The cream gene is a dilution gene expressed in horses, and produces lighter colors. When one copy of the gene is present, it dilutes "red" color (chestnut) to yellow or gold, but not black color. When two copies of the gene are present, both red and black hairs become a paler color; red hairs become cream or white, black hairs become reddish. The genetics of cat coat length and coloration is a complex subject, and many different genes are involved. ... Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The horse (Equus caballus, sometimes seen as a subspecies of the Wild Horse, Equus ferus caballus) is a large odd-toed ungulate mammal, one of ten modern species of the genus Equus. ... Chestnuts. ...

The cream gene does not produce lethal white syndrome. Dilution coloring also is not related to frame overcoat patterns, white-colored horses or the controversial "white" or "dominant white" (W) gene. Lethal white syndrome (LWS) is a common genetic disorder primarily associated with American Paint Horses. ...

Dun color is produced by a separate dun gene that acts upon a base coat color to produce a different form of color dilution, along with distinctive markings. Dun is a yellow-brown color, sometimes seen in the hair coats of horses, characterized by a body color ranging from sandy yellow to reddish-brown. ... This article needs cleanup. ...

Colors produced by the cream gene

The cream gene produces the colors:

• palomino
• buckskin
• smoky black
• cremello
• perlino
• smoky creme

Palomino is a coat color in horses, consisting of a gold coat and white or flaxen mane and tail. ... Buckskin is a color of horses; it also refers to other things that are the color of a buckskin horse, such as the color of some breeds of dogs. ... Cremello is a color of horse consisting of a cream-colored body with a cream mane and tail. ...

What it does

The cream gene is an "incomplete dominant" gene, which means that it is expressed even when there is only one copy of the gene--it is dominant--but it expresses itself even more when there are two copies (one from each parent).

Coat color: The cream gene lightens the base coat. One copy lightens red (chestnut) coloring to pale yellow or gold, such as palomino, but does not overtly affect black color. Two copies will lighten both red and black hairs. Chestnuts. ... Palomino is a coat color in horses, consisting of a gold coat and white or flaxen mane and tail. ...

Eye color: double dilutes usually have blue eyes (unlike brown eyes of a gray and some white horses). Palominos usually are born with dark eyes and skin, but are occasionally born with light eyes or pink skin, or both. Gray is a coat color of horses, consisting of black skin, a white to dark gray coat, and a mane the same color or darker than the body coat. ...

Single dilutes

Single dilutes receive the cream gene from one parent, and a different gene for coat color from another parent.

Palomino: One parent genetically contributes the creme gene, one the "red" base coat gene. The creme gene lightens the coat to pale yellow/ gold and the mane to white, producing a palomino. Palomino is a coat color in horses, consisting of a gold coat and white or flaxen mane and tail. ...

Buckskin: One parent genetically contributes the creme gene, the other possesses genes for bay (the black base gene and the agouti gene that restricts the black to the points only. (see bay) for explanation of the agouti gene). The creme gene lightened the coat to pale yellow, but could not change the black of the horse, leaving the mane, tail, and lower legs black. Buckskin is a color of horses; it also refers to other things that are the color of a buckskin horse, such as the color of some breeds of dogs. ... Bay is a color of the hair coats of horses, characterized by a body color of dark red (known as blood bay) to deep brown, with black points (mane, tail, lower legs, and sometimes the muzzle and tip of the ears). ... Bay is a color of the hair coats of horses, characterized by a body color of dark red (known as blood bay) to deep brown, with black points (mane, tail, lower legs, and sometimes the muzzle and tip of the ears). ...

Smoky black: One parent gives the creme gene, the other the gene for a "black" base color. One creme gene cannot change the black hairs, so the horse looks black, "masking" the creme gene. Only on true blacks can the creme gene be totally masked. Those horses with some brown or red hairs will have those hairs turned gold, and have a "glow" on their coat. Although the gene is masked, IT CAN STILL BE PASSED ON. So a smoky black stallion can pass on the creme gene to the next generation, and produce, say, a palomino horse from a chestnut mare, even though neither parent appears to have the gene.

Double dilutes

Double dilutes have 2 creme genes (one from each parent). This even further lightens the red color: from the golden color of one dilute to a pale "creme" color of the double dilute. It also results in lightening of black hairs to a dark cream color.

Double dilutes are not true white horses, nor are they albinos, even though they have pink skin. Albino, whether in the form of Lethal White Syndrome or dominant white, is a lethal condition in horses, there are no true albinos in the horse world. Albinism is a genetic condition resulting in a lack of pigmentation in the eyes, skin and hair. ... Lethal white syndrome (LWS) is a common genetic disorder primarily associated with American Paint Horses. ...

Nor are double-dilutes gray: they have blue eyes and pink skin, whereas a gray horse has dark eyes and black skin. Gray is a coat color of horses, consisting of black skin, a white to dark gray coat, and a mane the same color or darker than the body coat. ...

Some experts debate if the "white" (W) gene, exists, but in any case, the white gene is not a dilute gene, and if homozygous, is a lethal gene and the foal will not live. A horse with the heterozygous white gene (Ww) will have a white coat and blue, hazel or brown eyes. Homozygote cells are diploid or polyploid and have the same alleles at a locus (position) on homologous chromosomes. ... Heterozygote cells are diploid or polyploid and have different alleles at a locus (position) on homologous chromosomes. ...

See also Equine coat color genetics.

Cremello: The double dilution of chestnut/red coats. The body and mane is a cream color (hence the "cream gene"). There are currently two theories of equine coat color genetics: Dr. Ann Bowlings and Dr. Phillip Sponenbergs. ... Cremello is a color of horse consisting of a cream-colored body with a cream mane and tail. ...

Perlino: Double dilution of bay, so that the body is a light creme, with "pinkish" points (mane, tail, lower legs).

Cremello and Perlino horses fade in color as they mature, so that they look almost white. Their eyes and skin remain their respective colors.

Smoky Cream: Double dilution on a black coat. The cream gene is not completely hidden like it was in the smoky black. The horse is a pinkish or pinky-gray color (although colors vary). Friesian horses are one of the best-known breeds of black-colored horse Black is a relatively uncommon coat color in horses, though not so unusual as to be considered rare. ...

Color differences

Gray is a coat color of horses, consisting of black skin, a white to dark gray coat, and a mane the same color or darker than the body coat. ... Cremello is a color of horse consisting of a cream-colored body with a cream mane and tail. ...

Other terminology

This dilution gene is sometimes also called the "creme" gene. However the correct spelling, used by geneticists, is "cream." "Creme" is actually an abbreviated form of "cremello", which refers specifically two cream genes on a chestnut base.

See also

• To read more on dilution genes and equine coat colors generally, see Equine coat color genetics and Horse coat color
• To read more on other kinds of white-colored horses, see White (horse)
• To find out more about Gray horses, see Gray (horse)
• To find out about the Dun color in horses, see Dun (color) or Dun gene
• To read more about albino coloring, see Albinism
• To read more on ivory horses, and the champagne gene, see Champagne gene
• To read more on Overo Lethal White Syndrome in Paint Horses and other breeds, go to Lethal white syndrome or "Stalking the Lethal White Syndrome"
• To read more on the fatal double dilute white (WW) gene, go to [ http://www.equiworld.net/uk/horsecare/reproduction/colour07.htm White, Albino, and Lethal White Genes]
• To read more on Lavendar Foal Syndrome in Arabian horses, seeLavender Foal Syndrome Fact Sheet, Cornell University. and F.O.A.L.

There are currently two theories of equine coat color genetics: Dr. Ann Bowlings and Dr. Phillip Sponenbergs. ... Horses exhibit a diverse array of coat colors and distinctive markings, and a specialized vocabulary has evolved to describe them. ... Gray is a coat color of horses, consisting of black skin, a white to dark gray coat, and a mane the same color or darker than the body coat. ... Dun is a yellow-brown color, sometimes seen in the hair coats of horses, characterized by a body color ranging from sandy yellow to reddish-brown. ... This article needs cleanup. ... The Wonderful Albino Family. ... The champagne gene is a gene that occurs in horses. ... The American Paint Horse is an American breed of horse which is a specific type of stock-horse. ... Lethal white syndrome (LWS) is a common genetic disorder primarily associated with American Paint Horses. ... Zobeyni, Arabian stallion, foaled 1844 The Arabian horse is a breed of horse with a reputation for intelligence, high spirit, and outstanding stamina. ...

External links

• Cream Gene & Horse Color @ TUHS
• *Cremello and Perlino Educational Association
• http://www.equinecolor.com/cream.html