How come race horses are only solid colours?

Question

How come race horses are only solid colours?

Answer 1

In general, when people talk about racehorses they are referring to thoroughbreds (all the major race tracks, e.g., Belmont, Saratoga, Churchill Downs, Pimlico etc feature throughbred racing) and the major races (The Triple Crown Races, Breeders' Cup Races and all graded and non-graded stakes races are for thoroughbreds).  So, I am answering this question based on the assumption that the race horses you are referring to are thoroughbreds (there are separate races for quarter horses).  Thoroughbreds come in many different colors, but with a few possible exceptions, they are all solids.

The two base colors for thoroughbreds are chestnut and black.  However, thoroughbreds may also be agouti (bay), brown, grey, cream (palomino, cremello, buckskin, perlino, smoky black, and smoky cream), frame overo, splash white, sabino, manchado, and rabicano.  If you don't recognize these colors (which I didn't) check out Article 1 below. It has pictures to help.

There are a few possible exceptions to the general rule that all thoroughbreds are solid.  First, grey horses get lighter as they age so some are dappled.  Also, some grey horses have patches of color known as "bloody shoulder marks" even though these markings can be found on other parts of the body besides the shoulders (see the picture of Charmander on the third page of Article 1.

Second, there is an ongoing dispute as to whether a thoroughbred can ever be a real roan or whether those thoroughbreds registered as roans (which has been permitted by the Jockey Club) are really genetically gray.  "Gray is a pattern of white hairs infiltrating a coat of any base color (bay, chestnut, brown, black, etc.), that steadily lightens with age. The gray gene progressively blocks pigmentation of the coat. Roan is identified as white hairs infiltrating any base coat color from birth but the overall effect does not lighten with age." (see Thoroughbred Times article)  According to this article, although race horses can be registered as grey or roan (e.g., Winning Colors was registered as roan), "it is safe to say that nearly all Thoroughbreds registered as roans in the last 60 years or so were actually grays."  Whereas greys get lighter as they age, roans do not.  Even though Winning Colors was registered as a roan, because she became lighter as she got older it is clear that she was really a gray.

However, both the articles below indicate that there may be a small number of true roan thoroughbreds.  These roans come in two types: "sabino" and "rabicano."  The sabino pattern is characterized by extensive white markings of the face and legs, usually with ragged borders, and often accompanied by some roaning on the flanks and belly.  Catch a Bird, whose picture can be found here on p.3 of Article 1 is a sabino.  

The rabicano pattern appears as white hairs mixed in the base coat, especially along the flanks and in the hairs at the root of the tail. The roaning on the flanks can sometimes be extensive enough to create a vertical striping pattern along the ribs. The hairs at the base of the tail often appear as bars or rings, giving the coloration the name "coon tail" or "skunk tail."  An example of a rabinico race horse is Colorful Tour, whose picture can also be found on page 3 of Article 1.

Thanks for asking this question.  I learned a lot.

Answer 2

Actually, down in Australia, some standardbreds actaully are paint horse colours! Its really cool!

Answer 3

each breed of horse has differing amounts of color

appys and paints race    <them r some colorful horses

Answer 4

It depends, most race horses are thoroughbreds, which mostly range in solid colors.

Answer 5

Thoroughbreds are nearly always solid colours except for white blaze and sometimes up to four white socks

Answer 6

There are a few and that would be very few who carry the sabino gene and have a little clolor on them.

But due to the closed breeding circle of thoroguhbreds they are not bred for color.

Most are solid.

Answer 7

Thoroughbreds (what most people mean by "race horses" )are mostly solid colors. The most common color is bay. Many have white feet and facial markings but they are mostly a solid color. There are some greys that are dappled and have different shades of gray in their coat. There are also roans which are some white hairs evenly mixed with a solid color for a lighter overall effect. But there are no pintos in the Thoroughbred world. The existing Thoroughbred gene pool does not have these genes in it and registered Thoroughbreds cannot be outcrossed with other breeds so these genes aren't going to be introduced any time soon.

Answer 8

If you are talking about thoroughbreds, they come in bay (any color from red to dark brown, with black mane and tail, and points, meaning the ears and legs), chestnut (light red to dark red, with same color mane and tail, or light mane and tail), brown (same color all over, light brown to nearly black), grey (any color of grey from light to dark, with light to dark mane and tail, and DARK skin).  Black horses are possible, but extremely rare. No matter how black you think they are, if the belly or muzzle show any tan at all, they are BROWN. They can all have facial markings...stars, strips, snips and blazes, but there are restrictions, at least in the US, as to how much of the face can be white. They can have socks and stockings, but these cannot extend above the knee or hock. Any more white than that, and they can be barred from registry, as excessive white denotes albino.

No palominos, grullas, buckskins, paint horses or appaloosas. These are considered COLORS, not BREEDS, as they do not breed true.

In Quarter Horse racing, palominos, buckskins and grullas are allowed, but the restrictions on excessive white are also enforced.

Answer 9

Liver chestnuts can also be dappled and "seals" are like bays, but are lighter in color where a bay is black (nose, ears, legs).