7 Facts About Flea Bitten Grey Horse

For the past few days, I was searching over the Internet and gathering information from my friends as I wanted to add a new horse breed to my barn. My research ended when I came across the Flea Bitten Grey horse.

I spent a couple of days researching the Flea Bitten Grey horse to be sure if this is the horse I now need to have? Sun is about to rise and I just woke to bless my readers with what I know about this unusual grey horse.

Grey Flea Bitten is a rare coat colour that looks quite ordinary having a chestnut or bay base when the horse is born but as it ages the coat starts changing its colour to grey-ish white.

How to identify the Flea Bitten Grey horse?

It’s hard to find out if the horse is flea bitten or not in the earlier years as there are dapple grey horses as well. 

Flea-bitten grey horses begin to develop bay highlights shortly after their birth whereas the other grey horses can be identified by their dappled silver coats and black manes. Another prominent difference between the grey horses and the Flea Bitten grey horse is that they have little brown specks throughout their body.

How much does a Flea-Bitten horse cost?

Flea-bitten horses are slightly more expensive than grey horses. The Mature Flea-Bitten horse having a height of 15.3 can be bought for $4000 whereas a young immature Flea-Bitten is somewhere around $1500 to $3000.

Where to buy Flea-Bitten grey horses?

Flea Bitten grey horses aren’t that hard to find as they are found in almost every corner of the earth. They can be purchased online from the following websites

Flea Bitten Upkeep cost

It’s just this “fancy name” that confuses the readers. They require normal care, so to get an idea of their annual expenses you can take the upkeep cost of any horse breed into consideration. 

The total upkeep cost of a Flea Bitten horse kept under special condition is $3,876 and $2419 for a horse surviving under normal care.

How to care for a Flea-Bitten grey horse?

The Flea-Bitten grey horses do not require anything extra other the regular horse care but if one wants to be  careful

  • Add grains, fruits, and vegetables to their diet.
  • Keep roughage the main source of calories.
  • Choose a feed that is high in oil.
  • Add a cup of sunflower oil to their feed to keep their coat shiny.
Flea Bitten

Facts about Grey Flea Bitten horses

1. Underneath the grey-white hair and brown specks, flea bitten horses are just regular horses

Grey white color brown specks or freckles are the only characteristics that make them appear different from their fellas but inside this unusual coat, they are just regular horses with their regular demands.

2. Some flea-bitten take a longer time to show their color and specks

Flea bitten grey horses are barely recognizable in the year of their birth as they have a regular base. Surprisingly some Flea Bitten horses take longer than the expected time to develop those speck and grey-white coats and some are just quick to catch the appearance.

3. The Flea-Bitten grey horses can have Red, Black, Bay, or any base color

Yes, the said horse category can be blessed with any base colour depending on colour genes. But Flea Bitten grey horses usually have chestnut, black, or bay base that is eventually taken down by the grey-white coats.

4. The Flea-Bitten horses can get lighter with time but hold on to their specks for a longer time

Like all grey horses, the grey flea-bitten horses do turn lighter as they reach 7 to 8 years of age. Some of the Flea-Bitten horses even get lighter to the point that the viewer can not call them “grey” but the specks, which are the obvious sign of their recognition, do not fade away with the time that quickly.

5. Flea Bitten is not a separate breed

There is a common misconception that “Flea bitten” is a separate horse breed but in reality, it’s a coat color condition. 

6. Their heads get lighter first than the rest of the body

Like Dapple Grey, Iron Grey, and Rose Grey horses the Flea-Bitten’s head is the first part of their body that turns lighter first, legs and rest of the body take more time to change their color.

7. Flea-Bitten grey horses have light-colored tails

The coat may appear in a salt and pepper manner but the grey Flea Bitten horses have a little whiter tails. The tails, because of their off-white color, looks prominent than any other part of the body.

Flea Bitten Grey Horse breed

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Flea-Bitten Grey Horse a separate breed?

No, it’s a coat condition. Flea Bitten is not yet recognized as a separate breed but who knows the future?

Do Flea-Bitten grey Horses lose their specks?

Flea-Bitten grey horses lose their original color with age but it’s highly unlikely to lose their specks that fast. 

What is Flea-Bitten grey horse’s base color?

They can be of “ANY” base color from black, chestnut, to bay, and even red color. Most Flea-Bitten grey horses have a black or chestnut base color.

Do Dapple Grey and Flea-Bitten Grey horse have any noticeable differences?

Yes, Dapple grey and Flea-Bitten grey horse have noticeable differences. The Flea-Bitten grey horse’s body is covered with specks whereas the Dapple grey appears darker in shade and has rings over their coat(Resource)

Summary

Flea-Bitten grey horses are not considered a separate breed instead it’s a coat condition. Their coat appears in a salt and pepper manner. Keeping the coat color aside, the base color can either be chestnut, red, or black. With time, like most of the grey horses, they do lose their original color and sometimes specks as well. The “specks” are considered a Flea-Bitten grey horse’s identity mark.

A mature 15.3″ Flea-bitten grey horse can be bought online for a price up to $4000 and a baby Flea Bitten is somewhere around $1500 to $3000. Beneath the unusual appearance, they are just regular horses that do not require any special care to live a balanced healthy life. 

Lastly, I hope this article has helped you in any way. If like me, you are up to finding a new horse companion I wish you find one. 

Hi, I am Waqar and active in the horse world since 2012. I have MSc (Hons) in Agriculture from the University of Agriculture Faisalabad. I love to solve equine health care issues and note down in the form of research papers. I have written hundreds of equine health care, accessories, names, and history-related blogs. My equine related work is watering a lot of horse-related magazines and blogs.

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