Why doesn't white horses shine/shimmer

[Chaos Ranch]

I have been looking through some of my photos of my horses and I noticed that the white on the horses doesn't seem to shine up or glimmer like the colored areas. Why is that? When I recall a lot of the white horses I've seen in person, I realize that their coat didn't have that glossy shine either.

And on the pintos and Appaloosas, the color shines, but the white areas do not. Why is that ? Has anyone else noticed this? Do you have a picture showing a shine on a white horse or a white area on a horse?

 

[txminipinto]

It's the lighting reflecting off the color of the horse that makes it "shimmer". You can't see the light reflecting off of white.

 

[Loess Hills]

That's exactly what I was going to add!

Light reflects differently on the light and colored roan horses.........clipping and the length of the coat also make a difference.

 

[AppyLover2]

My big horses white coat glistens like sun shining on snow. Beautiful glossy coat. But, you're right, not all of them do.

 

[MiLo Minis]

Some white horses shine!

This is MiLo's Buckeye Captain Mack Splash, the horse in my avatar, and he SHINES - glows even!

With Minis it helps if you don't clip them to death. I clip Mack with a 10 two weeks or more before a show and than for the rest of the summer he doesn't get clipped except for his fetlocks, bridlepath, ears and face.

 

[Bess Kelly]

My white ones glisten. Yes light reflects differently BUT, flaxseed will definately produce a shine. Mine get a good feed program, plus flaxseed.

 

[Amy]

Ours is a perlino -- so not white -- but she glistens in the sun-- with the gold tint she is striking.

I also immediatley thought of Lori's Captain Mac -- who "really" shines in the sunlight.