Monday, June 1, 2009

Maybe it is stress?

They say you will go gray if you work too hard. Perhaps Armani is trying to tell me something?



I've blogged about Armani's white hairs before. He's been developing more small spots and roan patches since. There is now a large roan area on his neck, and he has a white shock in his forelock. Perhaps he wants to look like a distinguished gentleman?

Actually, searching online revealed that these white hairs are fairly common. There seem to be a number of explanations out there. Discussion on Chronicle Forums

It sounds as though the factors that cause this are not really proven. They are what they are. Will they grow? Will they shrink? It'll be interesting to see years down the road.

Have you seen this on a horse? Did it change as it aged?

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

My Friesian mare has been developing them on her neck and shoulder, too. I think she has 3 white spots so far. But the spots are only about 3-5 hairs. She just turned three.

A Bay Horse said...

That's really surprising because I thought Friesians have no white (or very little)...? Wonder what caused it? Very interesting!

allhorsestuff said...

Hullo there!
Last year, while i was in caretaking for my sissy's Appy mare, Pantz. She developed a NEW, rather large white spot!
I am noticing more and more white hairs on my bay Thoroughbred mare...
some along her bck some on her neck and some over her rump! She also has a patch of white hairs on a spot where she apparently got kicked years ago.

Stephanie - Siouxzeegirl Designs said...

Very interesting!
Fawkes grows white hairs on his legs in any place that gets kicked or cut!

Anonymous said...

My old QH gelding (just turned 29) has white hairs all through his coat that have come on with age. His face also has a lot of white that wasn't there when I got him at 17.

Grey Horse Matters said...

We have horses that got white hairs where there was an injury or rubs from a poorly fit saddle etc...
Some of our old horses don't have any white at all,I guess some get them and some don't.

Reddunappy said...

Our 24 year old chestnut mare has little white hairs all over now, if you get her wet for a bath she has pea to dime sized pink spots in her skin all over!

Reddunappy said...

Oh and I forgot to say that she is a registered QH!

Anonymous said...

The only white that is allowed on a Friesian is a small star on the head. She doesn't even have that. She was bred out of Friesians that weren't approved by the Friesian registry, so maybe that gene was the reason why?