There are several signs to distinguish between horse breeds, one of which is color. This is not just the color of the animal, but a specific combination of colors and shades, the distribution of pigments, determined genetically. Color is determined by coat color, as well as skin and eye color, and is a hereditary parameter, although it appears with age. It is not yet visible in young individuals.
Brown suit is considered one of the most ancient. It is interesting to find out what it is, how it differs, where you can meet its representatives and much more.
From the history of appearance
It is generally accepted that the brown color of modern horses was inherited from wild ancestors who lived on the planet a long time ago. The color comes from a gene called Dun. It, in turn, has a simultaneous effect on the black and red pigment in the animal’s fur, but there is no effect on the color of the mane, tail and lower legs. Dun connects to the central gene responsible for the red color, and in this case the brown color appears.
In other words, three genes are responsible for the formation of color:
- Extentition - explains the black pigment, while it is recessive homozygous.
- Agouti - replaces black with white, takes any position.
- Dun - lightens the coat, recessive or dominant.
The rock paintings of ancient people depicted horses of exactly this color. For this reason, the color is considered a sign of a primitive horse (that is, wild).
Basic theory
Gait - translated from French, means the type of movement of a horse or a method of movement. There are two types of gait:
- Natural, includes canter, trot, walk, etc.;
- Developed artificially through daily training: Spanish step, pirouette, piaffe, etc.;
A special type of walking should be highlighted - ambling .
Masters of equestrian sports call it intermediate, since such a horse’s gait can be either innate or artificial. This unique way of walking is often recommended for those who love to play. The rider must always remember that his task is not only to control the horse, but also to adapt to its movements. It is necessary to constantly maintain the correct position and balance, feeling the tact of the horse. To achieve maximum unity with the animal, it is necessary to master all the gaits not only in theory, but also in practice.
Types of horse gaits
Where did the name come from?
It is widely believed that the name of the suit comes from the word “brown”, which, in turn, comes from the Turkic kara (“black”). In Russian, dark brown shades are usually called karimi. But since there are also light versions of the brown color, the presented theory is often criticized.
In Russian, the word “kauritsya” means to be gloomy, stubborn and hateful. Therefore, it is likely that the suit got its name not because of the color, but because of the disposition of the wild horses. However, for the horses themselves, such a color is a vital necessity, helping to hide from enemies both in the steppes and in the undergrowth. This became especially relevant for young animals that were not yet able to withstand the attacks of predators.
Horse habits
There is a theory in hippology that dark-colored horses are naturally stronger and faster than their light-colored counterparts, which is why caracas are popular among horse breeders who breed horses. Beautiful and graceful, this horse is quite resilient and can run long distances.
In the twentieth century, Karakovs were crossed with purebred horses to participate in world competitions. Such a horse had to be able to run long distances. The experiment was a success, and the bred representatives won victories and conquered stadiums. True, the wild originality of the horse was lost to some extent, but it acquired greater agility.
In reality, such horses are in no way inferior to light-maned ones in terms of their friendly disposition and ability to train. Representatives of karak-colored breeds easily make contact with humans. They also have a genetic predisposition to training. Having such a horse, everyone can have a loyal friend, a fast racer and simply a beautiful animal, whose grace and unusual color will cause everyone's admiration.
Classification
The brown color, along with the savras and the mouse, belongs to the group of zonal (or wild) horses. Previously, all three colors belonged to wild horses, but today they are also found in domestic and native breeds.
During development, wild horses living in forests and steppes acquired a light protective color, and those that lived in forests acquired a dark color. Within one group a division arose into:
- mousey (heirs of the Tarpans);
- savrasyu;
- Kauruyu (heirs of Przewalski's horses).
They all share the same wild traits, but the base coat color is different. Kauraya is distinguished by its light red or sandy color. Therefore, this suit is often called red-savras.
Sometimes the question arises about distinguishing between savras and red-savras colors. Often this border is really arbitrary. In red-savras (brown), the gradation of coat colors is within the red color. That is, the body can be light or dark red, the mane and tail are the same color, more saturated in shade. Savras horses have a body that can be from light sand to bright red, the hair and lower part of the legs are dark brown.
Mouse and gray coloration are the most common. Brown color is rare, characteristic mainly of zonal or wild animals. But this color is also found in domestic horses that were not subject to strict selective selection. It is not for nothing that horses, heroes of Russian fairy tales, who wore this color were distinguished by their violent, rebellious disposition.
Breeds
Yakut horse of the brown color
Most often, representatives of the brown color are related to the steppe.
This color is common in large percentages among such representatives:
- Altai;
- Yakut;
- Bashkir;
- Kazakh;
- Soviet heavy truck is a very rare phenomenon.
Brown color can never be seen among horses. As for European breeds, the most common color is among the large Irish Connemara ponies; the Fjord heavy horses of Norway also have a similar color, although more lightened.
On the American continent, brown color is found in mustangs.
In addition to those listed, brownness is found in many mixed American-Spanish breeds:
- quarter horse;
- criollo;
- appaloosa
Very often, brownness is observed precisely in those breeds that occurred as a result of crossing domestic horses with wild representatives of the breed.
Color characteristics
What color of horses is called cowra? The main colors of the presented suit are sand, light sand, brown-red. On the head and body of a horse, hairs of different colors are mixed and display different color combinations. Thanks to the gene, the color acquires a general tone, but the tail and mane look much brighter. As the horse gets older, the color lightens a little, fades, and signs of gray hair appear.
The body has a pale red color, the mane and tail consist of a mixture of dark brown, red and light hairs. The markings are red-brown or dark red. It must be said that the last feature is inherent in all horse breeds descended from wild ancestors. The color of the zebra stripes (horizontal stripes) is brown. So, now it is clear what suit it is - kauraya.
In addition to age-related gray hair, the horse's color changes depending on the season, becoming lighter in winter and darker in summer. This quality is inherent in all suits without exception.
Brown suit colors
The described suit is presented in several variants.
- The body of darkish-brown individuals has a dark red color. The head and lower limbs are darker. The stripe next to the ridge is chocolate. There are dark red and dark brown strands in the mane and tail. “Zebra” (stripes on the legs) is brownish.
- Brown representatives have a light red body, a red head and a dark red mane and tail. The “strap” (on the ridge) and the stripes at the hock joint are reddish-brown.
- Light brown horses have a light body against a darker head. The mane and tail have red and blond hair. “Zebra” and “belt” are of a reddish hue. This variety is practically not found at hippodromes or exhibitions; their destiny is in agriculture.
These are the main colors of the brown suit of horses.
Some features of color representatives
Brown horses live no more than 30 years. The height and weight of a horse depend on the specific breed variety, as well as on compliance with the rules of care and provision of food. Under conditions of better maintenance, the horse’s parameters are more impressive. On average, the height of browns is 180 cm from the withers.
The weight of horses of brown color is in the range of 500-1000 kg. For example, representatives of the Altai breed grow up to 1.5 m and weigh 500 kg. And Soviet heavy trucks can easily weigh 1000 kg with a height of 2 meters.
Browns, like other odd-toed ungulates, are herd animals, and therefore need to communicate with their own kind. Of course, not all breeders can afford to keep a herd. Therefore, sheep or goats are quite suitable.
Diet
Horses of brown color (photo presented in the article), like other colors, feed on hay or oats. In the summer they walk on the pasture, consuming up to 100 kg of grass per day. In winter they need more food. The exact volume is determined by the individual characteristics of the horse. The animal also needs water, which it can drink about 65 liters.
An important feature of keeping horses is physical activity. In the summer, horses “walk” themselves. However, with the onset of winter, the animal spends most of its time in the stall, so it needs to be taken out for a run for at least 4 hours a day.
In addition, the horse must be cleaned. Under natural conditions, the horse does this on its own, rolling on the ground. At home, the animal’s body is washed and its hooves are examined twice a day.
The mane protects the head and neck and is also kept in a healthy condition. Teeth are checked every six months. Hooves are forged every two months.
Compliance with the regime
If you feed the gamefish at the same time, and also create good conditions for it to feed, the animal will get used to this way of life. After establishing a regime, the digestive system independently prepares for food intake. An animal may feel stressed if any nutritional disturbances occur.
The veterinarian should periodically monitor the animal, as well as the health of the individual’s teeth. It is advisable to eliminate and correct any problems that arise. It is recommended that all feed be properly processed so that the nutrients are well absorbed in the horse’s body. The presence of healthy teeth will create clear chewing, and as a result, saliva will be produced in sufficient quantities. Thanks to this process, the animal will avoid the formation of ulcers. It is necessary to select rough food as the main diet for females and males, because grinding will take more time.
Where can I meet?
Brown individuals are not often found in Russian cities. They can be seen among the representatives of the Altai breed living in the mountains. There are brown individuals in Kazakhstan, as well as in Yakutia and Bashkiria. Sometimes they are distinguished among heavy draft types of different breeds.
On American lands, brown individuals are found among mustangs and criollos. European Browns are found in the Norwegian Fjord, Quarter Horse, and Appaloosa breeds. The Norwegian Fjord is one of the oldest breeds, coming to Scandinavia in the 4th millennium BC. e. In Iceland, the color represents the Icelandic pony.
The brown color (photo presented in the article) is very impressive, distinguished by its wild coloring of red tones, passed on to horses from distant ancestors. This suit cannot be confused with any other. The number of color representatives is limited. At exhibitions they become real highlights of the event.
Since the suit is on the verge of extinction, experts are faced with a difficult question: how to preserve it?
Spreading
In Russia and the countries of the former USSR, the brown color is found in the following breeds:
- Altai.
- Kazakh.
- Yakutskaya.
- Soviet heavy truck.
In Europe, this coloring is typical for Icelandic horses and the Norwegian Fjord breed. On other continents it is more difficult to see animals of such colors - they are bred artificially or imported from European countries. A striking example is the American mustangs, which owe their appearance in Latin America and the United States to the Spanish conquerors.
