Everything Horse UK Everything Horse Magazine, August 2018. | Page 27

where the horse or pony carries one copy
of the cream gene and is also known as
heterozygous.
This term means that within the pair, a
certain gene will carry two different
alleles (CRcr) – one pair of
genes contains one dominant
and one recessive gene.
BUCKSKIN
colours, for example the splash gene on a
cream coat can result in a palomino with
blue eyes however this is only considered
a cream dilute. Again a palomino and
white tobiano or overo can have blue eyes,
but is a cream dilute, not a palomino.
We also see this effect when we
introduce cream and champagne
etc.
BUCKSKIN
Double dilutes will pass down
the cream gene whereas
A buckskin horse is
A buckskin, not to be the single dilutes have a
a bay horse with a
is 50% chance of them not
single copy of a cream confused with a dun,
being handed down to the
gene; a palomino is a
where a bay horse
offspring. It’s no wonder
chestnut or sorrel with
these beautiful horses and
has a single copy of ponies
a single cream gene
are so admired and
and a smokey black is
cream.
here at The British Palomino
black with a single cream
Society we want to celebrate
gene.
So this mutation
these beautiful shades.
dilutes red pigments to yellow
and gold and can affect the
Members of the society have access
mane and tail mostly. Other horses
to register their palominos or cream dilutes
may be homozygous for a type of gene
and apply for a passport if one is required.
where they carry two copies of the same
For those who already have a passport,
allele (CRCR), also known as double
the society can over stamp the
dilutes. Unlike the single dilute,
existing passport.
the mutation will affect both
the red and black pigments,
With a community feel, The
still turning the red to
British Palomino Society
yellow and gold, but also
also makes it easy for
turning the black to red.
breeders
and
owners
to come together and
In this instance a bay
offer help and advice.
horse with the two copies
The double dilute can
And
it
doesn’t
stop
of the cream gene are
there - affiliated classes
also mean the horse’s for
called perlino, a black
members are run
horse with the two copies
nationwide
plus
three
eye colour can turn
is known as smoky cream
championship shows run
and a sorrel or chestnut
blue.
by the society including the
horse carrying two copies is
BPS National Championships.
known as the cremello.
For further information on
DOUBLE
DILUTES
DOUBLE DILUTES
The double dilute gene can also mean
that the horse’s eye colour will turn blue.
Blue eyes can also be inherited from other
ISSUE 36 • AUGUST 2018 • EVERYTHING HORSE MAGAZINE
The British Palomino Society
visit the website
www.thebritishpalominosociety.co.uk
27