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Horse Coats
Welcome to our breeds list page! Here you can find the breeds with a registration studbook in place. Each breed listed here a full information sheet from the history to the colors allowed to their conformation features, etc.
If you do not see the breed you like, do not panic! We will be happy to add a breed for you. We only ask you provide the information needed (or a site with information listed) and a template of the breed (or if you do not have one, a photo of a RL specimen). You may also request made up breeds for which you will be in charge to invent all the information needed. Please try to be creative!
SOLID COATS
Welcome to our breeds list page! Here you can find the breeds with a registration studbook in place. Each breed listed here a full information sheet from the history to the colors allowed to their conformation features, etc.
BASES
Chestnut
The one true base coat, chestnut is the most common color of horses in general. It can decline itself into several shades, all of which share the same genotype.
ee/aa ==> simple chestnut genotype carrying no modifiers.
Chestnut can carry several genes that do not show up outwardly but can be passed on to offspring and thus be revealed if offspring is a color affected by those genes. They are:
the Agouti gene
ee/Aa ==> 1 copy of Agouti (this chestnut can produce
chestnut, bay and black based coats).
ee/AA ==> 2 copies of Agouti (this chestnut cannot ever
produce black based coats).
ee/A+a ==> 1 copy of wild Agouti (this chestnut can
produce wild bays).
ee/Ata ==> 1 copy of brown Agouti (this chestnut can
produce brown based coats).
ee/A+A+ ==> 2 copies of wild Agouti (when crossed with
bays and blacks this chestnut will
always produce wild bays).
ee/AtAt ==> 2 copies of brown Agouti (when crossed with
bay and black based coats this chestnut
will always produce brown based coats).
the Silver gene
ee/__/Zz ==> 1 copy of Silver (when crossed with bay and
black based coats this chestnut can produce
silver modified coats).
ee/__/ZZ ==> 2 copies of Silver (when crossed with bay and
black based coats this chestnut will always
produce silver modified coats).
Black
Although black is considered a base coat as much as chestnut it is itself a modification of chestnut as it possesses the Extensive gene, allowing black to cover its red base. It can decline itself into several shades, of which fading black is the most common (indeed, jet black or blue black is extremely rare).
Ee/aa ==> 1 copy of Extensive (this black can produce
chestnut based coats).
EE/aa ==> 2 copies of Extensive (this black cannot ever
produce chestnut based coats).
Black can carry one gene that do not show up outwardly but can be passed on to offspring and thus be revealed if offspring is a color affected by that gene:
the Flaxen gene
E_/aa/Ff ==> 1 copy of Flaxen (a copy of flaxen will never show
outwardly but could show on a chestnut if crossed
with another carrier).
E_/aa/ff ==> 2 copies of Flaxen (offspring of this black will
always carry 1 copy of Flaxen but like above it
will only show on a chestnut if crossed with
another carrier).
Bay
Technically bay is not a base, as it is itself the result of the Agouti gene modifier on a black coat, but since all other modifiers act on it, it is considered a base. It can be found in several shades which share the same possible genotypes. Bay is almost as common as chestnut.
Ee/Aa ==> heterozygous bay genotype (this bay can
produce black and chestnut based coats).
EE/Aa ==> 2 copies of Extensive (this bay cannot ever
produce chestnut based coats).
Ee/AA ==> 2 copies of Agouti (this bay cannot ever
produce black based coats).
EE/AA ==> homozygous bay genotype (this bay cannot
ever produce black or chestnut based coats).
Bay can also be modified slightly with the wild agouti gene resulting in less common wild bay:
E_/A+a ==> 1 copy of Wild Agouti (this bay can produce
wild bays).
Ee/A+A+ ==> 2 copies of Wild Agouti (when crossed with
bay or black based coats this bay will always
produce wild bays).
Bay can carry one gene that do not show up outwardly but can be passed on to offspring and thus be revealed if offspring is a color affected by that gene:
the Flaxen gene
E_/A_/Ff ==> 1 copy of Flaxen (a copy of flaxen will never show
outwardly but could show on a chestnut if crossed
with another carrier).
E_/A_/ff ==> 2 copies of Flaxen (offspring of this bay will always
carry 1 copy of Flaxen but like above it will only
show on a chestnut if crossed with another carrier).
Seal Brown
Brown is a "new" gene to be recognized as the agent behind its own coat base rather than a black with mealy or a dark bay. It works similarly as bay except for a slight modification in the agouti gene.
Ee/Ata ==> 1 copy of brown agouti (this seal brown can
produce chestnut, black, bay and
brown based coats).
EE/Ata ==> 2 copies of Extensive (this seal brown cannot
ever produce chestnut based coats).
Ee/AtAt ==> 2 copies of brown agouti (when crossed
with bay or black based coats this seal
brown will always produce brown based
coats).
EE/AtAt ==> homozygous seal brown (this seal brown will
always produce brown based coats).
Seal Brown can carry one gene that do not show up outwardly but can be passed on to offspring and thus be revealed if offspring is a color affected by that gene:
the Flaxen gene
E_/At_/Ff ==> 1 copy of Flaxen (a copy of flaxen will never show
outwardly but could show on a chestnut if
crossed with another carrier).
E_/At_/ff ==> 2 copies of Flaxen (offspring of this seal brown
will always carry 1 copy of Flaxen but like above
it will only show on a chestnut if crossed with
another carrier).
MODIFIERS
Dilutes
Also known as Cream modifier, Dilutes are the genes that cause the base to lighten more or less sometimes touching the hair and sometimes not. A second copy of Dilute lighten the coat even more, making it almost white in some cases.
On Chestnut
One copy of the gene
ee/aa/nCr ==> simple palomino (the dilute may or may
not be passed on to offspring).
Palomino can be expressed with all the genotypes listed in the base section for chestnut. It comes in various shades ranging from dark to very light.
Two copies of the gene
ee/aa/CrCr ==> simple cremello (at least one dilute will be
passed on to offspring. Cremellos cannot
produce base coat horses.)
Just like palomino, cremello can be expressed with all the genotypes listed in the base section for chestnut.
On Black
One copy of the gene
Ee/aa/nCr ==> Smokey Black (the dilute may or may
not be passed on to offspring).
Smokey black is barely recognizable as it can look as dark as a fading black. It can be expressed with either black genotypes.
Two copies of the gene
Ee/aa/CrCr ==> smokey cream (at least one dilute will be
passed on to offspring. Smokey creams
cannot produce base coat horses.)
Just like smokey black, smokey cream can be expressed with all the genotypes listed in the base section for black.
