Horse Coat Colors and Patterns
Horse Coat – An Introduction
The colors of horses are based on a base color with overlying restrictions and dilutions giving us the wide range of the colors we see in horses. Each topic will cover how all horses have one of only 2 base colors of red and black. Restrictions are added to limit...
Horse Coat Color – Base Coat Colors Of Red And Black
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Independent of what a horse looks like, there are only 2 base colors of horses – red and black. From there horses layer modifiers and dilutors and then add on top of them patterns made up of white hairs that are base hairs...
Horse Coat Color – Base Modifiers – The Agouti Control Of Black (Bay)
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material The Agouti gene is abbreviated as “A” in the dominant form and “a” in the recessive form. In the dominant form, it controls where the black pigment of black horses (EE or Ee) is seen by restricting the black to the lower legs, the...
Horse Coat Color – Base Modifiers – The Dominant Gray Gene
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Every gray horse has at least one gray gene that depigments the base color over time. Every hair is affected though the rate of graying as well as the uniformity are different between horses, Some will be steel gray all of their...
Horse Coat Color – Base Modifiers – The Silver Gene
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material The silver gene (Z) is a dilution of the black base coat with or without the Agouti gene (bay). It has no effect on the red base coat. Horses with one or both Z genes will have a dilution to their coat color and therefore it is an...
Horse Coat Color – Dilutions – The Cream Gene
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material The cream dilution gene can dilute both the red and black base colors and either have one copy of the cream gene (single dilution ) or two copies of the cream gene (double dilution). The cream gene is the most common modifier...
Horse Coat Color – Dilutions – The Dun And Grulla Gene
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material This gene can work on both red and black base colors by lightening the base color. However it does not lighten the base color of the mane, tail, legs and the primitive markings including the dorsal stripe, the zebra stripe and...
Horse Coat Features – Mixed Hair Length Coat
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material On occasion a horse can be seen with patches of hair that are longer or shorter than the rest of the body. A quick search for an explanation showed me no genetic reason for this. My suspicion lies in possibly an early sign of...
Horse Coat Features – The Curly Hair Coat
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material The breed Bashkir Curly has a hair that maintains a curl throughout the year. The curl can range from no curl to minimal to full curl but it is unique to this breed Related material – Sometimes I have a lot of material here that I...
Horse Coat Features – The Dapple Hair Color Pattern
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Dappling is the description given to any color horse exhibiting circles of a darker color (dark rings) over all of the body. Seeing dapples on a horse is associated with the horse being in prime health and is not seen in horses...
Horse Coat Patterns – White markings, Pinto, Roan, Leopard Complex And White Horses
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Coat patterns are made of white hairs (non-pigmented) that are genetically determined and applied over the modified base coat color. In other words they are secondary to the red and black base genes and the agouti (bay), gray and...
Horse Coat – An Introduction
The colors of horses are based on a base color with overlying restrictions and dilutions giving us...
Horse Coat Color – Base Coat Colors Of Red And Black
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Independent of what a horse looks like, there are only 2 base...
Horse Coat Color – Base Modifiers – The Agouti Control Of Black (Bay)
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material The Agouti gene is abbreviated as “A” in the dominant form...
Horse Coat Color – Base Modifiers – The Dominant Gray Gene
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Every gray horse has at least one gray gene that depigments...
Horse Coat Color – Base Modifiers – The Silver Gene
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material The silver gene (Z) is a dilution of the black base coat with...
Horse Coat Color – Dilutions – The Cream Gene
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material The cream dilution gene can dilute both the red and black...
Horse Coat Color – Dilutions – The Dun And Grulla Gene
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material This gene can work on both red and black base colors by...
Horse Coat Features – Mixed Hair Length Coat
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material On occasion a horse can be seen with patches of hair that are...
Horse Coat Features – The Curly Hair Coat
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material The breed Bashkir Curly has a hair that maintains a curl...
Horse Coat Features – The Dapple Hair Color Pattern
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Dappling is the description given to any color horse...
Horse Coat Patterns – White markings, Pinto, Roan, Leopard Complex And White Horses
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Coat patterns are made of white hairs (non-pigmented) that...