Shotgun Willis--pure white gray horse

Talk about equine color, markings, genetics, etc. Post pictures of flashy Thoroughbreds!

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Sunday Silence
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Shotgun Willis--pure white gray horse

Postby Sunday Silence » Tue Apr 24, 2012 4:05 pm


Georgerz
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Postby Georgerz » Tue Apr 24, 2012 4:47 pm

That is a gray horse, no mater how white it may look.

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Jorge
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Postby Jorge » Tue Apr 24, 2012 4:57 pm

SHOTGUN WILLIS (gray G 2006) http://www.pedigreequery.com/shotgun+willis

SHOTGUN WILLIS is arguably one, or perhaps, the most impressive "pure-white-looking" genuine gray Thoroughbred seen in many many years.

From the photo, he even looks "whiter" than VIGORS (1973) and HANSEN (2009). Quite impressive.

In addition to his impressive genotype, there is another angle worth mentioning. Note that his maternal gray lineage comes via a very rare
strain from the same family of The Tetrarch, but not from him. Note that
Gris Vitesse is a very common ancestress among reknown great Thoroughbreds, thanks to her non-gray son (by Roberto), but this is the first time that I come across a 21st century gray strain coming from Gris Vitesse. Very interesting find! Would really like to see this cross being repeated.

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Derby Lyn
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Postby Derby Lyn » Tue Apr 24, 2012 5:07 pm

Did you see that lead pony's tongue :shock:
He is a very white grey, no flea bitten spots at all.

xfactor fan
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Postby xfactor fan » Tue Apr 24, 2012 6:32 pm

He may have two copies of the grey gene. They tend to grey out faster than horses with one copy. He's very white looking.

Sunday Silence
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Postby Sunday Silence » Tue Apr 24, 2012 6:47 pm

[quote="Georgerz"]That is a gray horse, no mater how white it may look.[/quote]


I know he's grey. :wink:

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sstacy19
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Postby sstacy19 » Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:42 am

I love him! :shock: I put his name into a google search and found out tht he is named after a strip club (or at least shares the name with one lol)
"The blood runs hot in the Thoroughbred and the courage runs deep.
In the best of them, pride is limitless. This is their heritage and
they carry it like a banner. What they have, they use."

---C. W. Anderson

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Sailor Kenshin
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Postby Sailor Kenshin » Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:26 am

OK, I know my ignorance is showing, but again, the genetic difference between gray and white is...????
Somebody bet on the gray!

xfactor fan
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Postby xfactor fan » Wed Apr 25, 2012 11:25 am

Grey horses are born with functioning color cells. The action of the grey gene causes the cell to go into overdrive and produce more pigment than normal, and "burns out" the cells that create pigment. This process takes some time, and the hairs grow in white (no pigment), turning the coat progressively lighter over time.

A white horse (and there are several different genetic ways this can happen) has no pigment producing cells, and is usually keeps the color that they are born with.

Also white horses will have pink skin, and grey's dark skin.

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Sailor Kenshin
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Postby Sailor Kenshin » Wed Apr 25, 2012 2:00 pm

Thanks!
Somebody bet on the gray!

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HeadlessHorseman
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Postby HeadlessHorseman » Sat Apr 28, 2012 7:59 pm

He sure looks WHITE to me....NOT one bit of color even in his tail....

He's a pretty boy...

I still wouldn't bet on him :wink:

HH :)

xfactor fan
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Postby xfactor fan » Sat Apr 28, 2012 9:04 pm

Given advances in genetics, it lends new meaning to the old kid's joke, " What color is George Washington's white horse?"