Horse color
Black
Solid black pigment. In birds often with a green or purple sheen; on skin, legs, beak, comb and tongue the dark pigment some standards call for.
65 Horse breeds list Black. It is in a club standard for 38 breeds.
Breeds whose standards accept Black
| Breed | APHA | AQHA | ASHBA | ANCCE | ARABIAN HA | APHC | CLYDESDALE HS | CPBS | ACCC | ABCCC | DARTMOOR PS | FELL PS | FHF | KFPS | HANNOVERANER VERBAND | HIGHLAND PS | FEIF | PIBER | MFTHBA | AMHA | OLDENBURGER VERBAND | PFHA | SHPF | POAC | RMHA | SPSBS | SHIRE HS | USTA | TWHBEA | JOCKEY CLUB | TRAKEHNER VERBAND | WPCS | WESTFAELISCHES PSB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Paint Horse | Standard (“Black”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| American Quarter Horse | No ruling | Standard (“Black”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| American Quarter HorseMane and tail | No ruling | Standard (“black”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| American Saddlebred | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“black”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Andalusian (PRE) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Negro”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Anglo-Arabian | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Black”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Anglo-ArabianHooves | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Dark”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Appaloosa | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“BLACK”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Arabian | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Black”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| ArabianHooves | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Dark Hoof”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Clydesdale | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“blacks”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Connemara Pony | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“black”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Criollo | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“se aceptan todos los pelajes”) | Standard (“Preta”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Dartmoor Pony | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“black”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Fell Pony | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Black”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Frederiksborg | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Alle farver accepteres”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Friesian | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“gitzwart / volledig zwart”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Hanoverian | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Alle Farben”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Highland Pony | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“black”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Icelandic Horse | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“all possible varieties of coat colour”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Lipizzaner | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Alle Farben sind zugelassen”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Missouri Fox Trotter | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“All colors allowed”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Morgan | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Black”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| MorganMane and tail | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“black manes and tails”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Oldenburg | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“alle Farben”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Paso Fino | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Every equine color”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Percheron | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“noir”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Pony of the Americas | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Black”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Rocky Mountain Horse | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Black”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Shetland Pony | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Black”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Shire | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Black”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Standardbred | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Black”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Tennessee Walking Horse | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Black”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Thoroughbred | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Black”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| ThoroughbredMane and tail | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“black”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Trakehner | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Alle Farben”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Welsh Pony | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Black”) | No ruling |
| Westphalian | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“alle Farben”) |
Breeds where Black is a fault
Breeds where Black is disqualified or not accepted
| Breed |
|---|
| Akhal-Teke |
| American Paint HorseSkin and scales |
| American Paint HorseHooves |
| American Quarter HorseSkin and scales |
| American Quarter HorseHooves |
| AppaloosaSkin and scales |
| AppaloosaHooves |
| ArabianSkin and scales |
| Barb |
| Belgian Draft |
| Belgian Warmblood |
| Don |
| Dutch Warmblood (KWPN) |
| Hackney |
| Holsteiner |
| Irish Sport Horse |
| Lusitano |
| Marwari |
| Mustang |
| Peruvian Paso |
| Peruvian PasoSkin and scales |
| Selle Français |
| Swedish Warmblood |
| ThoroughbredSkin and scales |
| ThoroughbredHooves |
Color changes
How Black can appear or change over an animal's life.
Blackchanges toGrey
Coat · Progressive
Greychanges toBlack
Coat · With age
Blackchanges toBrown
Coat · In the sun · can change back
Blackchanges toMottled
Skin and scales · Progressive
Pinkchanges toBlack
Skin and scales · With age
Blackchanges toWhite
Mane and tail · Progressive
Blackchanges toBrown
Mane and tail · In the sun · can change back