Texas posing back in February
So I am not a grey person. Yes, I love my horse. I think he is very handsome. His color was almost a deal breaker for me because I am not a fan of greys. They are VERY hard to keep clean, and I tend to be a bit OCD about my horse’s appearance so it is not exactly a match made in heaven. I will admit that in the show ring Gen did look very striking with his black legs and points and gleaming white body. Then came X, who was at least half white. I couldn’t catch a break when it came to horse color! When Texas came into my life it was almost a no go with his color…he without a doubt stands out. Everyone so happily pointed out to me that at least most of his whiteness would be covered.
It was true since a real blanket easily covered his blanket. I would only have to worry about keeping his socks clean in the winter. That seemed doable. A few weeks ago I noticed something as he sheded into this summer coat. There was more white on my fat spotted pony then the week before. I was confused, but figured I was just imagining it. I mentioned it to his owner and she told me that every year his blanket grows larger and larger. I thought it was interesting so I asked the owner of Hill farm, where Gennyral lives about it. She used to breed Appys so I figured she would know what was going on better then Texas’s Owner and I.
She told me that some Appaloosa’s are roans! And that they grey out with time! My fat spotted pony is destined to be a grey with spots! So much for my easy to clean pony. So a question to all of you all out there…am I an idiot for not knowing there was such a thing as a roaned Appaloosa? Did other people know by looking at Texas and not tell me?
And now a question for my Appaloosa people…how long before Texas goes all grey? And do all roans grey out to look like the horse below or can my pony keep his black mane and tail? And is there any chance that he is not a roan?
So this is Texas’s destiny…
All white with spots. At least he won’t stand out as much in the show ring right? Sigh. When can I get a black horse that wont require constant bathing?
I’m not really good on horse colors, and know practically nothing about Appaloosas. But whatever color he winds up being I’m sure it will be pretty.
I am not sure any color would be better. I hate to tell you… but blacks and bays usually have more of an issue with fungus so you still have to bathe often. I think my guy has it all… He is bay white and black. He has a gnat allergy and gets fungus easy so we bathe all summer at least once a week and then he has white stockings so he has dingy white legs all winter. My solid chestnut is usually pretty clean unless he finds a good mud puddle. I swear he is part pig.
I think appaloosas stay their adult color unless they have a lot of white they may turn whiter, but they are not like a grey foal who turns from dark to white, as far as I know. My friend had an appy who looked similar to Texas but just stayed bay/appy with a white blanket on his hips. I do not think Texas will turn white like the last pic in your blog. Correct me if I am wrong somebody!
Forgot to add…kinda like paints horses don’t change their “spots and paint”.
I’m just going to comment on my experience with my appy since I’m not a huge color researcher. Possum has lightened some as the years have gone by, but I notice the color difference much more between seasons. Possum is darker and more brown in the winter and is lighter in the summer when all of his hair sheds out. Don’t ask me how this happens but it does and I’m not the only one to notice it. I have had Possum almost 6 yrs and he is turning 14 this year and there has only been a slight change in color for him. My opinion is that your appy will not change color, and if he does, it will be barely noticeable. Possum is a more gray color anyways than your guy. I wouldn’t worry about it.
The more we worry about color the more the universe gives us a color “we don’t like”. I never liked appy’s but my two horses have been appy’s. It’s a sign that nature has a sense of humor. I Lways wanted a warmblood or Tb, plain bay, but instead I get crazy appy’s. But I’ve grown to love them and wouldn’t trade them for anything. Appy’s can be very loyal and have a great brain if they trust you. Possum would do anything that I ask him and I love that part about him.
With Appaloosas, there is an old saying that goes something like this…
You never know just what color you’re going to get…and then what you get is usually not what you end up with.
Appaloosas are a horse that can stay true from birth to old age. Then again, they can continually change throughout their lives and look completely different than what they started out like.
Spots that are there will never change. However, they can get more spots as they age. As in, spots can appear where there were’nt any before.
Roans will usually continue to roan more as they age – but not always.
That’s just part of the fun of having an Appaloosa – they are continually surprising you!!!
That’s what I love the most about them – they are not your run of the mill, ordinary looking horse.
They are Speck-tacular!!
My appy is a red roan (I think) and he is 19 and isn’t all white. But who knows if he had blanket colouring when he was younger…? I guess it depends on the type of colour (roan vs. blanket etc.), whether they will turn all white/grey or not…
I like the colouring of that horse in the bottom pic – he’s kinda handsome!
STOP. WORRYING. ABOUT. HIS. COLOR. There, I said it.
Besides, one person’s pretty is another person’s ugly, and vice versus.
There is someone out there who would die for him just BECAUSE of his color. Just think about that -someone is jealous of you because you have a funky looking appy.
Since I’ve had nothing but black horses, I’m really the wrong person to make any comments about appy horses.
But I will say this … your horses is absolutely beautiful. And whatever color he decides to become … he’ll still be gorgeous.