What Is a Sorel Horse?

Horses come in a wide variety of colors. Some can be so similar that they seem identical. What makes it even more difficult, is that the same color can be called different things in different places, which makes the determination of coat color even more confusing. Sorrel is one of these tricky coat colors.

  1. Features

    • The base coat color for sorrel is red. The red gene is signified by the allele "ee" in color genetics. When a horse carries the "ee" genetic code, the base color is red, no matter what any other name is given to it. Shades of red can run from almost black to nearly blonde. But if the genetic marker is "ee", the base coat is red. Sorrel is a shade of red.

    Types

    • The red color can run from what is called "black liver chestnut" to "sorrel with flaxen" and everything in between. Sorrel is a phrase most commonly used for a red coat color that leans towards golden. It is most often paired with the "flaxen" or blonde colored mane and tail. A sorrel horse can also be a plain red with matching mane and tail. Sorrel is the most common horse coat color. If a red horse runs darker, it is often called "chestnut".

    Misconceptions

    • One common error that people unused to sorrel horses might make is to assume that a light sorrel with flaxen is a palomino. This is not true. A palomino, while very nearly the same color, carries a copy of the "dilute" gene - or albino gene. Genetically, this is totally different from the red allele, which makes the horse a sorrel. When looking at a horse of light golden color with a whitish mane and tail, you cannot assume the horse is a palomino.

    Considerations

    • Before purchasing a horse based solely on color, it is important to know you are getting what you are paying for. If you are buying a palomino for breeding purposes, be sure and have a copy of the horse's genetic test that proves it carries the dilute gene. A sorrel horse is every bit the horse a palomino is - but if you are buying for breeding, you need to know the genetics.

    Significance

    • It is important to note that coat color does not signify anything other than color. There are tales in every culture that say horses of a certain color have certain qualities, but this is not scientific. The simple fact is a good horse is based on useful conformation, breeding, temperament, and movement. Coat color is simply the way our eyes perceive the shine of the light on the hair - it has nothing whatever to do with the tendencies of the animal toward any particular activity or mindset.