What is the Difference?

I dont understand where chestnut and sorrel seperate. You can have a light chestnut and a dark sorrel and to me they honeslty look the same I dont understand the difference between the two colors. Are there easy ways spot to difference? I know what a liver chestnut is though that is easy to tell but the lighter shades get me confused

What is the Difference?
In Europe, they are always called chestnut and I'd never even heard the term "sorrel" until I worked with QH's. They are the same color, just a different term and I think sorrel seems to be a term used more by people involved with western riding.
Reply:Kayla, I would have called your second horse a sorrel also! Just the difference in what we see I think. To me a Chestnut horse is almost dark brown. I just can't explain it. Sorrel is the copper penny color.





This link shows the different colors


http://www.rnbquarterhorses.com/qhcolors...
Reply:It confuses me as well. I have been told by several people that they're basically the same thing, but different breeds are called either one or the other for some reason. I'm sure you could trot a chestnut and a sorrel up in front of me and ask me what color they were and I'd call them both chestnut.
Reply:there is no difference. but in my opinion, sorrel refers to the red ones, and i mean like fire engine red, like my horse. (ok fine, not literally red like a fire engine but ya know what i mean)
Reply:I know that sorrels have to have a sorrel mane and tail
Reply:sorrel is more of a reddish copperish color like a penny!!! and i believe depending on the breed sometimes the same color is called something different like if you had a paso fino who was a sorrel they would call it chestnut you see??? my qtr mare is a sorrel and she is the really shiny copperish color with the strawberry blondish colored mane and tail so..... hope that helps a little!!!!
Reply:As a Morgan horse breeder, they do not have sorrel, only chestnut. The only time you see sorrel it is with Quarter horses.
Reply:sorrel-


http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff41/...





chestnut-


http://www.flickr.com/photos/32165740@N0...





alot of times it is hard to tell the difference, but if you know what to look for, you can. chestnuts are more of a bolder/darker reddish, sorrels are more of a orangish/copper. if that made any sense at all. lol





and by the way, a good 70% of all my horses are sorrels, and not one of them have a dorsal stripe..not sure where that came from..??
Reply:Basically, chestnut and sorrel are the same. Different breed associations have different names for the same colors. If you are looking for the color of a spefic breed, check that breed registry's website to see which term they use.
Reply:Basically the difference is the discipline. Western they call it sorrel English type riding its chestnut. Some people vary it by shades but all in all they are the same genetically.
Reply:I know part of the difference includes the presence of a dorsal stripe (a darker stripe along your horse's backbone) for sorrels. Beyond that, I'm not sure, sorry.
Reply:chestnut has a darkered colored tail i think??