Color Questions

[rhea]

I have a bunch of color questions so bear with me

First off, my new colt has pink skin everywhere. He's a silver bay pinto, and it just seems weird to me [coming from arabs] seeing the pink skin even under his solid coloring. He has pink skin on his body, around his eyes, on his legs, under both white and solid...is this normal for silver?

Second: blue eyes. His sire has two blue eyes, and when Mattie was born I thought he had blue eyes too, then at about 2-3 days old they seemed to go greenish, then I noticed yesterday that they are becoming very blue again. I've heard of foal's eyes changing color, so I'm just wondering, when will they stop changing?!!

I've also noticed that he has a LOT of white hairs in his body color. They seem to be pretty evenly spread when I look closely. At first I thought they were only on his flank and shoulder, but now I'm seeing that they're everywhere...Could he have roan? Or is it just a funky baby coat thing? I'm emailing the breeder of his sire to ask her too, because the sire seems to be roaning too...thing is that the white is everywhere - my friend has a red roan, but his head is SOLID chestnut, no white at all. So wondering what's up with that too!

Alrighty. Now I'm feeling sheepish that I don't know all this, but please enlighten me! It's probably just over-protective, over-careful "aunt" going crazy over every little detail.

Thanks!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

You know what?? I'm not even going to hazard a guess without pictures. A Roan has to have a Roan parent and also does NOT get white hairs through the head area, Silver could easily account for the eyes though, my Silvers all had blue eyes, born, which stayed blue longer than usual baby eyes and faded slower. The colts eyes are still grey-blue at four months going on five. I have had a Sorrel colt born with bright pink skin all over. Stayed for two weeks then faded to the colour that is normally associated with Palomino- that dark "mushroom" colour. He had the most amazing pink testicles- I have never seen anything like it except a Standard White Poodle!!!

 

[mizbeth]

Your baby sounds like he could be a sabino. Sabinos are often born with pink skin that turns dark/black with age. Sabinos also appear very roan looking.

I did not know that silver bays had pink skin tho. Sorrels will have pink some times and it turns darker with age. The skin around their eyes, muzzle, body and hooves are even white/light but turn dark with age. I have heard some old time breeders call those sorrels "true red" horses. Whatever that means?

A roan horse has a dark head and dark points with white hairs mixed with their body color either red or black.

Can you post a photo of him?

Beth