🧪 Dilutions
Dilution Genes
Dilution genes lighten or alter the base coat colour.
Cream (CR)
Cream is an incomplete dominant dilution. One copy creates a single dilute, while two copies create a double dilute.
Single Cream
| Base | Result |
|---|---|
| Chestnut | Palomino |
| Bay | Buckskin |
| Black | Smoky Black |
Palomino Buckskin Smokey Black
Double Cream
| Base | Result |
|---|---|
| Chestnut | Cremello |
| Bay | Perlino |
| Black | Smoky Cream |
Cremello Perlino Smokey Cream
Palomino Variations
Light Palomino Classic Palomino Dappled Palomino
Buckskin Variations
Light Buckskin Classic Buckskin Sooty Buckskin
Dun (D)
Dun lightens the body while leaving primitive markings visible. Primitive markings include dorsal stripes and leg "zebra stripes"
| Base | Result |
|---|---|
| Chestnut | Red Dun |
| Bay | Bay Dun |
| Black | Grulla |
Light Bay Dun Bay Dun
Grulla Red Dun
Primitive Markings
A horse may display primitive markings without being fully dun.
The Dun locus has three possible alleles:
| Allele | Effect |
|---|---|
| D | Dun dilution + primitive markings |
| nd1 | Primitive markings only |
| nd2 | No dilution and no primitive markings |
Dominance order:
D > nd1 > nd2
This means Dun overrides both nd1 and nd2, while nd1 overrides nd2.
Non-Dun 1 (nd1)
Non-Dun 1 is incredibly interesting because it is basically a "partial remnant" of the original Dun gene.
Horses with nd1 are not diluted, but they may still display primitive markings.
Genotypes
| Genotype | Result |
|---|---|
| nd1/nd1 | Primitive markings possible |
| nd1/nd2 | Primitive markings possible |
Common traits:
- Dorsal stripe
- Leg barring
- Shoulder stripes
However, the body color remains undiluted.
Non-Dun 2 (nd2)
Non-Dun 2 is what most modern horses carry.
Genotype
| Genotype | Result |
|---|---|
| nd2/nd2 | Normal coat colour |
These horses:
- Are not diluted
- Do not naturally display primitive markings
- Cannot pass Dun unless bred to a horse carrying D
Champagne (CH)
Champagne dilutes both red and black pigment while creating lighter eyes and mottled skin.
| Base | Result |
|---|---|
| Chestnut | Gold Champagne |
| Bay | Amber Champagne |
| Black | Classic Champagne |
Gold Champagne Classic Champagne Amber Champagne