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What should be tested?

If anyone remembers Coco, I plan on getting her tested but I am just not sure what needs to be tested. For anyone that hasnt seen her [url=http://s26.photobucket.com/albums/c143/Sn0wLe0pard/Animals/Mini%20Horse…] [url=http://s26.photobucket.com/albums/c143/Sn0wLe0pard/Animals/Mini%20Horse…] [url=http://s26.photobucket.com/albums/c143/Sn0wLe0pard/Animals/Mini%20Horse…] Oh I forgot to mention her father is a varnish roan black silver appy

Daylene Alford Fri, 04/19/2013 - 11:27

I was thinking about this again last night and wanted to add:  Consider the variation within Chestnut   At one end you have very dark almost black liver and at the other end light flaxen chestnut   Are their other things that act on color?  Of course some of them are genetic but others are environmental or gestational   There are possibly many genes that control "shade" much like their are many genes that control human height (last estimate I heard was over 100).  

As it stands right now I'm content to put most of these "light black" horses within the scope of "normal" black expression.  One exception is 

Ali Zeus from http://www.aelfleahfarm.com/Aelfleah_Farm/Home.html and he seemed to have light eyes as well as a desendent (heavily linebred) that also seemed to be diluted.  He's deceased now so we might never know for sure if his coloring was truly inheritable or not.  

critterkeeper Mon, 04/22/2013 - 14:23

If you are going with a supplement, I suggest going with BOSS as it gives a nice even darkening of the coat and is relatively inexpensive (I buy mine from either the dollar stores or the grocery store as opposed to the feed stores. I know my chestnut mare, Valley, turns a very nice dark liver color as long as she is on it, but will fade after a few months if not.

CMhorses Tue, 04/23/2013 - 03:45

I still just can't get over these light blacks not shedding out to be black, then fading. It could be a shade thing like in chestnuts, but then I would think you would see blacks range from solid to more of a grey color. I will def being trying some color supplements over the summer.