Horse Colors

Question 1

What are the main horse color genes?

Answer 1

Black and red

Question 2

What are the reasons for colors other than black or red in horses?

Answer 2

modifying, diluting, or adding white markings

determined by the expression of the same gene

Question 3

EE and Ee

Answer 3

ability to form black pigment

Question 4

ee

Answer 4

black skin but hair is red

Question 5

What happens if the white gene is expressed as heterozygous (one dominant and one recessive (Ww)?

Answer 5

the skin will be pink and the hair will be white

Question 6

What happens if there are two dominant white genes (WW) ?

Answer 6

Lethal white, the animal will die

Question 7

Gg and GG gray gene

Answer 7

causes silvering with age but the horse is born any nongray color and always contain pigment in skin and eyes.

Question 8

All other color patterns not listed above are based on what?

Answer 8

How the modifier or diluter genes affect the base black or red.

Question 9

Modifying genes

Answer 9

determine the expression or how the color will fall

EX. Uniform black Vs. black only on the legs, ears, mane, and tail with a red body (bay coloring)

Question 10

Dilution genes

Answer 10

lighten the base colors depending on their expression

Question 11

W (W,w)

Answer 11

determines pigmentation

Question 12

W

Answer 12

horse not able to form pigment (white)

Question 13

W_

Answer 13

pink skin, white hair, blue/brown eyes (albino)

Question 14

ww

Answer 14

all non-white horses

Question 15

G_

Answer 15

causes horses to become grey

Question 16

What do you do if a horse is not gray or white?

Answer 16

determine if it has black pigment or hairs.

Question 17

E,e

Answer 17

contains black hair, or instructions for placing black pigment in hair

Question 18

E

Answer 18

black pigment in hair (black or bay)

Question 19

e

Answer 19

no pigment (black) in hair (red)

Question 20

A (A,a)

Answer 20

determines distribution pattern of black hair and if horse id black or bay

Question 21

A_E_

Answer 21

Bay

Question 22

aaE_

Answer 22

Not Bay (black)

Question 23

_ _ ee

Answer 23

Red

Question 24

Dilution C

Answer 24

Cream, causes pigment dilution

Question 25

Types of cream colors

Answer 25

Palomino
Buckskin
Cremello
Perlino

Question 26

Dilution D

Answer 26

Dun, dilutes the body color only, not the points

Question 27

RN

Answer 27

Roan

Question 28

F

Answer 28

Flaxen mane and tail (white)

Question 29

Apl

Answer 29

Appaloosa

Question 30

To

Answer 30

Controls Tobiano

Question 31

Black body

Answer 31

true black has no brown at flanks or muzzle EVER
Mane and tail black too
Relatively rare
mostly registered as dark bay or brown

Question 32

Chestnut/Sorrel

Thoroughbred/Quarter Horse

Answer 32

Essentially the red base color
Body- dark or brownish red
Mane and Tail- usually dark or brownish red, may be flaxen.

Question 33

Brown/Seal Brown

Answer 33

Modification of black
Body brown or black with light hairs on flank, muzzle, eyes, tips of ears. Hint of red hair, can be lighter or darker seal brown.
Mane and Tail are black

Question 34

What usually happens to horses without DNA testing?

Answer 34

they can be misregistered

Question 35

Bay

Answer 35

Modification of black
body ranges from tan to reddish brown. dark (black) points, can be dark bay, blood bay, or light bay. Mane and tail are black.

Question 36

Grey

Answer 36

Mixture of white with any colored hairs. Dappled, Flea bitten. born solid dark color, and get lighter with age,

Question 37

Roans

Answer 37

Uniform mixture of white hairs with other solid color.

Question 38

Blue Roan

Answer 38

Roan coloring with the dilution of base black.

Question 39

Red Roan

Answer 39

Roan coloring with the dilution of base red.

Question 40

Bay Roan

Answer 40

Roan coloring with dilution of bay color.

Question 41

White

Answer 41

born white, always white, pink skin under the white, evidenced around the eye, eye color can be brown, hazel, or blue, Very rare. Prone to sunburn and cancer.

Question 42

Grulla

Answer 42

Dilution of black or seal brown. Body is smoky or mouse colored (each hair is this color not a mixture of the colors). Black points and usually have a dorsal stripe. Mane and Tail are black.

Question 43

Dun

Answer 43

Dilution of the dark bay or seal brown. Body is sooty yellow to yellow-red, dorsal stripe, zebra stripes on legs, and transverse stripes over the withers. Mane and tail may be black, brown red, yellow, white, or mixed.

Question 44

Perlino

Answer 44

double dilution of bay

body is off-white or pearl color, sometimes rust color on lower legs. Mane and tail have rust color on the tips.

Question 45

Cremello

Answer 45

double dilution of chestnut. Body is off-white or cream while mane and tail are lighter.

Question 46

what are the genes that modify the two colors of horses?

Answer 46

modifier genes