I was looking at some various forums talking about equine colors over the last few days(not isolated to one case. I've seen it nearly everywhere.) , and I saw quite a few misconceptions. I decided to share some pretty pictures and try to help clear some of them up. Any questions related to anything about color genetics feel free to ask me, I probably know something of value.
Firstly, for those wondering, There are no such thing as Albino horses. The gene is non existent in horses. For those who do not know, these are the genes mistaken for albino:
Grey, the dominant color that causes solid horses to loose pigment in their hair as they age, usually becoming completely ' white' between one year old and five years old. Sometimes they stay dappled or 'steel' colored throughout their entire lifetime, only lightening minimally. They will always have BLACK skin under their white fur, which is visible around their eyes/muzzle and when their coat is wet. The only reason why these horses would have blue eyes is if the horse has splash or sabino under its coat. Calling this horse 'white' is incorrect and misleading. Note his grey skin:
The typical blue eyes found on sabino horses,
this is a grey below, note the black skin around his eyes:
A Dapple grey, he will likely lighten to a nearly white color, but will retain the dark skin and black eyes.:
Dominant white, identified by their pink skin, brown eyes, and pure white coat.
Dominant means that this gene only needs one copy for the color so show up, and therefor can be Heterozygous.
Note the brown/black eyes:
Note the pink skin:
LWS/OLWS stands for Lethal white syndrome, it is a recessive gene found in Overo pintos and sometimes even solids that causes foals to be born completely white, with pink skin and blue eyes. These foals always die within a few days due to a non functioning Colon and nervous system. Most are humanely euth'd.
Image of an OWLS foal:
A second OLWS foal:
Extensive Sabino/Splash are two dominant genes and causes some remarkable patterns. Sabino and Splash are the genes responsible for almost all markings found in horses asides from Tobiano, Overo, and Tovero. Extensive horses vary greatly, but in some cases the gene causes the animal to be completely white.
How to tell Splash and Sabino apart: Splash horses look like they are dipped in paint, their markings are generally even and they often have completely white heads. Sabino's markings are often jagged, and they often have pink markings and spots on their lips/chin. Sabino is often accompanied by a gene called 'Rabicano'.
Moderate Splash, note how it looks like they were dipped in paint
and how their heads are completely white:
Extensive Splash:
Moderate sabino arabian stallion(I believe named Khartoon Khlassic, by Khemosabi), note the jagged markings:
Extensive Sabino, looks like a dominant white.
Good thing we have genetic Testing!:
Extensive Sabino 2:
Extensive Sabino with Lacing:
A Rabicano:
Another Rabicano:
A Rabicano with the classic 'coon tail' :
Another Coon Tail:
Another Coon Tail, Note the striping:
A Sabino expressing Rabicano:
Sabino/Rabicano Lacing:
Cremello horses are caused by a gene called Cream. Cremellos are chestnut horses(ee) with two cream alleles, causing a very light cream colored body and a pure white mane and tail. They have pink skin and blue eyes.
A cremello with faint dapples :
Perlinos are also caused by the cream gene and have two cream alleles. However, they are bay(Ee Aa) horses below the cream instead of chestnut like cremellos. They are identifiable by their white bodies and darker cream legs/mane and tail. Like Cremellos, they have pink skin and blue eyes.
A Perlino, note the dark mane, tail, and legs.:
Smokey Cream horses are double allele creams over a black coat. (Ee or EE) Like both Perlino and Cremello horses, they have blue eyes and pink skin and are nearly white, but they have a dusky color to them as cream cannot completely cover black pigment.
A smokey Cream:
If I missed any, let me know XD
Firstly, for those wondering, There are no such thing as Albino horses. The gene is non existent in horses. For those who do not know, these are the genes mistaken for albino:
Grey, the dominant color that causes solid horses to loose pigment in their hair as they age, usually becoming completely ' white' between one year old and five years old. Sometimes they stay dappled or 'steel' colored throughout their entire lifetime, only lightening minimally. They will always have BLACK skin under their white fur, which is visible around their eyes/muzzle and when their coat is wet. The only reason why these horses would have blue eyes is if the horse has splash or sabino under its coat. Calling this horse 'white' is incorrect and misleading. Note his grey skin:
The typical blue eyes found on sabino horses,
this is a grey below, note the black skin around his eyes:
A Dapple grey, he will likely lighten to a nearly white color, but will retain the dark skin and black eyes.:
Dominant white, identified by their pink skin, brown eyes, and pure white coat.
Dominant means that this gene only needs one copy for the color so show up, and therefor can be Heterozygous.
Note the brown/black eyes:
Note the pink skin:
LWS/OLWS stands for Lethal white syndrome, it is a recessive gene found in Overo pintos and sometimes even solids that causes foals to be born completely white, with pink skin and blue eyes. These foals always die within a few days due to a non functioning Colon and nervous system. Most are humanely euth'd.
Image of an OWLS foal:
A second OLWS foal:
Extensive Sabino/Splash are two dominant genes and causes some remarkable patterns. Sabino and Splash are the genes responsible for almost all markings found in horses asides from Tobiano, Overo, and Tovero. Extensive horses vary greatly, but in some cases the gene causes the animal to be completely white.
How to tell Splash and Sabino apart: Splash horses look like they are dipped in paint, their markings are generally even and they often have completely white heads. Sabino's markings are often jagged, and they often have pink markings and spots on their lips/chin. Sabino is often accompanied by a gene called 'Rabicano'.
Moderate Splash, note how it looks like they were dipped in paint
and how their heads are completely white:
Extensive Splash:
Moderate sabino arabian stallion(I believe named Khartoon Khlassic, by Khemosabi), note the jagged markings:
Extensive Sabino, looks like a dominant white.
Good thing we have genetic Testing!:
Extensive Sabino 2:
Extensive Sabino with Lacing:
A Rabicano:
Another Rabicano:
A Rabicano with the classic 'coon tail' :
Another Coon Tail:
Another Coon Tail, Note the striping:
A Sabino expressing Rabicano:
Sabino/Rabicano Lacing:
Cremello horses are caused by a gene called Cream. Cremellos are chestnut horses(ee) with two cream alleles, causing a very light cream colored body and a pure white mane and tail. They have pink skin and blue eyes.
A cremello with faint dapples :
Perlinos are also caused by the cream gene and have two cream alleles. However, they are bay(Ee Aa) horses below the cream instead of chestnut like cremellos. They are identifiable by their white bodies and darker cream legs/mane and tail. Like Cremellos, they have pink skin and blue eyes.
A Perlino, note the dark mane, tail, and legs.:
Smokey Cream horses are double allele creams over a black coat. (Ee or EE) Like both Perlino and Cremello horses, they have blue eyes and pink skin and are nearly white, but they have a dusky color to them as cream cannot completely cover black pigment.
A smokey Cream:
If I missed any, let me know XD
I also know quite lot about them too.
Gurlla is a very pretty and rare coloring
<Silver blue dun(grullo/grulla)
