Aechemenid Horses

[David Kush]

Of the various nations contingent in the Aechemenid army does anyone have any idea if there were preferred horse colours? Or colours that were not used?

[eques]

The Persians and Medes used a famous breed called the Nesean, bred on the Iranian plateau. It was a light tan colour.

I tend to paint all my middle eastern horses that colour, with a few whites for the Generals.

[Swampster]

The colour of Nisean horses isn't known for certain - it probably included a variation as with most horse breeds. There may be a link between them and the Akhal-Teke which is classically a metallic buckskin but does show variation. I found it hard to get the right level of sheen to the coat without it looking as if I hadn't stirred the paint properly.
http://www.akhal-teke.org/horse-color.html is a nice review of the colours. 
Incidentally, modern Akhal-Tekes are often 'gaited' - they use an odd looking pace which is a hereditary thing. They may have done so long ago - apparently the Hittites mentioned it for some of their horses.

For contingents further east, http://m.91ddcc.com/t/9917 shows a nice selection. I think the artist has probably deliberately shown a wide range of colours and markings. It is nice to see some 'tiger-spotted' markings, similar to the Appaloosa. There was a nice documentary a couple of years back where someone went looking for them in Central Asia.

Skythian horse burials apparently tend not to show white markings, but that may be a selection thing rather than being representative of their stock. However, I have a vague memory that steppe horses do have fewer white faces than many other areas - I'll see if I can confirm that.

[Erpingham]

A quick google about provided the information that Turkoman horses are considered one of the decendents of Persian breeds. These include the Akhal-Teke but also the Iomud.  Iomuds are usually grey, chestnut or black apparently.  As the Akhal-Teke link shows, these are also seen among that breed, so I think that is good enough reason not to confine yourself to golden brown.

[Martin Smith]

Skythian horse burials apparently tend not to show white markings, but that may be a selection thing rather than being representative of their stock. However, I have a vague memory that steppe horses do have fewer white faces than many other areas - I'll see if I can confirm that.

I have a vague recollection that Phil Barker mentioned  Hunnic or Skyth (?) horses being bred without white markings, in one of the A and E books? Only a vague memory, mind you.

[Erpingham]

I found this , which includes the following

The Scythian horses, or ponies, were small and stocky with short manes. Their coats ranged from jet black to light chestnut, however, their were no 'mixed' colors such as paints, roans or dapple grey. Strangely, no markings are found, even on the chestnuts who often bare white markings. Historians believe that perhaps light coloured or marked horses were avoided as many horses with light coloring or white markings, particularly on the legs, are prone to bad hoofs and becoming lame.

This story probably has the same origins but doesn't quote any refs unfortunately.

[Swampster]

A paper http://science.sciencemag.org/content/356/6336/442.full published a couple of months ago says
"the Scythian stallions included one cream, two black, two spotted, four bay, and six chestnut individuals"
which is based on a mass sacrifice of horses.

The Arzhan burials also included at least one 'tobiano' - one of the forms of paint. I can't find an accessible paper though - the links mostly point to the one above or are behind a pay wall.

[Jim Webster]

I found this , which includes the following

The Scythian horses, or ponies, were small and stocky with short manes. Their coats ranged from jet black to light chestnut, however, their were no 'mixed' colors such as paints, roans or dapple grey. Strangely, no markings are found, even on the chestnuts who often bare white markings. Historians believe that perhaps light coloured or marked horses were avoided as many horses with light coloring or white markings, particularly on the legs, are prone to bad hoofs and becoming lame.

This story probably has the same origins but doesn't quote any refs unfortunately.

with cattle, white horn (which goes with white legs) does seem to be softer than black horn

[dwkay57]

I'm painting all my Persian cavalry at 6mm chestnut (from the Colour Party Horse Box range) essentially because I had a new pot of it when I did the first unit and at 6mm there's no way I'm painting different colours within a unit and have stuck to that colour for the rest of that army, apart from Darius' chariot horses which are black.
My Saka horse archers ride lighter coloured horses with black manes and tails.

So no real accuracy there then......

[Martin Smith]

..........., so I think that is good enough reason not to confine yourself to golden brown.

Nasty attack of 'ear worm' resulted from reading this.....anyone else affected??!! 😳

[Erpingham]

..........., so I think that is good enough reason not to confine yourself to golden brown.

Nasty attack of 'ear worm' resulted from reading this.....anyone else affected??!! 😳

Showing your age

[Jim Webster]

..........., so I think that is good enough reason not to confine yourself to golden brown.

Nasty attack of 'ear worm' resulted from reading this.....anyone else affected??!! 😳

At least it's not mellow yellow 

[Erpingham]

..........., so I think that is good enough reason not to confine yourself to golden brown.

Nasty attack of 'ear worm' resulted from reading this.....anyone else affected??!! 😳

At least it's not mellow yellow 

Quite rightly.