Dilution genes
Remember, in order to have these genes, at least one of their parents has to have one! It can NOT hide. If they have it, it will show. Or, just because the parent has a gene, doesn't mean that they do.
These genes dilute and changes the appearance of the coat colors. Some genes affect only certain colors. ALL (except white) colors have a base color of chestnut, black and bay.......with genes that modify them.
There is an actual 'White' horse. VERY RARE but they have a white coat, pink skin and black eyes. Cremello's and grey's are often refurred to as white but are not.
These colors are often referred to as 'albino'. There is NO such thing as albino horses but the closest thing is lethel white. These foals are white with blue eyes and nearly no pigment, and do not live more than 24 hours because of developemental problems. They are caused from breeding 2 frame overo paints, 2 roans and 2 whites. When each parent throws one of those genes and the foal gets both, being homozygous, organs do not develope and the foal does not survive.
The CREME gene
PALOMINO - a chestnut based horse with 1 creme gene. Typical color is a golden color with white mane and tail. Colors can range from a near white color often called 'Isabella' to dark chocolate body with white or gray mane and tail.
BUCKSKIN - a bay based horse with 1 creme gene. Typical color is golden with black mane, tail & legs. Colors range from light, cream body with black or chocolate mane, tail and legs often called 'buttermilk' to a dark nearly black body with black mane tail and legs often called 'smutty' or 'sooty'.
SMOKY BLACK - a black based horse with one cream gene. Since the creme gene doesn't effect black, it may look no different than any other black horse but often look like a dark chestnut.
CREMELLO - a chestnut based horse with 2 creme genes. This color has pink, often mottled, skin, cream mane, tail and body with blue eyes.
HOMOZYGOUS - always produces palomino, buckskin ans smoky blacks.
PERLINO - a bay based horse with 2 creme genes. This color has pink, often mottled, skin, cinnimon color mane, tail and legs & cream body with blue eyes.
HOMOZYGOUS - always produces palomino, buckskin ans smoky blacks.
SMOKY CREME - a black based horse with 2 creme genes. This color looks similar to perlino but may be cinnimon colored all over body along with mane & tail. Pink skin, often mottled skin and blue eyes. HOMOZYGOUS - always produces palomino, buckskin ans smoky blacks.