Color opinions..?

I had a colt born in 05 out of my mare Merikle... She was sold to us as a Sorrel mare with a flaxen mane and tail.

So when a sorrel is bred to a pally, the only colors you can get is sorrel or palomino. I did not know this at the time... but do know it now... and much more...

So this is Merikle



And this is her colt (with daddy peeking over in the background), Logann when he was first born... Looks very chestnut.. right?






But as he matured... his mane and forelock, and some of his tail began to go black...






Since he has very high stockings, he would not have any lower black markings visible. But does he look like he is truely a bay?

I am just trying to get others opinions, possibly on Merikle as well... As she does not look like a simple sorrel with flaxen mane and tail... I am thinking silver bay? As if Logann is a bay, she has to be a silver bay, as I know exactly what genes my stud carries, and his true color as he is color tested.

Here is some more pictures of Merikle. Note the black muzzle, black knees, mixture of black (more than usual then I see on simple faxens), and the white and black mixed hairs below her knees.







And for comparision... Here is merikle's muzzle



and Chestnut mare left, Merikle right. Look at the muzzles...




So what do you think? Is Logann a Bay tobiano? And does merikle look like a silver bay?

Any input is greatly appreciated.

First I have to say that Logann is just so cute.

You know I don't know that much about color genetics, but I was taught that in paints if the horse is tri color like Logann it has a bay base. So with that in mind, if I didn't know his history and saw him somewhere, that's what I would call him, a bay tobiano.

I'm not exactly sure what color(s) a silver bay is, but in comparing pictures of Merikle to Woody who is also a sorrel with a flaxen mane, there are some differences. As you noted, Merikle does have a lot of dark areas on her legs. Woody is more of a uniform color all over his body and his legs get lighter as you go down. He does not have the dark areas around his joints, but does have a dark skin around his muzzle. Woody does have grey in his tale like Merikle, but I always attributed it to the fact that his Dam is grey.

Well, she doesn't have black ear tips.... So I dont know whats goin on there...

But until someone pointed out to me that she may be a silver bay a while ago, i didnt even notice!

Silver dapple is a gene that only effects black based horses... It lightens stuff.... hrmm... Maybe www.ucdavis.com would be able to explain the gene better...

She does have a lot of black in her tail... and more silver than grey hairs...

And just so you know... Even though your horses dam was grey, unless he turned grey totally, he did not get the gene, and therefore will have no grey coloring from his mom.

Merikle, I know a lot of tobies and toveros have that black in their mane, but girl, don't get me to lying on what color or base they are. Truthfully, I'm still trying to figure out why Kid and Cool's babies are chesnut with flaxen mane and tails - don't get that one at all, but hey, I'm not complaining either. HA!

Hard to tell. Looks like sorrel. This is a picture of my paint filly a few years ago before I got her. She is reg chestnut overo. She has chestnut, sorrel and red roan on her. This side has less color then the other side. She has two blue eyes and is out of two breed stocks.. I will breed her to Tommy and get sorrel I am sure.. Hopefully color.. LOL.. I got the loudest paint I could find.. Wish me luck.. She brought her in out of pasture and hosed her off.. I will send the otherside on another relpy. I haven't figured out how to do text, get my photo and insert it with out leaving this area.. She has white tail and sorrel mane..

Other side

Front. Of course she looks way better now.. She was just tossed out and forgotten about when she was a weanling.. I traded her for a colt and cash.. The gal really wanted the colt I had so she came up with this and some money to buy him. She brought her and cleaned her up.. She is tree now and about 15.3. Nice girl and I cannot wait to see what I get next year..