Characteristics of a chestnut horse
The proverb “meet by dress” is not just for people. Horses are also judged primarily by their shirt. In addition, there is such a thing as a fashion for the color of a horse, so breeders have to make adjustments when conducting breeding work, depending on fashion trends. Today we will talk about a bay suit. If we talk about equestrian sports, the bay color of horses is most appreciated here.
Bay horse suit
general characteristics
Let's figure it out, a bay horse is what? The chestnut suit assumes that the hair on the horse's body will be dyed brown. Not only the standard corsa, to which we are accustomed, is allowed, but also all its shades, from light, shimmering golden, to dark, shimmering red. The only exceptions are the tail and mane. In addition to brown tones, black or as close as possible to those are welcome here. The same can be said for the limbs, which are often black. Even if the mane and tail are not black, they are often several shades darker than the main shade.
Sweep
The bay suit is unusually multifaceted. In addition to various shades of brown, there are some shades of yellow (golden, for example). Also, in addition to yellowish and red-brown, chocolate tones may be present. According to the existing classification of offshoots, bay horses are divided into:
- light bay;
- golden;
- sneaky;
- bay deer;
- dark bay;
- cherry;
- karak.
Let's consider a brief description of each markup separately.
Light chestnut steeds
It is easy to confuse this otmash with a dun suit, which is characterized by sand colors. It assumes the presence of light shades of brown, up to golden brown and brown. More, based on the name of the suit, there should be light shades, so we will list the parts of the body that are covered with brown hair. This is primarily the tail and mane. In addition to brown hair, the tail and mane may contain hair, the shade of which coincides with the main color. The limbs below the hock are also brown. In some places, the brown color borders on black. On the back there is a coat of dark brown shades. With a light chestnut suit, zebroidism on the limbs is allowed. Sometimes horses of a light chestnut color have a dark belt along the ridge.
Golden steeds
Another extraordinarily beautiful spread. It assumes the presence of a yellow-brown coat. When sunlight hits the coat, a golden tint appears.
Ugly horses
This blend suggests relatively light hair in the groin, mouth and eyes. Also allowed by the breed standard are tan marks that are located on the elbows and buttocks. But the presence of markings is optional.
Deer-bay horses
This suit assumes the presence of both light and dark hair on the body of the animal. The belly, muzzle and throat are colored in light shades of brown. On the sides, the coat is darkened, as on the neck, back, top of the head and crepe.
Chestnut steeds
Despite its simplicity, this dressing looks extraordinarily elegant. From the name it is easy to guess that all the wool is dyed chestnut. We are talking about a rich and fairly dark shade.
Dark bay steeds
This blend suggests dark brown shades. Moreover, in some parts of the body, the coat is darker than in others. So, in the darkest shades the wool on the back, rump and neck is painted. The upper part of the head is also darkened. The rest of the coat is dark brown. It differs from the darkened areas by literally a few semitones. Not everyone can tell the difference between a dark chestnut color and a black one in a tan. They are really extraordinarily similar to each other.
Cherry steeds
This sweep is also called red. Horse hair is colored in shades with a red tint. It can be either red or brown, but the ebb must certainly be red. Brown hair is allowed on the legs.
Karak
This is the darkest scam. The color of the coat is as close to black as possible, but there are tan marks on the muzzle and groin area. As in the case of the dark bay suit, it is very easy to confuse the karak with a crow.
Some impositions suggest markings. But do not confuse the markings with spots of white color, since the presence of white spots suggests that you have a bay piebald mare in front of you. The mane and tail of horses of this suit are colored light brown, red or black. Interestingly, different parts of the mane can be different. It all depends on the pattern of the shirt. The mane is always a continuation of the pattern. This is what makes the bay-piebald color interesting.
Others were created on the basis of the bay suit. So, for example, a bay-roan suit and a silver-bay color, isabella and savrasa, appeared.
Are color and character related
There is an opinion that the color leaves an imprint on the character of the horse. Despite the fact that this fact has not been scientifically confirmed, bay horses are most often the favorites at the races. People who have experience with these animals confirm that bay horses have a balanced character. These animals are hardy and reliable, but black horses, for example, have a hot temper.
There is a relationship between the color and the health of the animal. So, for example, horses with a large amount of white hair on the body, as a rule, do not have the strongest bones. Among gray horses, the most common disease is melanosarcoma. In bay horses, health problems are extremely rare.
The popularity of bay horses
The bay horse has always been held in high esteem. This is evidenced by ancient legends and legends, in many of them there is such a character as a bay mare or a bay stallion (horse Sivka-Burka, for example). It is difficult to determine what caused such popularity of this color. Either the reason for everything is the docile disposition and dedication of the bay stallion, or it really is a matter of color, and the bay color of the horse in the photo really looks elegant and luxurious.
If you study the pedigree of a particular breed, a bay horse was present in the family at least at some stage. Some breeds do not imply the standard for the presence of any colors other than bay. One of these breeds is the Cleveland Bay.
Some peoples even have signs and sayings associated with the colors of horses. So, for example, the Arabs are convinced that a bay horse must be in every stable. But it is imperative to get rid of black stallions. Turkmens are very fond of the proverb, which says that among horses the chestnut always stands out, and among the horsemen - the bold one.
As for statistics, today the bay horse is one of the most common colors. Most often, there are markings that suggest the presence of dark shades of brown. Light colors are much less common.At the same time, both the first and the second look equally elegant.
Interesting facts about bay horses
Apples can appear on the wool if properly maintained. This is a specific pattern that undoubtedly ennobles and adorns the horse. Most often, apples appear on a dark chestnut suit. But you shouldn't count on the fact that with very good care, apples will certainly appear. It's just that it happens sometimes.
A mare or horse may slightly change the shade of the coat at different times of the year. So, for example, in winter, all shades become half a tone or tone lighter. Also, the coat loses some shine and becomes more matte. With the appearance of the warm spring rays of the sun, the shades become richer. Long-term presence of a horse, even a black one, under the scorching summer sun, the coat often burns out. To preserve the rich shades of the coat, you need to make sure that the pet is in the shade for most of the day.
Often the foal is born with light, sometimes yellowish limbs. Do not be afraid that this contradicts the description of the bay suit. As a rule, as it grows up, the hair on the foal's limbs darkens.
There is a bay color not only among tall breeds of horses, but also among ponies.
Another interesting fact concerns cost. If you look at the ranking of the most expensive horses in the world, then here we will see bay horses. Over the years, representatives of the bay suit were bought for amounts that amount to millions of dollars. So, for a horse named Monju, they paid $ 85 million, and a mare named Poetin was purchased for 2.5 million euros.
Sports and horses
Historically, the bay horse is a good athlete. The fractional clatter of hooves has brought medals and awards to many stallions of this color. Olympic Bonfaer, who is a representative of the Oldenburg breed, in the distant 1994 became the winner of the world championship in the discipline of free dressage with musical accompaniment. It was a chestnut horse. Another representative of the brown suit named Miss won the world equestrian games. And there are a lot of such examples. And in general, in sports, mostly chestnut horses are performed. As for the tailing, light-bay horses are much less common on hippodromes than dark-bay ones.
It is believed that white markings indicate a weak bone of the horse, so many athletes do not risk sitting on bay stallions with white marks, especially on the legs. Superstitious athletes believe that a leg marked with a white mark will always be slightly weaker than the rest. Long-term practice has shown that horses with marked legs achieve the same high results as their colleagues without white marks.
The Orlov trotter named Kvadrat left a word in history. He was recognized as the champion in exterior, and at the age of 4 years in sports, he took almost all the prizes. And this fact is also interesting because the Square was not a frisky horse and could not boast of outstanding speed qualities. But he had character and a desire to win. It is possible that he received such qualities along with a brown shirt.
Care for a bay horse
By and large, bay is not a special horse. She needs the same care as others. First of all, we are talking about a comfortable, warm and clean stable. You also need to provide a proper drinking regime. The animal must always have access to clean water. If it is not possible to equip stationary drinkers, then we must not forget that a horse needs at least 30-40 liters of water per day, depending on the weight. According to the norms, 10 liters of water should fall on 10 kg of weight.
As for nutrition, it should be varied, high in calories and nutritious. Each breed has its own characteristics, so when buying a foal, you should consult with the breeder what are the features of caring for a particular horse breed.
In order for a chestnut horse, and this suit is truly elegant, to look dignified, it must be properly looked after. The animal must be kept clean and its coat must be systematically cleaned. With proper care, the coat shimmers in the sun, and while running, the mane and tail look like flames of fire. It is such a comparison that is found in the literature, when the author needs to answer the question, a bay horse is an animal of what color. Here it will not be superfluous to say that if you look at what the word "bay" means, it is associated with concepts such as fumes and fumes. An analogy with these concepts arises when you see the tail and mane fluttering in the wind.