Bay Horse Color

Genetics, Shades, Breeds

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Famous Bay Horses

Bay Horses are brown and have black points – their manes, tails, and lower legs are black. Bay is one of the most common coat colors in the equine world, but there are many different variations.

Bay horses display evidence of both the recessive red base color gene and the black, but the agouti gene suppresses the black coloring and confines it to the points.

It’s All in the Genes

A mix of Barb, Andalusian, and “Chapman” horses (popular packhorses of the era) produced these strong, versatile horses that influenced many other modern breeds.

The Cleveland Bay

There are a few very specific breeds that require horses to be one particular color (Friesians must be black, Suffolk Punches must be chestnut, for example).

Other Bay Horse Breeds

Do bay horses have dorsal stripes? Bay horses do not typically have a true dorsal stripe. When they do, the color is called bay dun (or simply dun).

Frequently Asked Questions

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