Is this true??

[slaneyrose]

I have read that if in doubt,you can tell if a foal is a silver because it will have white eyelashes and black eye rims even if that changes later. Is this true? Anyone got a lot of experience with silver foals???

 

[Tony]

I only have sixty years of experience with horses, and have never noticed this phenomenon, nor heard of it until one of the earlier posts.

 

[SmoothEZ]

In the Arabian breed you could always tell whether your horse was going to be gray by looking at the short hairs just below the eyes. I have noticed in the minis that seems to hold true also. This past weekend I went to a clients house and they were showing me their (Sorrel pinto filly) and I looked closely at the hairs below her eyes and I told them that I thought they were mistaken on her color that she was in fact a buckskin pinto filly. I believe the the short hairs below the eyes hold true to the color. That is JMHO.

 

[Tony]

That is true for grey, but NOT for silver.

 

[eagles ring farm]

i have read that somewhere but i'm not sure where

also have read stripped hoofs are a sign of silver dapple

has anyone ever heard this ?

i thought it to be only an appolusa trait

 

[tini-z]

We are breeders of classic shetlands since 15 years.

When our foals have white eyelashes, then we know they will be silver dappled later or grey. and will get later a white main/tail.

 

[crponies]

I guess I haven't paid attention to my foals eyelashes, but then I've never had doubts about which ones are silver. However, I do think all or almost all of the silver ones have had stripped hooves. They mostly "outgrow" the stripes but I have a 4 year old gelding who still has the stripes.

 

[Minimor]

Well, we have a yearling silver dapple filly here; her hooves were just white when she was little, but now they are very, very striped. Her eyelashes were sort of body colored--maybe a bit lighter than her face color but not much lighter--at birth. We've got quite a few silver bays & a few silver dapples--not all have striped hooves. You know what? I can't say about the eyelashes--it's just not something I take any notice of! :lol:

I'd say the grey goggles are a sure indicator that a foal will be grey, but I honestly haven't noticed any sort of dark goggles on the silvers....like someone else said, I don't have a problem identifying the silvers right from the start, even without taking the eyelash color into account.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

My Silver foals have had paler eyelashes, true, but so have my Grulla and Dun- maybe it is a Dilute thing??

Also, Yes, I would agree on the Grey- foals that go Grey often have pale eyelashes, but, again, not neccessarily born with them, it would depend on when the animal goes Grey.

And , of course, I have had foals born Grey with dark eyelashes, and adult Greys with dark, black, even, eyelashes.

So, I would say it often happens but is not a "cast in stone" thing (what is??

)

 

[kaykay]

My tiny has white eyelashes and white mane and tail. I dont shave eyelashes for shows and you wouldnt not believe how many people and judges comment on her "blonde" eyelashes. Shes a silver bay

 

[carlenehorse]

I don't know too much about the silver gene. My stallion carries the silver gene and here is one of his fillies from 2005. She is a silver pinto and I never noticed the eyelashed till this post. Here is a close up picture of her and she does have white eyelashes.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a162/car...goodcloseup.jpg

 

[Dona]

All of the Silver minis that have been produced here have had silvery/white eyelashes. Not saying that they ALL do....but all of mine have.

:

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I think what we are saying is almost all Silver horses have white/pale eyelashes BUT having white/pale eyelashes does not make a horse Silver

 

[slaneyrose]

Ok....here is a photo of my 3 day old silver dapple pinto filly

and here is my colt.......colour unknown..3days old (they look the same to me so Minimore and crponies...if you never have a problem knowing a silver...can you tell me if he is one coz he looks like one to me?? I just need a more experienced eye.

the filly has white hooves and the colt has black ones!!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

It does depend a lot on the colour of the parents, of course!!!

 

[Bluerocket]

I have 3 silver dapple horses - none have striped hooves - and 2 had purple rims NOT BLACK to their eyes as babies -- with "white hooves" (no white legs) - that turned deep purple/black as they matured.

The older horse is a mare and she is definitely a black based silver Dapple

The gelding I believe is a chocolate silver (looks pewter when clipped) and rarely has dapples.

Their daughter is still "yellow" right now (she will be 3 this year) but has a pale pewter coat color when clipped - her hooves just started darkening last year -- they were ivory/white (she does not have any white leg markings) up until that time.

I believe she will eventually end up the same color as her sire. He also was the yellow/almost palomino color when he was born.

 

[Dona]

Ok....here is a photo of my 3 day old silver dapple pinto filly

and here is my colt.......colour unknown..3days old (they look the same to me so Minimore and crponies...if you never have a problem knowing a silver...can you tell me if he is one coz he looks like one to me?? I just need a more experienced eye.

the filly has white hooves and the colt has black ones!!

They do both appear to be Silver Dapples. But many colors can mimic others....especially in foal coats. Did the colt have a Silver Dapple parent?

Also....it's possible the filly has white markings above her hooves, resulting in the white hooves. And, sometimes foals are born with white hooves, but they darken as they age. That could be the case with her as well.

:

 

[slaneyrose]

Dona you are right! She does have white legs

The sire of both foals is Birchwood U.K Sundance, an AMHA stallion, I know there is no silver from his dam`s side but not sure about his sire RFM I`m a booger toos Rainmaker, If anyone knows anything about this stallions background I`d be interested. Sundance`s breeder thinks its possible he was carrying silver as he is a chestnut and white pinto with a white mane and tail but she doesnt own him anymore, I think he is in Holland now.