This big loveable boy turned 20 on June 30, 2024. It’s a big milestone because a little over 11 years ago his life almost came to an abrupt end. As fate would have it though, he ended up with me and has been living a happy horsey life at The Franch ever since. Happy Birthday Frisco aka Cinnamons Conclusive!
So, the great debate, sorrel vs. chestnut. In my opinion, Flame is a sorrel horse, however, the Arabian Horse Association doesn’t recognize that color, so he is registered as chestnut.
Wikipedia says that there is no difference between the two colors: “Sorrel is a reddish coat color in a horse lacking any black. It is a term that is usually synonymous with chestnut and one of the most common coat colors in horses. Some regions and breed registries distinguish it from chestnut, defining sorrel as a light, coppery shade, and chestnut as a browner shade. However, in terms of equine coat color genetics there is no known difference between sorrel and chestnut. Solid reddish-brown color is a base color of horses, caused by the recessive e gene.”
If you search Wikipedia for the terms sorrel (horse) or chestnut (horse), the same horse is pictured:
The funny thing is, I would have called this a dun horse or maybe a red dun horse. So confused!
As for my rescue horse, Timmy, I’ve always considered him chestnut, but I’ve heard others refer to him as sorrel. I know that many people consider sorrel, the lighter color and chestnut the darker color, but I’ve always thought the opposite.
The American Haflinger Registry agrees with me:
“The specialty of the Haflinger lies, of course, in its unique golden chestnut coloring with a long, flowing white mane and tail.”
In conclusion, I’ll continue to apply the terms sorrel and chestnut the way I want to, in regard to my own horses anyway! 😀
Wait, how did Patriot get on this post?! He’s not my horse; belongs to The Franch, but he sure is beautiful!
Timmy is one of my two rescue horses who now calls The Franch home. He is a sweet loveable pocket pony who loves everyone. He has never been ridden and I estimate his age to be around nine at the time of this writing. He was rescued from a severe neglect situation along with 63 other horses in Lewisville, Texas in 2009 by Anastasia Keyser of Hope for Horses Equine Rescue Inc.
Here is a before photo of a small group of the rescues back in October 2009:
Timmy was less than a year old at the time, so he may have been too young to remember much of what happened, considering how much he trusts people. Most of the rescues were Pony of the Americas, Haflingers and a few other breeds. He has the coloring of a Haflinger, so I just like to say he’s half-Haflinger and half Pony of the Americas, but he’s just really my sweet, cute, funny little boy!
Timmy in the pasture:
Timmy and his best friend, Frisco (my other rescue horse):
Timmy and me:
Dreaming of Arabians 