Tennessee Walkers come in a variety of colors. Black is the most common color although it is easy to find almost any color you desire. Primitive markings however, such as stripes and brindle markings, are never seen. Below you will find a few examples of commonly seen colors. For more indepth color information regarding breeding, click here to visit our color genetics pages.
Black versus Smoky Black versus Black (Blue) Roan
A true black horse is jet black and typically will not fade even in the sun. The black horse below only faded here in Louisiana during its hottest month, in August and the fading was evenly placed. The smoky blacks do fade out in the sun, but only on their bodies. Their points, (mane, tail, legs, muzzle), remain black or dark chocolate. Their bodies tend to fade to a golden color giving them the appearance of a sooty or dark buckskin. If stalled during the day, their color becomes a rich, chocolate brown with golden highlights. Most horses registrys do not distinguish the color of smoky black and therefore most are classified as brown, chestnut and black. Black roans will be black with obvious white hairs roaning (mixing) throughout their body. The amount of roaning varies with each horse. Their points will always be black however.
Blood Bay verus Mahogony Bay
Bay horses can be a blood bay or a mahogony bay.The blood bays have a reddish coat with black points (mane, tail, legs, muzzle). The Mahogony bays are dark, appearing to be almost black, but upon closer inspection, it is obvious that the points are blacker than the body.
Sorrel versus Chestnut versus Strawberry Roan
Most people classify very red horses as sorrel and red horses with tinges of brown as chestnut. There is also a liver chestnut which is very dark but still has a reddish tinge. Strawberry roans will be born either a chestnut color or sorrel color but will have white hairs roaning (mixing) with the red.
Gray versus Gray Roan
A true gray horses is not born gray but some other color. The foal then starts to gray out at some point eventually turning white as the years go by. Gray Roans can be born gray with immediate evidence of roaning. The roaning usually increases as the foal grows. Some gray roans have flaxen manes and tails and others have a blackish silver mane and tail. These horses do not white out.
Champagne verus Buckskin and Palomino
The champagne color varies from a diluted red color (expressed as gold) to a diluted black color (expressed as an unusual tan or faded brown) to a creamy white color. Some amber champagnes may be confused with buckskins except that the points (mane, tail, legs, muzzle) are a chocolate color rather than black. Some gold champagnes are confused with Palominos except that the body is more of a gold metallic color than the soft red normally expressed by a palomino. Cream champagnes are often confused with cremellos, perlinos, or smoky creams but carry only one cream gene. Champagnes can be distinguished from other colors by their pink skin and the tale-tale dark mottling on their muzzles and under their tails. Champagne eyes also range from green to hazel. Blue eyes in champagnes is very rare. Buckskins have brown eyes as do most palominos. Palominos can have blue eyes although they are not as blue as those on a double dilutled cream horse.
Two smoky blacks, not stalled during the day, at play. Note the black or chocolate points and gold bodies.
Jet Black Horse not stalled during the day.
Mohagony Bay
Note the black points on both horses.
Chestnut
Note the brown or yellow tinge.
Two Gray Roans
Note the difference in manes and tails.
White versus Cream versus Cream Champagne
A white horses is born white. They have pink skin just like cream horses. However, their eyes are typically brown where as cream horses, always have blue eyes. Some people say that white horses are really spotted or paint horses that came out as one big spot. They do not carry a cream gene. Cremellos, Perlinos, and Smoky Creams however, carry two cream genes which is expressed in their coats. Without that extra cream gene, they would be Smoky Black, Palomino, or Buckskin. Some even have a creamy, yellowish tint to their manes and tails. Champagne Creams carry only one cream gene but do look white. The difference is that they have mottling on their muzzle and green to hazel eyes.
Two Classic Champagnes. Note the diluted bodies and points.
Basic Equine Color Genetics
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