ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Equine coat color

Okay kiddo, do you know what a horse is? Great! So, just like people have different skin and hair colors, horses have different coat colors. There are many different colors and patterns, but we'll start with the basics.

First, let's talk about the base colors - these are like the foundation of the coat color. The most common are black, bay, chestnut, and grey. Black is just like it sounds - the horse is all black. Bay horses have brown bodies, but black legs, mane, and tail. Chestnuts are reddish-brown all over, and greys can start off as any of these base colors but will gradually get lighter and eventually turn grey.

Now, let's talk about patterns. Some horses have white markings on their face, legs, or body. They can be small, like a star on the forehead, or cover a larger area like a white sock on a leg. Some horses also have spots or patches of white on their bodies - this is called a "pinto" pattern.

Another cool thing is that some horses can have more than one color on their body. For example, a "palomino" horse has a golden body with a white mane and tail. "Appaloosas" have spots all over their body, and "roans" have a mix of white hairs and colored hairs all over.

So, there you have it - horse coat colors explained like you're 5!