Help! My foal is turning PINK!

[miniaddiction]

Hi Guys

Im stumped about this and thought this would be the best place to try and gain some knowledge. My 2 week old colt was born what I thought was silver bay. He had light hair around his eyes and muzzle and I assumed he would go grey like his dam. At birth, his skin was quite dark but definitely not black and I could clearly see a little white snip on his nose.

Now at two weeks old, his skin around his muzzle and eyes has turned completely pink!!! I cant figure it out, its starting to happen on other areas of his body too....his bottom was black until a couple of days ago and now this too is turning pink.

His Dam was born chestnut and has gone grey, she has very dark black skin absolutely no mottling.

His Sire is a rich silver bay pinto, with very dark black skin on his coloured patches.

Has anyone heard of this happening? Here is a photo of him at 1 week old, you can see his darker but not black skin and his little snip on his nose.

I will go out and take another photo of him now to show the difference and add it ASAP.

Thanks, Helen

 

[Miniv]

If your beautiful baby had been BORN "pink", with the right color genetics, I'd say he'd be palomino. But I suspect you have a very light silver bay.........

 

[cretahillsgal]

With the grey around his eyes I bet it probably won't matter because I think he is going to be grey eventually.

But for now he looks like a silver bay to me.

 

[chandab]

I honestly don't know; but, I've read that silver and true gray combined can really accelerate the graying process, so perhaps that has something to do with it.

 

[Tremor]

I honestly don't know; but, I've read that silver and true gray combined can really accelerate the graying process, so perhaps that has something to do with it.

Silver and grey does accelerate the grey process.

 

[ohmt]

I would say he is silver black, not silver bay. That combined with the grey gene is doing weird things maybe? Looking forward to seeing the new pic, sounds interesting! My silver black appaloosa filly was born solid-she was very light silver black with black skin. I think she varnished out...I'm not sure what appy pattern she has, because now she is solid white with pink skin around her eyes and muzzle. I think it's just mottling and light silver acting together. Interesting though. Since greys often get mottling, maybe this is what's happening to your boy too? Just thinking to myself on this one til I see the pic though!

 

[miniaddiction]

Thanks for the replies, its raining so I still havnt got a new photo but will do as soon as it stops.

I thought he was silver bay at birth but I've never seen a silver bay with pink skin??? His skin has just gotten pinker and pinker over the past week or so.

 

[disneyhorse]

He looks silver bay to me, probably going grey. I have seen some grey horses (since I've got a lot of exposure to Andalusians and Percherons, both breeds have a LOT of grey horses) that get that "pink" depigmentation on their muzzle and such. I think it's a grey genetic thing, that's all. If he does turn grey, it will be somewhat distinct!

Andrea

 

[~Dan]

Not very good with genetics, but is it possible he has a sun burn?

Dan.

 

[miniaddiction]

OK here he is today, excuse the mud and wet horses. I can see a definite change in his skin looking at photos over the past two weeks, I can no longer see his pink skin where his white snip on the nose is, it just blends in with the rest of the pink. So weird!

Dan, its definitely not sunburn, his nose is soft as velvet and we have had nothing but rain here.

 

[pinck43]

I have a gelding that did the same thing. His dam is silver and white. His sire is silver bay. He has a flaxen mane and tail, but his coat looks palomino. His nose looked appy, but that has now turned normal. He still has the pink around his eyes, but does have some black also. It's like the color pigment hasn't come in. Can't wait to see what is under all that light colored hair.

 

[victoria]

Arabian fading syndrome

general health is unimpaired. Affected horses, usually Arabians, gradually lose their skin coloring on round, depigmented macules and multiple patches, most obviously around the muzzle and the perineum. It is a noninflammatory leukoderma. The cause is unknown. See also vitiligo. Called also pinky syndrome, lavender foal.

Trista Belle was exactly the same.

 

[miniaddiction]

Wow Victoria, thats crazy...never heard of that! Thankyou for the info.

Do you mean your Trista?? Do you have any photos?

 

[wiccanz]

Lol Victoria

Heard of a similar thing in dogs, but not horses

In dogs, it's often referred to "snow nose" and huskies are among the breeds affected.

Helen, I wouldn't be worrying too much, if he is otherwise fine, it's probably just a juvenile pigment thing

When Pallys are new, they are very pink, causing some folk to think they have themselves a double dilute (despite the genetic impossibility via the parents), but after a week or so, they blacken up. Ima thinking this is a similar thing, but in reverse

Who cares what colour he is?? He's awesome !!!

 

[Miniv]

The best thing to do is either have him color tested.....OR, wait til next spring, which may or may not give you some answers,

(He has the gray dilute gene in him, imo.)

 

[victoria]

Yes my Trista. Lavendar foal described her colour perfectly, What colour are his eyes when you look close Not deep brown. I can't remember the exact colour of Trista's Eyes 03 was a long time ago now but I do recall they were lighter and a different shade. I believe your fella is the same colour as trista. Silver bay pinto going grey. Nothing to worry about and they do eventually look normal - provided you don't clip em too close.

 

[miniaddiction]

Thanks guys!!! Yes he is definitely going grey and quickly! Im looking forward to clipping him out after our rain leaves us.

Brigid, he is pretty neat eh? He has a fancy little trot on him and is as arrogant as can be

 

[Humhill]

He is cute as a button!!! and you can see that attitude in his eyes. He's gonna be a handful!

 

[targetsmom]

Wow, the things you learn on this forum!! I also have a silver bay pinto (color tested) going gray - Max, in my avatar - but he has done nothing like this. And he isn't turning gray anywhere near as fast as his dam, who is also a silver bay pinto that was totally gray by weaning. Max is 18 months old now and still the color in the photos. The only thing different about Max is that he is both frame (LWO+) and tobiano where his dam is just frame.

Your boy is just adorable whatever color he is!!!

 

[hobbyhorse23]

What a nice colt!

I agree with the answers you've gotten so far and can sympathize as my double-dilute silver buckskin colt has some odd skin tones going on and it's quite disorientating when you first spot it.

Leia