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Equine Color Genetics The following is a summation of many books and websites, put into plain English so that the regular horse fan can easily understand. You can click on the color names for pictures of my model horses so that each color (that I have an example of) can have a visual reference. Base Colors There are two base colors, black and chestnut. Everything else is a dilution, modifier, white pattern, or unexplained markings. Modifiers Bay - aka Agouti, restricts black to points Gray - changes base coat over horse's lifetime by gradually adding white hairs throughout (much like a person's hair turns gray) Flaxen - lightens mane and tail to a blonde color, only on chestnut based colors Sooty/Smutty - darkens overall color, often has dapples Mealy/Pangare - lightens nose, flanks, elbows, belly, can be very extensive, or not much Dilutions Champagne - dilutes both black and red based colors, eyes tend to lighten and skin is pink and tends to freckle   - Black is called Classic Champagne   - Bay is Amber Champagne   - Chestnut is Gold Champagne Cream - dilutes red pigment, may lighten black a little in single form, in a double dose the smoky crème looks a lot like a perlino, this gene intensifies it's effect in homozygotes   - Black (x 1=smokey black, x 2=smoky creme)   - Bay (x 1=buckskin, x 2=perlino)   - Chestnut (x 1=palomino, x 2=cremello) Dun - dilutes body color, but not points. Will have a dorsal marking of a darker color down the back, as well as striping on the legs. Sometimes "cobwebbing" occurs on the face, and barring on the withers. Different shades have different names, but all are variations of the below.   - Black becomes grulla/grullo   - Bay becomes dun   - Chestnut becomes red dun Silver - dilutes black only, lightens mane and tail more than body color in most cases, bays will tend to have flaxen manes and not quite black points, chestnut does not look any different if it has the gene (it can be a carrier). Sometimes called "Chocolate" or "Silver Dapple", although horses are not always dappled. Pearl - a recently discovered gene that is not visible unless the horse is homozygous or the horse also has a cream gene. This gene dilutes hair, skin and eye color. White Markings Non-Pinto Patterns Appaloosa (Leopard   Snowcap   Blanket) - a lot is still unknown about this/these genes. Snowcaps and few-spots are believed to be homozygous. There appear to be many genes working in various combinations to make the different patterns, with the Lp gene being an on/off switch of sorts Roan (Bay roan) (also called Classic or True Roan)- adds white hair to body, but not face and points Rabicano - roaning along the flank, "skunk tail" roaning at base of tail Pinto Patterns Mixed Patterns - many overos (frame, sabino, splash) have more than one pattern, and tobianos can also have any or all of the three overo patterns. The majority of pintos have sabino in addition to their other genes Frame (with sabino) - characterized by white on the sides of the body, not crossing over the back (but can cross over the neck), restricts leg white. Lethal (LWO - Lethal White Overo) when the gene is inherited from both parents, when breeding horses of any breed that has frame get them tested to see if they have it and if they do, don't breed to a horse that also has it Sabino (Extreme Sabino   Minimal Sabino) - leg white, facial white, chin white, belly white. Some speculate that all white markings, a simple star, or a sock, are related to sabino Splash (Homozygous Splash) - with one copy of the gene looks like a "normal" horse, white legs, and white on face, when homozygous it looks like horse has been dipped in white paint, face will be white, white coming up legs onto body, blue eyes Tobiano (with sabino) - dark head (if there is white, that is usually from sabino), almost always 4 white feet/legs, white crosses over back Other Markings Bend Or Spots - dark spots randomly on the coat, not from scaring or any other external cause Birdcatcher Spots - white spots randomly on the coat, *may* have something to do with sabino, they are still looking into that Brindle - very rare vertical striping Lacing - lacy white markings on the horse's back in a reticulated pattern like a giraffe's Great References for Equine Color Genetics Information Websites: Equine Color and Genetics UC Davis, Leading Researchers: Equine Color Genetics Equine Color Genetics: Cremello and Perlino Education Association J. Sharon Batteate: Equine Color Genetics Equine Color Genetics: Studies, Deb Bennett, PhD Coat Colors: Equine Color Genetics Behind the Hide Equine Color Genetics: International Champagne Horse Registry New Dilutions: Information on the Pearl Gene Recommended Books: Please see my page with my recommendations on books about equine color genetics and horse breeds.