What Makes a Black, Brown, or Gray Horse Turn White?
You've probably seen the gorgeous white Lippizans ridden at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. Or the brilliant white horses ridden by Cavallia. Or maybe you just remember that Shadowfax, Gandalf's horse in The Lord of the Rings, was a luminously white mount. What makes these horses so brilliantly white?
It may surprise you to find that white horses are not born that way. They start life as black, brown, or chestnut. But as they mature, they turn brilliantly white.
It may surprise you to find that white horses are not born that way. They start life as black, brown, or chestnut. But as they mature, they turn brilliantly white.
It turns out, they turn white for the same reason human hair turns white: Aging. But in these horses, this hair-whitening process happens fast. In fact, it starts happening during their first year of life. By the time they reach the age of 6 to 8 years, they have turned completely white.
What makes this happen?
It turns out that white horses carry a dominant gene mutation that causes this striking change in their coat color.
(This is not to be confused with Overo Lethal White Syndrome. a rare fatal condition that occurs in newborn Overo Paint foals.) You can read more about that here:
https://www.successful-horse-training-and-care.com/lethal-white-foal-syndrome.html
Happy riding!
Copyright Denise Cummins March 2016; Updated May 30, 2024
As long as you’re here, check these out!
What makes this happen?
It turns out that white horses carry a dominant gene mutation that causes this striking change in their coat color.
(This is not to be confused with Overo Lethal White Syndrome. a rare fatal condition that occurs in newborn Overo Paint foals.) You can read more about that here:
https://www.successful-horse-training-and-care.com/lethal-white-foal-syndrome.html
Happy riding!
Copyright Denise Cummins March 2016; Updated May 30, 2024
As long as you’re here, check these out!
