turn pure black, unlike "black in tan" horses.
  

  Smoky black horses can be very similar to dark brown horses, but smoky black horses have a mane and tail that are black or almost black. But it’s better to look at the horse’s pedigree to accurately determine the suit.

Black suit

A black horse in a tan has sun-bleached brown hair tips (often only on the body)

Silver-black horse with a silver-white tail and mane

The smoky black horse has a slightly lighter black coat (with such a dark chestnut tint)

The color of the hooves of black horses is black. The presence of white marks does not affect the determination of the suit - they are quite acceptable in black horses.

Bay (Bay)

One of the most common suits. Bay specimens are painted in various brown shades - from sandy to dark chestnut. The color is characteristic of wild individuals, therefore bay horses are distinguished by enviable endurance, unpretentiousness and good health. Even bay horses are famous for their speed, because in natural conditions their wild relatives had to quickly run away from predators.

There are such excuses:

• Light bay (light bay or wild bay). On the muzzle and lower abdomen there are light areas. In the mane and tail - an admixture of brown hair. The legs are painted black-brown.
• Dark bay (dark bay, black bay or bay-brown ). The top of the head, as well as the top of the neck, back and rump are painted in a dark, almost black color. The rest of the cover is much lighter. The suit is similar to a black in a tan and a karakov.
• Reindeer bay. Top - dark bay, bottom - light bay. The top of the head, neck, croup, back, tip of the muzzle and belly are painted in light brown.
• Chestnut bay. The hairline is distinguished by a rich dark chestnut shade.
• Cherry bay or red bay (cherry bay or blood bay). The coat is red-brown, sometimes red-red. Dark-colored individuals - with a cherry tint. Legs brownish.
• Golden bay (golden bay). The hairs of such horses are yellowish-brown, and the ebb is golden.

Mean (mealy or mealy muzzle) called horses that have tan marks around the eyes, on the nose, stomach and groin. Also, light spots can occur on the folds of the legs and on the croup. The manifestation of subclassiness is possible in any suit (more often in bay).

Light bay horse

Pure bay horse

dark bay horse

chestnut bay horse

Deer bay horse

cherry bay horse

Golden bay horse

mean horse

Redhead (Chestnut)

Horses of red color are characterized by the same color of different variations. Red individuals can have a color of light apricot, yellow, light brown. The mane with the tail has a more saturated color compared to the body. For example, a light golden horse may have a brown tail and mane.

A distinctive feature of red horses is that the color of their legs always matches the color of the body. This is the main feature that distinguishes the red color from the bay.

There are several masters of the red suit. Let's consider them in more detail:

• Light red (light chestnut, sorrel or blonde chestnut). The color of the body, limbs and head is light. The mane and tail can be lighter or darker.
• Dark red (often imply l iver chestnut). The color of the body is from chocolate to dark chestnut with a red tint. The mane and tail can be darker or lighter.
• Red-red (red chestnut, cherry chestnut). Wool with a copper sheen.
• Golden-red (gold). Golden sheen on wool, playing in bright light.

Light red color

Red suit

Dark red horse

Red-brown horse

golden red horse

Gray (Grey/Grey)

Often considered the main suit, although this is not entirely true. This suit is also called gray-haired. It occurs as a result of mixing hairs of black and white. Distinctive feature gray suit - a change in shade during life.

Over time, any horse can change color - turn gray, due to an increase in white hairs. It happens that a foal is born black, and then its color changes - it becomes lighter and lighter. As a result, becoming an adult, the foal acquires a light gray color, and then it can even turn white.

Horses noticeably turn gray after 9 years of age. The belly and head are the first to turn gray - they become lighter than other parts of the body. Croup and limbs remain darker than other parts of the body for a long time.

In horses of gray color, 4 tricks are distinguished:

• Light gray (light grey). A horse that has turned gray over time has such a flair. At the same time, she has almost white hairline.
• Dark grey(dark gray or iron gray ) . The entire body, with the exception of the head, is dark gray in color. The head is usually light gray in color. This suit has a second name - steel, and it is often confused with mouse.
• Gray in "apples" (dapple grey). The body is covered with round spots that are lighter than the main background. These spots repeat the network of blood vessels.
• Gray in "buckwheat" (flea-bitten gray) if the "buckwheat" is dark brown / black, or trout (rose grey) if the "buckwheat" is red-cherry. The body of the horse is strewn with tiny spots, like grits. Some say that the horse has "freckles", meaning this trick. With age, the first version of "buckwheat" - progresses, and the trout tone appears precisely after the first molt.

Light gray horse

gray suit

Dark gray horse

Gray in "apples"

Gray in "buckwheat"

Suit derivatives

Derivatives are called those suits that are descended from the four main ones by crossing. Let's consider them in more detail.

Karakova (Black and tan, Black-brown or Seal brown)

It is believed that this suit is a derivative of the crow. The color of the body, tail and mane is actually black. But karak horses, unlike black horses, are marked with golden or brown tan marks. Places where tan marks can come across are the muzzle, the area around the eyes, armpits, groin. Light spots stand out contrastingly against a dark background. Karakov suit is considered a certain gap between a crow and a bay.

Brown (Liver chestnut)

Horses of brown color have a dark brown color. It can be with a chestnut or chocolate tint, sometimes reaching the color of burnt coffee. In a horse of a brown suit, the mane and tail are not black, but in the color of the body. The brown suit is considered as a darker version of the dark red suit.

Playful (Flaxen chestnut or Chestnut with flaxen mane and tail)

In playful horses, the color of the body is reddish (for light-gray) or brownish (for dark-gray), and the mane and tail are white or with a smoky tint due to the admixture of gray hair. Sometimes a playful suit is mistaken for a red suit, which has a clarified mane and tail. But in playful horses, the hair does not lighten with the change of season - they are a constant color. There are breeds of horses that are only playful and no more - these are, in particular, the Belgian heavy trucks and haflingers.

Nightingale (Palomino)

Nightingale horses are easily distinguished by their sand color, white mane and the same tail. Admixture of dark hair - up to 15%. At the tail and mane, it happens that the color is not whitish, but yellowish - similar to the shade of the hairs or a little lighter.

Nightingale horses are:

• Dark salty. The color is rich yellowish, sometimes with a red tint. Dark hoof color. The mane and tail are the same color or lighter.
• Light salty. Light sand color. The mane and tail are the same or white. This trick is called Isabello.
• Golden salty. Intense yellow color, shimmering with gold. The hooves are dark.

Isabella (Cream or Blue-eyed cream)

The rarest suit in horse breeding. There is a genetic connection with the bulan and nightingal suits. Isabella-colored horses are owned either by very wealthy people, or by those who are seriously interested in breeding horses. Similar horses are also called cream - to match the color. The color has a pink tint with a yellowish tint. The color of the tail and mane is yellow or sand. The legs are slightly darker than the main shade.

The color of the Isabella horse changes shades in different lighting conditions. At dawn, the color becomes milky white, during the day - silvery, at sunset - red, and in cloudy weather it takes on an ivory shade.

Distinctive features of Isabella horses:

• eyes only blue or green;
• changes color when lighting changes;
• the hairline is distinguished by a luxurious sheen - the hairs shimmer in the sun.

Where does such an unusual name come from? It is believed that it came from the name of the Spanish queen. Isabella ruled Spain in the 15th century. In those days, the cream color of horses was very popular among the nobility. The queen, of course, had a horse of a similar color. There is a legend about this - they say, Isabella decided not to take off her shirt for three years. After the lapse of three years, Isabella's shirt has taken on the shade that horses of Isabella's color have.

White born suit (White foaled)

This is an extremely rare suit. It is necessary to immediately separate two concepts - a white-born and a white horse. In the first case, we are talking about the white dominant color that the animal has from birth to the end of its days. In the second case - the acquired white color, or rather light gray. The last horse acquires with age, gradually brightening.

White horse - unique case. It is known that Napoleon Bonaparte had a favorite white horse - Marengo. The horse was lost at the Battle of Waterloo. There are legends that Marengo could spend at a gallop, without rest, up to five hours.

White-born horses have pink skin, not gray like light gray horses. The eyes of white born horses are often blue. It is believed that such horses are albinos, and that no white color exists. But albinism has a specific genetic mechanism that horses don't have. Therefore, albino horses do not exist!

Chubaraya (Spotted or Appaloosa)

A feature of the chubar suit is a lot of spots scattered over the body. The main color is any, and the spots contrast with it. The shape of the spots is oval. Size, usually 10 to 1 cm in diameter.

A distinctive feature of chubary horses is that their iris is smaller than usual. Therefore, whites are visible in the corners of the eyes - this is not typical for horses. Chubar stallions have striped hooves.

Chubarny horses are classified by color:

• Leopard (leopard). The spots are small and medium scattered on a light background. Few spot leopard- leopard small-spotted chubarny horse.
• "Cheprak" (blanket). Any color, croup and back of the back covered with white spots. snow cap It's a pure white blanket.
• "In the hoarfrost" (frost). A coloration in which the croup is covered with white hairs and spots.
• "In flakes" (snowflake). The predominant background is dark, and there are many small light spots on it.

The appearance of such an interesting suit occurred in Central Asia, in ancient times - this is proved by numerous frescoes and paintings created in China, Mongolia, and other countries of the Central Asian region. Chubary horses are extremely rare. Now there are most of them in Central Asia.

There are breeds for which the chubara suit is a key feature. These include:

• Knabstrupper. These are rare horses. Danish chubarny knabstruppers are the spitting image of horse "Dalmatians". Breeding them began in the time of Napoleon. It is believed that the name came from the village of Knabstrup, in which a mare of an unusual color allegedly mated with a Frederiksborg stallion. Knabstruppers have an unusually bright color. The main color is white, and on it are blackish or brown spots. Horses of this breed are distinguished by individual color. They are distinguished by a good disposition, they are often used in the circus.
• . They brought it to America. The breed is docile and well trained. Appaloosa has done well in sports competitions in show jumping, horse racing, rodeo and dressage. The breed is distinguished by good health.

Roan

Roan suit is also rare. Once upon a time, among the Slavs, they asked seven times more for roan horses than for ordinary ones. A feature of the roan suit is the abundance of white hairs throughout the body. The head and legs retain the basic color. Over time, the color of roan horses does not change. The amount of white hair is different - from stripes and spots to the thinnest veins.

A feature of the “roan” gene Rn is the restoration of integuments. If the animal's skin is damaged, only the coat of the main color grows at the site of the damage.

The roan gene is not linked to a specific breed. It happens in different breeds, but the roan suit looks especially beautiful in dark horses. Color can be:

• Zonal- It is located in spots and stripes.
• non-zonal- white hairs are scattered interspersed throughout the body.

Features of a roan horse:

• Hooves and eyes are dark.
• The color stays the same.
• Color change depending on the season. Only the mane never changes.
• The tail does not change color. Except Savras-roan horses.
• Wounds are overgrown without a trace with hair of the main color.

The roan gene is passed on to breeds that had wild ancestors. Let's name the main tricks:

• Bay roan (red roan). The main color is dark or red-brown. Against its background are white hairs. The tail and legs are dark. Such a suit is quite common.
• Red roan (strawberry roan). Such horses are often referred to as "pink". The main background is red-red, and white hairs make it pinkish.
• Crow-roan (blue roan). The main background is black. Due to white blotches, the color becomes smoky blue. The legs and mane are dark. From a distance, the color appears lilac or blue, which is why these horses are often referred to as "blue".

In addition to those listed, there can also be brown-roan, bulano-roan, igra-roan and nightingal-roan horses.

It is impossible to breed roan horses. The crossing of carriers of the roan suit ends with the birth of a dead foal. Therefore, only one carrier with a gene is crossed with a horse of a normal color.

Bulanaya (Buckskin)

These horses are distinguished by a yellowish-sand or golden color. A distinctive feature is the mane and tail are black, as well as the lower parts of the legs. Brown horses can have different shades - cream, close to dark bay, yellow-gray-brown and others. The buckskin horse in “apples” looks especially interesting, it seems that a dark net is thrown over the golden background.

You can read more about the buckskin suit of horses at.

Piebald (Part-colored, Broken color or Pinto)

Piebald suit- the most common among all others. A distinctive feature of the suit is white spots scattered throughout the body. "Piebald" can be present on different suits. Consider only the main options:

• red-piebald (skew-bald, chestnut and white);
• bay-piebald (skew-bald, brown and white);
• crow-piebald (pie-bald).

red piebald horse

Bay-piebald apprentice

Raven piebald horse

It is noteworthy that in the USA and Great Britain, the horses of the apprentices red-piebald, bay-piebald, nightingal-piebald, etc. are called the same - “skew-bald”.

"Piegosti" cannot be on Isabella, White, Chubara, Kaura and Mousy suits.

Types of piebald suit

Usually spots of "piebaldness" are on the sides and back. White spots are caused by partial albinism, then the animal has blue eyes. Or one eye is blue. In the USA, such horses are called pintos and paytes, and they are divided into two types by color:

1. Tobiano (tobiano). These are horses that have one or both sides dark. Their legs are white below. There is a certain symmetry in the color. The dominant To gene is responsible for such piebaldness. It happens that a foal is born from completely non-skewbald parents - when the gene manifests itself, it is impossible to predict.
2. Overo (overo). This coloring is divided into three types:
   • Sabino (sabino). They have white legs. Spots - on the sides and on the stomach. The head and lower lip are white. The gene has not been clarified exactly - N or Sb.
   • splashed white ( splashed white). The horses look like they've ridden through puddles of white paint. The Spl gene is responsible for this coloration.
   • Frame overo (frame overo). The white spot is surrounded by dark hair, like a "frame". Often the main suit is shown only on the crown and ears. The Fr gene is responsible for the suit.

Types of piebald suit

Sabino on the main suits

Splashed white on main suits

Frame overo on basic suits

"Wild" suits (Dun)

Breeders have identified a "wild" gene - DUN. It is dominant, lightens the pigments of red and black, but its effect does not extend to the pigmentation of the mane and tail. Individuals of this suit manage to disguise themselves well in nature - the preservation of their population depends on this.

It is believed that all modern suits come from "wild" suits. Features of "wildness":

• A clear black-brown stripe runs along the ridge - it is also called the "belt". This required condition!
• The legs have fuzzy stripes - this phenomenon is also called "zebroid".
• The shoulders of the horse have a blurred transverse stripe of dark color - “wings”.
• The ears have dark edging.
• The tail and mane are marked with whitish strands.

Learn more about the "wild" colors of horses.

Savrasaya (Bay dun)

It is believed that the "wild" gene turns a bay horse into a savras. This "wild" suit is typical for. Coloring - yellow, clarified yellowish, pale red. The body is unevenly colored, there are light spots on the abdomen. The coloration of the tail, mane and lower legs is darker - sometimes to black.

Another representative of the savras suit is the Norwegian fjord pony. In the bangs, tail and mane of these mini horses there are silver, white and black hairs.

Features of savras suit:

• From the tail to the withers - a dark strip (called a belt).
• Bottom part limbs - dark or black, there is a zebroid.
• Lightening of the color on the muzzle, belly and throat.

Rare, but found web"(cobwebbing) on ​​the muzzle of the savras suit. This is a grid pattern or just dark stripes on the horse's forehead.

Kauraya (Chestnut dun or Red dun)

She is considered the "ancestor" of the red suit. Brown horse is also called red-savras. Brown horses are rarely seen - usually in zonal and wild breeds. Horses of this suit have a light red color, the mane and tail are darker.

Shades of brown horses:

• Dark brown. The body is dark red. The head and lower legs are darker. There is a dark brown "strap". The tail and mane are darker than the body, and are painted in reddish-brown tones. There are light strands in the mane and tail, and zebra on the legs, on the shoulder blades - a few brownish spots.
• Light brown (claybank dun). Has a lighter body. The head and legs are darker. The tail and mane consists of red and light strands.

Now brown horses are rare. In Russia, they are found only in Altai rocks living in Kazakhstan, and in the Yakut breeds. Soviet heavy trucks rarely, but give brown individuals.

Mouse (Blue or Mouse)

The "wild" gene makes a mouse out of a black suit. In mouse horses, the color is gray, and the mane and tail are cast in black. Their head is somewhat darker than the body. There are specimens in which the entire head is black. The legs of mouse horses are dark, black or with a black tint.

mouse suit

Light-mouse apprentice

An ordinary gray horse has its own color due to a combination of white and black hairs. And only mouse horses have truly ashy hairs. Such horses do not change their shade, like gray, depending on the number of years lived - their color is extremely stable.

Mouse horses may change shade slightly depending on the season. In winter, silvery hairs appear in their cover, shimmering blue. In summer, yellowness predominates in the shade.

The mouse color is characteristic of horses leading their pedigree from aboriginal breeds. It has been noticed that mouse horses do not like buckwheat straw - they have something like an allergy to it. Real mouse horses have a "wild" gene. If it is not there, then the suit is more like a black suit.

Mukhortaya (Muddy dun or Muddy grullo)

It is very rare, or rather, almost none of his contemporaries saw this suit. Such a suit is distinguished by the presence of yellowish or red marks around the eyes, near the muzzle, in the groin, on the hips. In fact, this is a karak suit clarified by the “wild” gene. Therefore, this suit is also called Karakov-Savras.

Presumably, this is how a horse with a fly suit might look like.

Basic markings on horses

A small white spot on a horse's forehead is star, and the big spot is called star. Between the nostrils there may also be a spot (white or pinkish), which is called whiteness.

The white narrow stripe along the muzzle is called groove. It can be combined with a star and/or whiteness. The groove may be interrupted.

A wide white stripe, sometimes partially capturing the nostrils, is called " bald head", and if it covers the entire front of the muzzle and lower jaw, that is " flashlight».

Horse markings

horse structure

Also marks can be on the limbs. When talking about white spots on the limbs, they indicate the part of the leg where this mark is located (see the drawing with the structure of the horse). Half a metacarpal is called " sock", white to the carpal joint -" toe", and white with the capture of the carpal joint -" stocking».

Red horses may have Magomed spots. And also, regardless of the suit, light round spots can go on the sides of the horse (“ apples”), repeating the grid of the subcutaneous blood vessels of the horse. It is believed that the appearance of apples is a sign of health and sleekness of the horse.

Suits and breeds

Each breed has its own set of suits. In some breeds, color is an important selection trait, in others it does not matter much. There are breeds that have one suit at all - for example, they have only a black suit, haflingers have only a playful one. There are breeds with a luxurious palette of colors and suits. These usually include native breeds. For example, Mongolian horses can be found in absolutely any color, while Icelandic horses do not have only tufted ones. Table 1 shows the colors and breeds of horses in which they occur.

Table 1

Gray	French heavy trucks - Percherons and Boulognes; Lipizzan; lusitano; shagiya; Arabic; Oryol trotters; Camargue - these horses are only gray; Terek. Rarely, but there is a gray suit for: thoroughbred horses; Karachay; Kabardian. In French trotters, a gray color is never found.
Voronaya	Kabardian; French ariegoises; Dutch Frisians; shires; Oryol trotters; percherons; German half-breed horses; kladruby. Rarely found in trotting breeds: Russian; American; French.
Bay	Cleveland bay - there are no other colors in this breed. This is an extremely common color and is found in many thoroughbred, native and outbred horses.
redhead	It occurs in most existing breeds - in, Kazakh steppe, Mezen, Pechora, Don and many others. Most of the red color in such breeds: Russian heavy truck; Soviet heavy truck; Breton; Suffolian; Belgian; Frederiksborg; french horse.
Isabella	Akhalketian; Kinsky horses.
Chubaraya	Issyk-Kul; English shag pony; American Appaloosa; Mongolian; Altai; noriken; knabstruppers.
piebald	Painthorse - American breed skewbald horses. Among factory breeds, piebaldness is not found. The piebald suit is common among ponies. Aboriginal and outbred horses can also be piebald. 1 7 City Novosibirsk Publications: 234

Horses are one of the most beautiful animals, they do not leave anyone indifferent. Getting more and more popular different kinds equestrian sport, also an increasing number of people are starting to breed and maintain different breeds and colors of horses.

Each type of suit is characterized by its own distinctive features that are hereditary: hair color from head to tail, as well as a combination of skin color and eye color.

Moreover, a black horse cannot have a white mane or legs, and a red horse will not have black legs or a tail. However, each color of the suit can have different shades of skin color, hairline - these are the so-called "excuses", which are quite acceptable for this type of horses.

In our article, we will consider the features of one of the most beautiful colors of horses - black. This suit was common in the East, it was from there that black horses began to spread throughout the world. Purebred Arabian horses of blue-black color have been valued at all times for their endurance, strength and extraordinary speed. Now it is difficult to single out any specific habitats for these horses. They are grown in Europe, and in Asia, and in America.

Black horses are found in almost all breeds, both riding and heavy trucks. However, there is one single breed, representatives of which can be exclusively black - we are talking about Friesian horses.

Characteristics of the suit

The color of this horse has frightened people since ancient times - the blue-black color of horses was considered a sign that these animals belong to the forces of evil. Indeed, an absolutely black horse from mane to tail and hooves is very beautiful, but involuntarily it seems that he carries something sinister in himself. Such horses were considered extremely recalcitrant and unfriendly. It was believed that those who have such horses in their yard belong to the forces of evil.

In many books, films, black horses are described from a negative side. But in the world where they breed horses, the situation is completely different.

The black horse along with the red and bay horses are the main suits. And all other colors are derived from these basic ones.

The black color is found in those animals in which the gene responsible for the blue-black color is manifested. But in combination with some other genes, other shades may appear in such horses - black-roan, ashy shade and a number of others. But at present, the black suit is much less common than we would like - mainly red and bay horses are bred.

In order for the horse to have a beautiful well-groomed appearance, it must be carefully looked after, kept in comfortable stables, bathed regularly, monitored for a timely change of coat, and fed properly.

Optionally, these horses can be black from hooves to mane. Very often, white spots in such animals occur precisely in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe hooves. But this is not a defect, rather, a common addition to the black suit.

However, depending on the climate in which these horses are grown, on the degree of lighting, the environment, their color may have different shades:

There are three varieties of black horses:

• black with a blue tint;
• ash black, may be dark brown or chestnut;
• black with traces of tan, fading in the sun, their coat becomes a dirty brown hue.

Foals born to black horses are dark in color with an ash sheen or smoky color.

In a shedding mare, the “calves” will appear brown, bay or ashy in color, and only when they grow up, the foals become blue-black.

Legends of black horses

The blue-black color of these horses is similar to the color of ravens, which have also been classified as dark forces since ancient times. Therefore, the name of this suit appeared - black, from birds that are just as black and gloomy.

In the Middle Ages, riders in black robes, riding the same dark horses, terrified opponents only with their appearance. They seemed to come from the other world, so those around were afraid of such riders, prayed and were baptized.

Black horses were distinguished by a more severe and violent disposition than other colors of horses, they are more violent and restive. Therefore, in many legends and epics, people from the underworld have just such horses that terrify the population. So, the people themselves elevated the black horses to the rank of violent and unearthly, sowing fear and fear around them.

In many legends, it is black horses that accompany negative characters (in The Master and Margarita, The Fellowship of the Ring, and many other films and books). It is also worth remembering the magnificent horse of Alexander the Great, who traveled with his master almost the whole world and did not allow the enemies to take away the wounded owner. Bucephalus is an example of the faithful service of a pet to its owner.

Horses of a black suit are not so terrible and rebellious, as they are described in legends. They can be with different characters: calm and wayward, affectionate or nasty, like representatives of a bay or red color.

Endowed by the power of their color negative qualities, for many centuries these horses were bred much less frequently than other breeds of horses. Many were simply afraid to have a black horse in their stable, believing that it would attract evil spirits to the house.

Basic shades

The main shades allowed for breeding black horses are:

Black horses are very beautiful, although in modern horse breeding it is extremely difficult to find horses with a pure blue-black skin tint. After all, it is not easy to preserve a similar color in horses - this requires specific care and special conditions for keeping these noble animals.