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Chris James
Silver Member
 United Kingdom
497 Posts |
 Posted - 07 Jun 2003 : 7:54:10 PM
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When I bought my first arab, many years ago, chestnut was the 'in' colour. I still love the iridescent chestnuts, nothing else sparkles and gleams quite as these arabs do. And chestnut mares are my special favourites! My oldest mare is a lovely bright gleaming chestnut. Then the bays came in - I have a lovely bay mare (17 now but we still ride out several times a week)american breeding, and special. But now the greys are in the ascendant - I have a grey 3 yr old gelding, and with the help of Champion Tails shampoo he is gorgeous - in the past we bought old ladies grey rinse shampoo from the chemist, and caused raised eyebrows (just as we do today buying Benzyl Benzoate in 4 litre bottles - to stop itching/rubbing!) But my latest foal is coloured, and pretty - so I think the old saying is true 'a good horse is never a bad colour'. What do you think?
Chris James
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19 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jun 2003 : 8:14:30 PM
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ooh, chestnut mares, you carnt beat um!
KB |
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Acorn Arabians
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2052 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jun 2003 : 8:34:55 PM
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Hi Chris,
Its a close run thing for me between chestnuts and bay, if pushed I would say a good red chestnut.I have 2 Section A's that are bay , that will have to do until I can breed a bay arab myself.   |
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Lisa
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2611 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jun 2003 : 8:52:10 PM
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My favourite colour is deffinately Flea Bitten Grey!
Followed by chestnut with lots of white like OAS Panache.
But don't you think chestnut is coming back into fashion in a big way? |
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Sadika
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3520 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jun 2003 : 9:05:20 PM
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Speaking from behind the camera I like greys - especially fleabitten ones. However I have just been photographing THE most gorgeous chestnut stallion - his gleaming coat had so many lovely shades in it and that sort of chestnut is absolutely stunningly lovely but so many are quite "flat" looking. Bays can be nice too but the one colour I am NOT fond of is black and I really cannot understand the current fascination for this colour in the UK (with our often dull light - creates quite a problem!) and particularly as most seem to have brown/ginger tints, especilly in the mane and tail, and their owners insist on photographs which are "black"!!!!.
Marilyn A Sweet |
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Arabmare
Gold Member
United Kingdom
628 Posts |
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Nick
Gold Member
United Kingdom
887 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jun 2003 : 10:53:11 PM
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Great question we have had Pure breds in every colour and almost every shade exept black all having pros and cons Greys like a new horse every year some years better than others pure white is dreamlike.Fleabitten very exotic.
Bays for us the darker the better like chocolate.
Mairs favourite Chestnut with blonde mane and tail done right the best colour on a sunny day.
White markings a great optiontional extra Mair does the white bits
My favourite colour without a doubt is always on the best horse.
Exit the Dragon |
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Mike
Platinum Member
Eire
1872 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jun 2003 : 11:13:44 PM
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I agree with Marilyn, anything but black......
Mike |
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Vik
Bronze Member
United Kingdom
67 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jun 2003 : 11:14:57 PM
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My favorite colour has to be palomino.Ive been told you dont get palomino arabs,so i suppose ill never have one Next has to be greys,preferably dapple,.Ive always liked chestnuts,must do as i own 2,im not keen on bay,although i do have one & hes my favorite of all my horses,so i suppose you are right colour isnt that important! |
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khira
Bronze Member
United Kingdom
182 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2003 : 02:22:19 AM
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hiya all
What is wrong with black arabs???? My mare is black and is absolutely stunning. I wouldn't swap her colouring for the world. In fact I want to breed blacks off her. Wherever we go, whoever we see, she is always admired, and always before the bay or grey!!! There is definately nothing wrong with this colour!!!!
nic |
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mirage
Gold Member
United Kingdom
1457 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2003 : 06:44:30 AM
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| Khira - I'm with you on this one. I know that many brown Arabs have been called black, but when you have a true 'blue' black, they shine like glass. |
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alethea
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
1526 Posts |
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ginger horse
Gold Member
United Kingdom
1215 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2003 : 11:30:45 AM
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i`ve had six arabs in the past 4 of them are chestnuts with white blazers and socks a mix of mares and geldings but i do agree a good horse is never a bad colour
j smith |
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Mike
Platinum Member
Eire
1872 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2003 : 12:30:26 PM
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My objections to black as a colour are (a) practical, very dark coloured horses are difficult to keep looking clean and (b) the colour invariably becomes a breeding goal in itself tending to outweigh all other considerations for most people which is a shame
On the other hand I can think of a few horses which happen to be black that I would be delighted to own, though they would to me be equally or even more desirable if they were bay, grey or chestnut with or without lots of "high white"
No good horse was ever a bad colour afterall But BAD horses can come in any colour you like
For those who love and admire their "blacks" good luck to you and more power to your elbow I'm sorry but the colour does nothing for me |
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Caroline
Bronze Member
United Kingdom
75 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2003 : 2:48:26 PM
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Hi
My dream horses were always black, and now I'm lucky enough to have a wonderful two year old colt (thanks to Ann!). I agree that a good horse is never a bad colour. I love horses of all colours, black just happens to be my favourite. I think colour is the least interesting thing about my boy. He's a fantastic character with a great pedigree and the fact that he's black is a bonus. I'm not suggesting that anyone here thinks this, but I do feel there's a certain amount of prejudice against black animals in general (except black cats) because of an association with 'the dark side' of things. My dog, who was an RSPCA rescue was passed over many times, despite being very puppyish and affectionate, because he was black. Apparently this happens a lot. And no, I didn't choose him because of his colour, but because he had a spark in his eye.
Cheers
Caroline
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Woodlay
Gold Member
United Kingdom
566 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2003 : 4:24:26 PM
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I really hesitate to get into this discussion for fear of climbing on to a really quite large soap box!!!
Having bred show quality black Arabians for probably longer than anybody else in the UK I would say that the biggest mistake to make is to breed solely for colour, whatever colour that might be.
When I bred my mare My Midnite Dancer to Pilot it was because I thought that Pilot would particularly suit Dancer for lots of reasons. The resulting foal was the coal black colt AH Kuda! It was a huge bonus that he turned out to be black - that was most definitely not expected! Everybody then assumed, because I concentrate on blacks, that I bred them for that reason - how wrong could they be!?! Nevertheless Kuda has gone on to be a hugely successful colt, never beaten when shown by me as a yearling and he was World Elite Top Ten in Paris last December - not bad for a mere black! Dancer is now back in foal to Pilot for next year and again I am not expecting a black foal.
All my horses were bought because they had the qualities I was looking for, and were also black, none were purchased only for their colour.
In fact if someone wants to send me a black mare only to breed a black foal regardless of quality, and I don't think the breeding will work I will not cover the mare, difficult as this might be to explain sometimes.
People are far more ready and eager for some reason to put down a black foal than a foal of another colour and I have yet to hear anybody ask "who is that foal out of" it is always "who is it by", the stallion seems to take the whole responsibility for the resulting foal.
If there is a bad example of a chestnut/grey/bay Arabian it is just a bad example - if that person sees a bad example of a black Arabian it seems to suddenly be BECAUSE it is a black!
There are many many absolutely stunning black Arabians around now, and it is certainly not their colour that is enabling them to win at major shows around the world.
Annie |
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SueB
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3218 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2003 : 4:44:04 PM
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Chris,
During the 80's, I moved to Devon with three beautiful white grey mares, and one bright chestnut stallion, I spent the next few years only ever breeding chestnuts, from my much loved mares. I have suffered many uncalled for comments on my abilty to only have chestnut arabians, one local breeder referred to us as the chestnut arabian stud! so I am a little tense when it comes to colour choice.
I happen to adore coloured horses, if I were to start breeding them, I wonder if I would receive such sarcasam as I have already suffered?
It seems that colour in horses is nearly as controversial a topic as it unfortunately can be in humans.
What ever the colour, Arabians are beautiful to me.
Sue
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Woodlay
Gold Member
United Kingdom
566 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2003 : 5:20:09 PM
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Hi Marilyn,
Just had to come back on this topic.
I know you might not like blacks (no problem with that)- although I have to say you have taken some stunning pics of mine over the years , I think it is a bit unfair to say that "owners insist on them looking black"! Of course they do - they are black horses!!!!!!!!!!!! Not a lot of good if they look brown.
I expect owners of chestnut horses like them to look chestnut, or bay horses bay, etc. etc. etc..........
Same old story, black horses (and their owners dare I say!) are somehow considered different. They are not, they are just black in colour. That's where the difference starts and ends.
Never fear, I am showing a grey one this year, Still want some good pics though please.....
Annie |
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SueB
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3218 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2003 : 5:49:25 PM
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Ann,
Do you think the predudice to certain colours, which there definately is, is installed in us due to current fasion, or is it something else?
When I moved here, most local studs had greys, and everyone bought my chestnuts!! You had your blacks ,and everyone started buying blacks!!?
I didn't want to breed any colour, chestnut is just what popped out, maybe being different, quite like yourself!!!, is just sooooooo annoying!! to some?
Sue |
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Sadika
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3520 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2003 : 7:05:26 PM
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Whoops Annie before I get myself into DEEP water here I'd better clarify my thoughts!!!! I am speaking from trying to photograph blacks - when the light is poor it is sooooo difficult to get definition in the photo and quite a few of blacks I've seen recently are bordering on brown (but they HAVE to appear BLACK in the photo!). You know I have always admired Angel and co and have taken great photos of them (Angel and Hooly's photo is still a firm favourite)- even though the one I like of Caesar wasn't to your liking!!! At the end of the day give me a good typey Arab at the other end of my lens in lovely light and I'm happy! (oh and a decent background too!)
Marilyn A Sweet |
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Sadika
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3520 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2003 : 7:10:02 PM
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PS Mustn't forget the "Flying Black Pegasus" photo of Wills (El Akhira)...he would have looked good in any colour that day!
Marilyn A Sweet |
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barbara.gregory
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4531 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2003 : 7:42:50 PM
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I just love blacks, I rode a black stallion in Saudi Arabia and loved him to bits. I think the prejudice against blacks is because many years age there were only bad blacks in this country (sorry if I have offended anyone) but now there are some stunners.
I don't really have a favourite colour but I hate wishy-washy chestnuts, Crusader threw a few of those; or should I blame the mare! I also don't like big white faces or white stockings on or above the knee. However, as was said before, a good horse is always a good horse whatever the colour.
Chris, do you put the benzyl benzoate on the horse neat or do you mix it in liquid parrafin? I got some but did'nt want to put it on the mare who gets sweet itch as I wasn't sure how to use it. I have just been using liquid parrafin and it works a treat but is very messy.
Thanks
Barbara |
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Sarah Jones
Gold Member
United Kingdom
709 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2003 : 10:00:49 PM
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Black, Black, Black, Black, Black, Black, Black, and mmmm... maybe chocolately brown - (thanks Annie and Ali) There is definately something very magical about them and the photo that I have of my last black arab is breathtaking!!!!!
P.S. I also own a white stallion, a grey mare, a dapple gelding, a pale grey colt and a beautiful bay mare.... I have previously owned some fantastic chestnuts and they all have beautiful beautiful temperaments, but still my favourite is BLACK!!!!
Sarah Jones |
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jacki
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
1988 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2003 : 10:51:13 PM
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hi
An interesting topic! I personally like all colours and would hapily have them all on the one yard  (BAY BLACK CHESTNUT BROWN and GREY) However for me there is something majestic about greys! They are so mystical like the faritale horse in childrens stories! A good horse is a good horse no matter what the colour and as for keeping colours clean, Has anyone got a grey that doesnt need a bath? and if so how?
jacki |
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Woodlay
Gold Member
United Kingdom
566 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jun 2003 : 08:43:54 AM
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Hi Sue,
I think you might have a point about being a bit different.
When I first imported the coloured Saddlebred stallion Premier Color -(know as "spotty")- many years ago - I got no end of ridicule especially when I put him to Arab mares to breed the coloured American National Show Horse. I then founded the ANSHA (American National Show Horse Association) and showed Spotty who was literally unbeaten in his class for 2 years.
Two of his coloured NHS foals I bred also were Champions in the show ring. Suddenly it is now the in thing to produce NSHs, coloured of course.
I have had the same experience with the blacks over the past 18 years!
Now it is the "thing to do" again............
Perhaps I should start breeding/showing/riding llamas or camels and see what happens!?!?
Marilyn,
I know exactly what you mean about pics of blacks, it is a nightmare!
Still you seem to have managed VERY well over the years!
Pity you don't still come down to sunny Cornwall for your hols, could do with another visit from you!
Annie |
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SueB
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3218 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jun 2003 : 11:43:43 AM
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Annie
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If you are different, and I'm different then we are the same, I used to be different but I am not different now, as I have a grey horse, so it is just you and obviously Chris James who are different now!
Sue xxx |
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