Question from a color noob

[steward]

I know exactly zero about tbred color theory.

However, I ran across an old 19th century book describing a horse as a "golden chestnut" with absolutely no white marks. And carrying on about how unusual it was. Hmmmm.

True about the relative rarity? What percentages are we talking about? Maybe for then, but not now?

[xfactor fan]

Did the book name the horse?

could be a light chestnut--especially a very light red chestnut, or it could have been a palomino.

Depending on the breed and era duns and palominos get confused. Also throw what we now know as Campaign and Pearl into the mix, which look like duns and palominos, who knows what the genetic basis of the horse could have been.

[summerhorse]

You'll fine old buckskins and palominos described as light chestnut, golden chestnut, golden bay, dune, creme, sandy bay, etc It can be a clue that the olde horse was carrying the cream gene.