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Black is controlled by genes at the E locus. EE and Ee are black; ee is chestnut. All horses are genetically black or red (with red being chestnut/sorrel), and other genes modify the expression of those colors, diluting them, or adding white markings.
A black horse is black over its entire body, except for any white markings that may exist. Some horses that appear black have reddish-brown tinting in the hair around their muzzle, eye, flank, and behind the elbows. These horses are not black; they are usually called "seal brown" (more on this in the bay section). True chocolate brown -- not reddish-brown, but the color of a chocolate Labrador Retriever, with chocolate brown skin -- is extremely rare in the horse. The gene for this color is not present in most horse breeds.
There are two types of black. Ordinary black horses (below left) will fade to a rusty brownish color (below right) if the horse is exposed to sunlight on a regular basis. The other type of black is called jet black; it is a blue-black shade that is fadeproof.
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Black |
Faded black |
Jet black:
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Black foals are usually born a mousy grey color. As their foal coat begins to shed out, their black color will show through.
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The foal above is about four weeks old. The one at right is about six weeks old. |
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This black foal is four or five months old. His foal coat is very sunbleached and has begun to shed off. |
This foal is about six months old. Most of the foal coat has shed out, leaving only a trace of bleached-orange baby coat on the back and ribs. |
...but jet black foals are born jet black.
