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Whortleberry asked in PetsHorses · 8 years ago

This will sound dumb to you horse experts, I suppose, but I wonder...?

...why do some white horses have pink noses while others have gray noses? Really, I think white horses are among the most beautiful creatures on the earth. I know some are albinos -- pink eyes, etc. -- but some non-albino white horses have pink noses, and others, gray. Why? Thanks in advance for any info.

10 Answers

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  • 8 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    Not a silly question.

    Genetics and skin colour denotes hair colour.

    Pale/white horses with PINK skin are called Cremello, not albino (Perlino are also similar).

    Cremellos and Perlinos have blue eyes, not pink.

    These horses are born like that - and stay the same throughout their lifetime.

    If a horse appears white, but has BLACK skin - it is called grey/gray.

    Greys can be born a variety of colours including quite dark steel grey, dappled or even a very light grey.

    In some cases they can even be born brown/bay in appearance initially (common in Andalusians).

    But all greys fade over time.

    So they all end up light grey or "white grey" if they live long enough.

    Cremello, perlino and white greys are all different colours even though they may look similar.

    It just depends on the colour genetics of the individual.

    Cremello/Perlinos:

    http://www.doubledilute.com/perlino.htm

    Here is a photo of my first pony with her young foal.

    (we bred with her, after I out grew her).

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/47395667@N06/43430491...

    She was born a light grey with steely grey legs (we got her as a weanling).

    Her foal was born even paler than her (obvious from the photo in the link), a true creamy white, with DARK eyes and DARK skin.

    He had no dark hairs at all from the day he was born, proving dark skinned horses can still be born pale in colour.

    Both had black skin all over - absolutely no white markings, on either of them.

    However, most greys are born with at least some dark hairs, that fade and turn white with age.

    Even once this happens they are not called "white", they are still always called "grey" or possibly "white grey".

    Source(s): My sisters first pony was a gorgeous Cremello called Prince. Mine was a "white grey" pony called Mini (pictured in link above).
  • 8 years ago

    Actually, there are no albino horses. White horses have pink skin and pink noses. Gray horses have black skin and gray noses. :)

  • Lilian
    Lv 6
    8 years ago

    If the horse has dark skin the hair will likely be dark, if the skin is pink the hair will be white! Pink skinned horses can get horrible sunburn especially on the muzzle, because it is so hard to shade that area.

  • Sam
    Lv 4
    8 years ago

    Albino horses are only 'real' in fiction.

    True white horses have pink skin

    'white' horses with gray skin are actually Gray in color.

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  • Mollie
    Lv 5
    8 years ago

    The only white horses around are those with pink skin and white hair. Horses with white hair and grey skin are in fact grey horses.

    Other colors also sometimes have pink noses, it all depends on their skin pigment colour really.

  • 8 years ago

    "why do some white horses have pink noses while others have gray noses?"

    - it is usually their face markings. if a horse has a white snip/blaze/etc. the nose will be pink; on the muzzle the fur is very thin therefore showing the pink skin below.

    - if the muzzle is gray, it is because the horse is gray.

    "albino"

    - a true albino has red eyes

    - there is no record EVER, or any living (or still born) albino horse

    Some of my horses:

    Grace is a gray APHA mare, she has grayed so the white and gray look the same:

    (but still has pink on her muzzle)

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/73809256@N08/87200169...

    Boonie is a APHA gelding, he has a pink muzzle because his face is white:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/73809256@N08/87188963...

    Timmy is a (fleabitten) gay, and has a gray muzzle:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/73809256@N08/87200167...

    Mason is a blue roan overo with a "bald face" marking: (almost all pink muzzle)

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/73809256@N08/87188960...

    Ichabod is a gray appaloosa, he has about 95% pink skin with some molting:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/73809256@N08/87188961...

    Honey is buckskin and has a pink muzzle where her white markings are:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/73809256@N08/87188962...

    Good luck!

  • 8 years ago

    Horses that have grey skin aren't called "white horses" they're considered grey. If they have pink skin; then thy are genuinely grey

    Source(s): My noggin:)
  • *****
    Lv 7
    8 years ago

    A "white" horse with a grey nose isn't actually white. Instead, they are a very light grey.

  • 8 years ago

    some horses have pink noses it realy depending on what horse it is

    although pink nosed horses are almost allways white

  • zakiit
    Lv 7
    8 years ago

    Why is your skin colour different to the next person? Because it is genetics. No rhyme or reason for it.

    Source(s): Riding instructor
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