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Bay
black (E_) + bay agouti (A_)
 When the black
and the A agouti gene are both present, the agouti gene restricts the black color to
the mane, tail and legs, revealing the red color that is present in all
pigmented horse hair. This creates the color we call "bay."
It is said that bay is the most common color in the world.
At this time it is believed that the effect of the bay agouti gene - A - cannot be seen
at all on a red horse;
at any rate, it cannot turn a red-based horse into a bay. There is some speculation that it may affect the shade of red the
horse appears (i.e. bright chestnut vs. liver chestnut). More research
needs to be done in this area.
Bay horse color shades range from nearly tan to nearly black, with the
typical rusty brown color and the redder "blood bay" in between.
 Some "sooty" bays look nearly black. The
sootiness gene can produce shading, or dapples, as at left.
But these are still, basically, red horses with black points.
Please bear in mind that all current photos on this web site
are from long ago, and will be replaced, if possible. However, they are
still accurate, and appreciated!
 Bay mare, AQHA registered as Tamigo Jet. She is 16 -17
years old in these pictures. She has a
buckskin colt, Two
T Mnt Timber (in photo). The colt got his
cream gene from his
palomino sire,
"Fred".
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Lauries Pegasus, a bay Thoroughbred mare by Launch A Pegasus and out of a daughter of Apalachee. Note red body, black points -- beautiful "blood bay"
coloring. |
Coweta Merlin, '98 bay gelding by Merlin. Looks like a
mahogany bay with pangare. Photo courtesy of Kat
Lee, Carousel Quarter Horses. This horse could be a
BROWN, however;
this is one of those cases where a DNA test would be needed to be sure.
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The red body color and black points are obvious on this
example. Kaskia Dancer, QH mare. |
A mahogany bay (darker shading on red body).
Bill was almost
black in winter, but a sooty, brighter bay in summer. His
sootiness took the form of both shading, including some large dark
patches, and intense dappling. |
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