Knowledgebase

Dominant White 3

White patterning in horses is known as Dominant White or White. Dominant White patterns are variable, ranging from minimal Sabino-like spotting to all-white horses. The eye colour of Dominant White horses is brown. There are about 20 different mutations identified that are associated with white patterns, all mutations are found...

A-Locus (Agouti)

The Agouti gene (ASIP gene) is responsible for the production of a protein that regulates the distribution of black pigment (eumelanin) within the hair shaft. This gene is also known as the A-locus and is responsible for ticking and causes the individual hairs to have bands of light and heavy...

Macchiato (Splashed White)

In 2008 a colt with a striking white-spotting coat colour was born out of two solid-coloured bay Franches-Montagnes parents. The coat colour looks like a combination of white-spotting and coat colour dilution and it was named ‘‘macchiato’’. A clinical examination revealed that the macchiato stallion was deaf and had a...

Coat Colour introduction

Each horse has a basic coat colour, which can be black, bay/brown or chestnut. These basic coat colours are controlled by the Extension and Agouti genes. The Extension gene controls the production of black and red pigment while the distribution of black pigment is controlled by the agouti gene. The...

Splashed White 1

Splashed white is a variable white spotting pattern characterized by a large blaze, extended white markings on legs, variable white spotting on belly, pink skin and often blue eyes. In other cases, the unpigmented areas are quite small and cannot be distinguished from horses with other more subtle depigmentation phenotypes....

Chestnut

Each horse has a basic colour, which can be black, bay/brown or chestnut. These basic coat colours are controlled by the Extension and Agouti genes. The Extension gene (E-locus) controls the production of black and red pigment. The Coat Colour chestnut test (P904) tests for the genetic status of the...

Splashed White 3

Splashed white is a variable white spotting pattern characterized by a large blaze, extended white markings on legs, variable white spotting on belly, pink skin and often blue eyes. In other cases, the unpigmented areas are quite small and cannot be distinguished from horses with other more subtle depigmentation phenotypes....

Agouti

Each horse has a basic colour, which can be black, bay/brown or chestnut. These basic coat colours are controlled by the Extension and Agouti genes. The Agouti gene (A-locus) controls the distribution of black pigment. The pigment can be uniformly distributed or distributed to the “points” of the body (mane,...

Roan

Roan is a white patterning coat colour trait of intermixed white and coloured hairs in the body while the head, lower legs, mane and tail remain colored. Roan horses are born with the pattern, though it may not be obvious until the foal coat is shed. The white and coloured...

Cream dilution

The cream dilution gene has an effect on both red and black pigment and dilutes the basic coat colour to lighter coat shades. In several breeds this is considered a desirable trait. The Cream dilution gene is responsible for the palomino, buckskin, smoky black, cremello, perlino and smoky cream coat...

Sabino 1

Sabino is a general description for a group of similar white spotting patterns. The sabino pattern is described as irregular spotting usually on the legs, belly and face, often with roaning around the edges of the white markings. A mutation has been discovered that produces one type of sabino pattern,...

Champagne dilution

The Champagne dilution gene lightens the coat colour of the horse by diluting the pigment. The skin of Champagne-diluted horses is pinkish/lavender toned and becomes speckled with age; the speckling is particularly noticeable around the eye, muzzle, under the tail, udder and sheath. The eye colour is blue-green at birth...

Grey

A horse that inherits a Grey coat colour can be born in any colour. The grey gene causes progressive depigmentation (fading) of the hair and is considered to be the “strongest” of all coat colour modifying genes. The depigmentation process may last for years, but once the hair is depigmented,...

Dun dilution

The Dun dilution gene lightens the coat colour of the horse by lightening the body colour, leaving the head, lower legs, mane and tail undiluted. Dun is also typically characterized by “primitive markings”, allmost all dun horses possess at least the dorsal stripe, but the presence of the other primitive...

Overo-factor (OLWS)

The Overo coat pattern is a white spotting pattern with white patches on the side with a “frame” of colour surrounding the white. A horse can also carry mutations for other modifying genes which can further affect its coat colour. While Overo coloured horses are desirable, the mutation that causes the...

Pearl dilution

The Pearl dilution gene lightens the coat colour of the horse by diluting the red pigment. A chestnut basic colour is diluted to a pale, uniform apricot colour of body, mane and tail. Skin coloration is also pale. Pearl dilution is also referred to as the 'Barlink Factor.' The Coat...

Tobiano

The Tobiano coat pattern usually involves white on all four legs below the hocks and knees and rounded white spots on the body with sharp, clean edges. The head is dark, with white markings like those of a solid colored horse. The white on the body will generally cross the...

Silver dilution / MCOA

The Silver dilution gene dilutes the black pigment but has no effect on the red pigment. The effect of the Silver dilution gene can vary greatly. The mane and tail are lightened to flaxen or silver gray, and may darken on some horses as they age. A black horse will...

Appaloosa Pattern-1 (PATN1)

The Appaloosa spotting pattern, also known as Leopard Complex spotting (LP) includes a highly variable group of white spotting- or depigmentation patterns in horses. Appaloosa horses have three additional identifiable characteristics: mottled skin around the muzzle, anus and genitalia, striped hooves and white sclera round the eyes. LP is the...

Dominant White 1

White patterning in horses is known as Dominant White or White. Dominant White patterns are variable, ranging from minimal Sabino-like spotting to all-white horses. The eye colour of Dominant White horses is brown. There are about 20 different mutations identified that are associated with white patterns, all mutations are found...