Flea Bitten and Blood Spotted

These are coat colors, not equine maladies! And Speedy has them both.

He didn't start out with them, of course. He was actually a dapple gray when he was young, like most grays. His mane and tail were quite dark and he had white socks. He still has the white socks; you just can't see them unless he's wet.

Here he is as a three year old (December 2007). He was such a baby!

Just a year later and his coat had already lightened up quite a bit.

February 2009 - At the end of his fourth year. (Camping at Montana de Oro)

And then, just days before he turned 6 years old, nearly all of the dapples are gone from his coat.

April 2010 - Doing a 55 miler in the desert

At nearly seven years old, his mane and tail were also starting to lighten.

February 2011 - almost 7

At eight years old, his coat started to take on a bit of a silver hue.

August 2012

By nine, his flea bites were making a stronger appearance, but he definitely retains the silver coloring.

July 2013

He's dirty here (ten years old), but his tail is much lighter, especially at the top, and the flea bites are more pronounced.

June 2014

From his neck

And while Speedy doesn't sport the rare "bloody shoulder," he does have a pretty large blood spot on his neck. Blood marks are only found on gray horses, and are rarely seen on breeds other than Arabians. Blood marks are simply a large concentration of flea bites in one area.

Speedy's blood mark is about the size of my finger, but it can continue to grow.

Speedy will more than likely develop more and more flea bites until he is quite freckled with them. In his very senior years however, he may even lose that pigmentation and turn white. That's okay; I like having a horse of a different color. Each spring I get something new!