Bravata-Andalusians - Black Andalusian Color

Understanding Black Coloring in Andalusians:

How Black is Black?

“A whole colored black is sought by many and found by few.”

-- Old Spanish Proverb

There are only about 500 black Andalusians in the US. Black Andalusians with no white markings are extremely rare. Because they are so unusual, black Andalusians are desired by many aficionados and usually command a premium price. How can you distinguish between a black and a black bay? And, just how black is black?

According to Juan Llamas, artist, writer and judge of Pura Raza Espanol (Andalusian) horses, there are several terms used by the Spanish to describe their black horses. “Until the sixteenth century Spanish writers consistently used the term morcillo to describe all black horses, defining the color as being that of a ripe blackberry.” Llamas goes on to describe the variants of black:

Negro Azabache is a jet black; an intense, brilliant black.
Negro Morcillo is a coal black; similar in color to the blackberry, it is less intense than jet black.
Negro Peceno, or tar black, and Negro Mal Tenido, or ill dyed black, are both descriptions for a black horse with reddish highlights. A horse of this color could be described as a rusty black.

These Spanish terms are interesting, but are very subjective and really don’t help us too much. This is because most black horses change color throughout their lives and, if they are kept outside, even throughout a single season.

Only a very few black horses are born truly black. Most are a washed-out brownish color, which has been described as similar to a weak tea. As they get older, each time these horses shed out, their new coat comes in a little darker. As this happens, the young horse often tends to be darker towards the front of the body. Sometimes the color works its way back from the head, neck and chest before the horse becomes completely, uniformly black. And, during this process, the black mane, tail and legs will sometimes mislead the observer into thinking that maybe he really has a bay or black-bay horse. Usually this process takes place over the course of just a couple of sheddings. However, in some cases it may take as long as six or even seven years for the black coat to appear in its full glory.

Black horses can fade very dramatically when exposed to hours of sunlight. And individuals can change very differently. I have 5 blacks in my pasture right now. Each time they shed out the new coat comes in pitch black. During the winter the coat pretty much stays black. However when the summer comes, we can often get some serious sunburn. Each horse is different. One of my mares hardly changes at all and the fading is almost imperceptible. Another, mare fades only a little and, although she still definitely looks black, the change is readily apparent. The two youngest horses in the pasture sunburn very strongly. Anyone who didn't know better would be forgiven for thinking that they were bays.

A few years ago I visited the Andalusian stud farm of Hnos. Nieto, near Barcelona to see their horses. Hnos. Nieto is the biggest breeder of black Andalusians in Spain and they have herds of black horses. (You can check out their website at www.sepisa.es/yeguadahnieto/.) I was surprised to see that the young stock was mostly RED from being out in the hot, strong sun all day, every day. It was amazing how red they were. In addition to their bodies being reddish, there were large areas of their manes and tails, where the tips of the hair were damaged from the sun and were very red. You can see these youngsters in the photo at the bottom of the page. Contrary to the youngsters, the stallions of Hnos. Nieto were all very black because they were kept inside all the time.

It has been my observation that older horses seem to retain their rich black color much better than younger horses. I have no explanation for this, and maybe, just like humans, the young horses are more sunburned because they spend more time in the sun, while the wiser, older horses seek the shade. However the sunburned tips on the mane and tail don’t occur nearly as frequently, if at all, on older horses.

That brings me to my next point. Although you often hear people make a distinction between “fading black” and “non-fading black,” it is really an oversimplification to call the color change "fading." When the change is subtle, it could correctly be called “fading.” However, on most young horses and some adults, the black doesn't fade, it turns reddish. "Sunburn" is really a better term to describe the change.

The only way to avoid the sunburn or fading is to keep the horses indoors during the day. I have heard that certain well-known Andalusian show barns have a rule that no black horse is allowed outside after 10 AM. It is a good rule if keeping the horses nice and black is the goal. I won't do this because I think that "horses ought to be horses," so mine are outside all day every day.

I have noticed that nutrition seems to make a difference. Good general nutrition is helpful of course, but adding some extra fat to the diet seems to enhance the depth and richness of the black coat. Black oil sunflower seeds, fed in moderation, are great to bring out darker dapples on many black horses. And somehow they seem to help the horses maintain their color better during the sunburn months.

There are a number of “old wives’ tales” about color change in black horses. One widely held belief is that blacks which carry the chestnut gene will not sunburn.

So how can you tell if an Andalusian is a black or a black bay? The only reliable way I know of is to check the muzzle. If the head and muzzle are black, the horse is a black, regardless how faded the rest of the body is. If there is any brown on the muzzle, the horse is not a black.

If you want to be really sure and scientific about it, you can do DNA testing. It is quick and easy now and only requires a hair sample. It costs about $50 from UC Davis. You can download all the forms and instructions from their website at www.vgl.ucdavis.edu. The results usually come back in about 2 weeks.

So a black Andalusian may come in several shades and colors. Did you ever shop for black clothes at the store? Have you ever tried to match black tops and bottoms from different manufacturers or made from different fabrics? It is amazing how many subtle differences there are. The same thing is true with black Andalusian horses. There are many subtle differences. But, whatever the shade, black is beautiful.

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