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 What
is the "Cream Gene" and how does it work?
The cream gene creates the Palomino, buckskin, cremello,
perlino, smoky black and smoky cream colors.
Every horse has two locations in its genetic code where a certain type of
color modification gene can reside. These genes are commonly called
"cream" genes. They make the horse's base color one or two shades
lighter, depending on whether there are one or two of the genes present.
<= Click on the buttons at left to see examples of the various
"cream dilute" colors.
Some horses, like chestnuts, bays
and blacks have no cream genes. We call
these the base, or basic, colors.
Some horses, like Palominos, buckskins
and smoky blacks have one cream gene.
They may be called "single dilutes."
Other horses, like cremellos, perlinos
and smoky creams, have two cream
genes. They are "double dilutes."
To see what these nine colors look like, that result from zero, one or two
cream genes, click a button at left (for photos) or see the color
chart (for illustrations). Also the interactive
color chart. NEW FEATURE! Foal cream
color prediction chart!
The perlino foal pictured above and his buckskin sire and dam
clearly illustrate the action of the cream gene.
The mare is the AQHA buckskin, Me Smart 'n' Classy.
She was bred to another AQHA buckskin, Poco
Merlin. The foal got one cream gene from each
parent, and at least one "bay" gene (dark points), so he is what you
might call a "double buckskin", a perlino.
This is only one of many possible results of crossing two buckskins. In
almost every breed that carries the cream gene, the
Perlino and Cremello colors are accepted for registration. The AQHA
has recently voted to accept these colors if both parents are AQHA!
If you breed buckskins and Palominos
to each other, you may get these striking perlinos or cremellos. Sometimes
even a seemingly black or dark brown horse (smoky black)
can be carrying one of these genes, which can be determined only by looking at
the horse's ancestors or offspring.
It is very important to note that the cream gene only makes the horse's
color LIGHTER, but does not remove it, even when there are two present.
They cannot make a horse an actual albino (it will always have pigment in it
skin, hair and eyes) and are not linked to any defects or weaknesses.
The only truly pink skin on a horse will be under its WHITE
MARKINGS, if any.
THERE ARE NO ALBINO HORSES. Genes that cause albinism in other mammals
are "recessive" genes. Cream genes are "incomplete
dominant" genes, not recessive, meaning they cannot be
"hidden". There are no known albinos, or albino genes, in the
horse world.
Also, cream genes DO NOT ACCUMULATE. You cannot have more than two
cream genes in any horse.
Notice exactly what the gene affects: the color of the horse's hair
and skin. Nothing else. It is the same horse with or without the
cream genes, only the color is different: it has the same immune system, bone
density, resistance to sunburn, stamina and every other strength it would have
as a red, bay or black. Anything to the contrary has been disproved by
experience and by experiment ... only uninformed prejudice remains.
  
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