There are many different breeds of horses that come in brown coats. Brown is a common coat color for horses, along with bay, chestnut, black, and gray. The specific shade of brown can vary from light tan to very dark brown. Some horse breeds that commonly feature brown coat colors include:
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is best known as a racehorse breed, but they are also popular for horse shows, jumping, and other equestrian activities. Thoroughbreds come in all solid horse coat colors including brown. Some brown shades seen in Thoroughbreds are dark bay, dark brown, or seal brown. Brown Thoroughbreds may be registered as bay, brown, or dark bay/brown.
Quarter Horse
The American Quarter Horse is the most popular horse breed in the United States and the world. They are stock horses used for many western riding disciplines and other equestrian sports. Common Quarter Horse coat colors include bay, brown, chestnut, black, gray, buckskin, palomino, cremello, and perlino. Brown Quarter Horses can range from reddish shades to very dark liver chestnut brown.
Morgan
The Morgan is one of the earliest horse breeds developed in the United States. Known for their versatility, stamina, and gentle temperaments, Morgans are used for many English and Western riding disciplines. Bay, brown, and chestnut are the most prevalent Morgan horse coat colors. Brown shades seen in Morgans include classic brown, liver chestnut, or seal brown.
Andalusian
Andalusians, also known as Pure Spanish Horses, originate from Spain and Portugal. This elegant breed is known for their athleticism and use in classical dressage. Andalusians mainly come in gray and bay coat colors, but brown is another accepted coat color. Brown Andalusians may be dark bay, brown, or liver chestnut in shade.
Friesian
The Friesian breed comes from Friesland in the Netherlands and is recognized by its black coat and flowing mane and tail. However, brown is also an allowable coat color for Friesians, though less common than black. Brown Friesians may be dark bay or liver chestnut in shade.
Mustang
Mustangs are rugged, hardy feral horses descended from multiple domestic breeds. Roaming wild across western North America, Mustangs exhibit a wide range of coat colors including brown. Common brown shades seen are bay, chestnut, dun, buckskin, and grullo (brown with dorsal stripe).
Belgian
Belgian draft horses are one of the largest horse breeds, known for their strength and heavy muscling. They are most commonly chestnut, sorrel, bay, brown, or roan in color. Belgian browns can vary from lighter reddish-brown to very dark liver chestnut.
Percheron
The Percheron draft horse originated in France and is known for its size and power. Common coat colors include black, bay, and chestnut. Browns in Percherons may range from reddish shades to darker liver chestnuts. Graying commonly occurs as Percherons age.
Clydesdale
Clydesdale horses originated in Scotland and are another popular draft horse breed. Along with common colors like bay and black, brown is also seen in Clydesdales. Browns can vary from golden browns to darker brown shades.
Appaloosa
The Appaloosa is an American horse breed known for its colorful spotted coat pattern. The base coat color under the spots can be brown in some Appaloosas. The background brown shade may range from paler brown to almost black.
Pony of the Americas
Ponies of the Americas are pony-sized horses developed in the 1950s in the United States. They combine Shetland, Arabian, and Appaloosa bloodlines and may exhibit the Appaloosa leopard complex spotting. Browns with spots are seen among Ponies of the Americas.
Miscellaneous Brown Horse Breeds
Many other horse breeds may occasionally produce individuals with brown coat colors, including:
- Arabian – bay, chestnut, or liver chestnut browns
- Saddlebred – dark bay or chestnut browns
- Standardbred – bay or brown
- Tennessee Walker – bay, chestnut, or brown
- Warmbloods – bay, dark bay, or brown
- Paint – chestnut, liver chestnut, brown, bay
- Pinto – browns with pinto spotting patterns
Causes of Brown Coat Color
Brown horse coat colors result from a few different genetic factors. Here are some of the genetic influences behind brown horse shades:
- Agouti gene – Causes black pigment to be restricted to the points (mane, tail, legs), producing bay or brown shades.
- Extension gene – Modifies the red/yellow pigment phaeomelanin into tan, chestnut, liver chestnut, or brown shades.
- Cream dilution – Having one cream gene dilution can turn a chestnut or bay into a palomino or buckskin with tan/brown body color.
- Dun gene – Causes primitive markings like dorsal stripe, shoulder bars, leg barring on brown, bay, chestnut base coats.
Brown Horse Breed Identification
While genetics play a big role in producing brown horse colors, the specific breed is not always identifiable by the coat shade alone. Many different breeds can produce the same brown shades. However, some general observations can be made:
- Very dark brown or liver chestnut – Andalusian, Friesian, Morgan, Belgian, Percheron
- Dark brown bay – Thoroughbred, Arabian, Warmbloods
- Golden or sandy brown – Mustang, Appaloosa, Pony of the Americas, Belgian, Clydesdale
- Chestnut/sorrel brown – Quarter Horse, Paint Horse, Appaloosa
Additionally, clues like size, build, and markings can help identify the likely breed. For example, draft horse breeds like Clydesdale and Belgian tend to be much larger and more muscular than lighter horse breeds. The Appaloosa and Pony of the Americas breeds almost always have colorful spotting patterns. However, coat color alone does not definitively identify the breed.
Brown Horse Care
Brown horses have the same basic care needs as horses of any other color. Here are some tips for keeping a brown horse’s coat healthy:
- Provide nutritious feed and plenty of roughage/grazing for good skin and coat health
- Groom regularly with brushes and combs to distribute oils and remove dirt
- Use fly spray during bug season to prevent skin irritation
- Check for fungal or bacterial skin infections which may cause hair loss
- Use sunscreen on pink muzzle, eyelids, and other light areas to prevent sunburn
- Shelter from extreme sun exposure during peak daylight hours
With proper nutrition, grooming, and health care, a brown horse’s natural colors can shine. Any changes in coat condition may indicate an underlying issue needing veterinary attention.
Fun Facts About Brown Horses
- Brown was one of the original horse coat colors, along with bay and black. Chestnut and other dilutions appeared later.
- “Seal brown” is a very dark brown that retains dark shading on soft body areas like muzzle, eyes, flank, and inside legs.
- The Morgan horse breed may refer to dark brown shades as “liver chestnut” rather than simply brown.
- Primitive dun markings like leg barring and shoulder stripes can appear on brown base coat colors.
- In horse registries, brown coats may also be recorded as bay, dark bay, or dark brown.
- Horses that sun-fade from black to brown are informally called “sunbaked blacks.”
- The cream dilution gene acting on a brown base coat produces a buckskin or smoky brown horse.
- Liver chestnut is the darkest brown shade, ranging from chocolate brown to an almost-black hue.
- Brown was a common horse coat color in ancient prehistoric wild horses dating back thousands of years.
- Brown coats occur in horses worldwide, though some breeds have selected against brown in favor of other colors.
Conclusion
Brown is a common horse coat color seen across many different breeds. It covers a wide spectrum of shades from light tan to nearly black liver chestnut. Genetics, breed characteristics, and identifying markings can provide clues about a brown horse’s origins. But coat color alone does not definitively determine breed. With proper care and nutrition, a brown horse’s natural beauty will shine through.
