If you own a grey, the chances are that it looked slightly different during its younger years. The grey gene turns any horse into a paler version of its original colour.
The lightening process will progress at different rates in each horse, but they usually start at their darkest shade as a foal.
To see this gene in action, here’s a selection of horses who are barely recognisable from their formative years.
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“Here is my grey Scottish sports horse as a four-year-old and now as an 11-year-old” — Alexandra Mock
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“This is my horse Prince. I’ve had him for three years having bought him as a five-year-old but then found out he was actually only two-year-old so he was left to mature and then so did his colour! We didnt realise how much he had changed colour until we looked at photos” — Ashleigh Dorgan
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“This is my little World Horse Welfare horse, Norfolk Swing, better known as Dippy. I rehomed him five years ago as a youngster. I backed him when he was four and have since done everything with him. He hunts, events, team chases, does displays to represent the Charity, has competed internationally — you name it, he’s done it. He’s a jack of all trades, but especially likes eventing. We finished our second season with BE this year with our very first novice. He has also been crowned the Carleton Riding Clubs “Horse Of The Year” after representing the club at all levels and disciplines this year with great success. Despite a rough beginning, he is a superstar in every way and my absolute pride and joy — if only he would stop going white and save me some money on shampoo as he certainly wasn’t this colour when I took him on!” — Briony Gilks
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“This is my eight-year-old Irish Sports Horse Sid, pictured in 2013 to today” — Camilla Swift
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“This is my horse, Dasher. He is a pure Thoroughbred who has turned his hoof to everything” — Christa Davis
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“This is my standard Shetland who has changed colour dramatically. The photos show him as a yearling and then as five-year-old. He is a real superstar child’s pony and is now holding his own in Mountain & Moorland lead-rein classes” — Clare Garcia
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“Here is my horse firstly at three-months-old when his first owner picked him up from the slaughter house as he was brought in with other foals as part of a cull and then last month at six-years-old” — Diane Hodgson
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“This is my horse Gadget when he was six, and now where he’s 10. He’s blue and white, but most people just think he’s grey now, except when he’s been clipped or gets wet and then you see the different skin colours” — Eleanor Neil
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“This is Squirt (Dangermouse Brown). He is our homebred gelding, now six-years-old. He was born chestnut, with a gorgeous flaxen mane and tail, but soon he began turning white. A few spots at first, look at him now! We are not sure what colour he may end up…” — Emily Gladwin
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“This is my boy Blue, pictured as a six-year-old just over from Ireland and one as a 14-year-old” — Emily Hooper
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“This is my gorgeous horse Arthur. He’s pictured as a foal at a few days old, and now at 12-years-old. He’s a PRE X thoroughbred” — Emily McManus
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“This is Jackson (Chamfron Kukri). He was born chestnut but has now greyed out as a seven-year-old. I promise this is the same horse!” — Gemma Hope
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“This is my four-year-old warmblood x Welsh Section D gelding. He was born bay and within six months he was mostly grey and now he is fairly light” — Hannah Coates
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“This is Rathbawn Salacia, aka Sally pictured as a foal and now as a seven-year-old. She is a homebred three-quarters Connemara. She was born bay, like her sire Grange Kings Surf” — Isobel Reynolds
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“This is my 42” Shetland mare, Blendworth Mary Rose (named by breeder as she was born the year they raised the Mary Rose from the Solent), affectionately known as “Cheeky”. When I bought her, she was registered as a chestnut with flaxen mane and tail, star and a snip. She changed colour so often when she was young, you literally could have sold her several times a year to the same person! I broke Cheeky in myself, at the time I was working at a stud which kept hunt horses, and I would occasionally ride Cheeky while leading one of the big hunters if they were doing light exercise around the village! In her 30 years, my beloved Cheeky has taught numerous children the art of ‘stickability’, has been shown in-hand and under saddle, attended Pony Club with my girls and worked for a living for a time at a Riding Therapy Centre. She is now enjoying the quiet life in a lovely home for her retirement — she is a very special pony indeed. She is pictured as a weanling and with one of my girls” —Jo Restarick
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“Here are pictures of my Andaulcian. In the first picture he is 16-months-old, and the second picture was taken this year at the age of 14” — Jo Tap
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“This is Diamond Purdy, the best horse ever — she teaches kids to ride then jumps round 1.10m courses. She has gone from dark grey to nearly white at nearly 16-years-old” — Katie Marshall
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“This is Jimmy aka Westfields Midnight Thiller whom I have had since he was a foal. He was born jet black without a smudge of white anywhere and now, at just over seven-years-old, Jimmy is almost all white barring his legs and parts of his body” — Kezia Grubb
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“This is my now 14-year-old Irish Sports Horse (more Irish than sports horse!), Brecks Jubilee. He was bay as a foal, pictured on the day he was born in 2002” — Kirsty Keeton
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“This is our racehorse, Mister Grez. He is a fantastic horse with a huge character and one of the yard favourites up at Dan Skelton’s yard where he’s in training. He’s just come back from injury but his last season saw him have 12 starts with five wins and five places. He’s a little grey superstar who absolutely loves racing! Here he is when we first brought him over from France around 2012 and again more recently” — Kirsty Payne
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“This is Lucas, my eight-year old Percheron x warmblood, maxi cob. The first photo is the week I bought him at 11-months-old, and the second was taken last summer winning our first ever dressage competition. He doesn’t look like the same horse. Some of my non-horsey friends have asked if I sold the first one and bought another!” — Laura Bowdler
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“I bought my horse Bruce as a five-year-old and have produced him from BE100 level to CCI* whereby he was ridden by my friend James Oakden who then established him at CCI2*. During this time he has changed from the black horse I bought to dapple and now fleabitten grey. He now at 12 and is my fun horse. I event him and do some working hunter classes” — Lisa Anderson
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“This is my Welsh Section C, Caerketton Dreamcatcher” — Lynne Melville
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“This is my boy Regalo (Ali). I got him as a very dark four-year-old with a black dorsal stripe. He is an Andalusian x Arab pony and is now 17-years-old and he has finally gone completely grey. We’re out competing in BD dressage classes again at advanced medium level after I had my little girl four months ago and I’m aiming to do a prix st george test next year” — Michelle Wakefield
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“This is my beloved mare Mhea. I got her when she was four and I was 13. Twenty years later and we are still together and going strong. She is Hanoverian x Arab/Connemara and the smartest, quirkiest and most loving little horse I’ve had the pleasure of being in the presence of. The in-hand picture is the day I got her and the other is how she looks now” — Pam Smith
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“This is my Highland, Burnside Vorlich, pictured as a foal and now as a nine-year-old” — Sandie Kydd
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“I bought Lilly eight years ago. She was in a bit of a sorry state, so although she wasnt exactly what I was looking for, I bought her thinking she was so beautiful, I would get her sorted out and then sell her. However, she very quickly became part of the family and is admired for her stunning looks by everyone. It’s such a shame they cant stay dappled though!” — Sarah Bray
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