Here are
a list of the known horse color genes... they are in this format:
locus), alleles, series
effect of alleles
A) A, a,
A+, At: Agouti
The dominant
form is A, which, if present in a horse, restricts black to
the points. In other words, it keeps black from the body parts,
resulting in a bay or other color with black legs, mane and
tail. The recessive or 'off' form is a-- it does not affect
the black in any way; the horse may have black on entire body.
There may be other alleles for Agouti, too: A+ makes the horse
a wild (primitive) bay, and At removes light pigment from soft
body parts.
Cr) Cr,
cr: Cream gene
When two
cr genes are present, the horse is not a dilute (palomino, buckskin
or the like). When one Cr gene is present, then the body is
diluted (bay to buckskin, chestnut to palomino, etc.). When
two Cr genes are present, then the horse is what is called a
'double dilute': a Cremello or a Perlino (lighter versions of
the Palomino and Buckskin, respectively), or Smoky cream (black
double dilute)
Ch) Ch,
ch: Champagne
The Champagne
gene, Ch, dilutes the color of the horse and also effects eye
and skin color, as well as actual hair build. Horses with the
Ch gene will be silvery-chocolate, reddish, or golden in color
with a metallic sheen. Their eyes are amber, and their skin
is a pink color, though not the pink of most horses-- it's a
mottled orangey-pink. The hairs of a champagne are actually
hollow, so this gene somehow affects more than color alone.
ch is the regular gene, it has no affect.
D) D, d:
Dun
The D gene
creates a dun horse. It causes pigment to concentrate on one
side of the hair, making it a diluted color. It also gives the
horse a dorsal stripe, leg barring, and sometimes other primitive
marks. A dun horse is either Dd or DD-- by just looking at that
animal you cannot tell which. d is the regular allele, no effect.
E) E, e:
Extension (black pigment)
The E gene
creates black pigmentation; horse may be either EE or Ee. An
ee horse will not have any black pigment (chestnut, red roan,
palomino, etc.). A horse that is EE or Ee will have black pigment
(black, buckskin, grulla, etc).
F) F, f:
Flaxen
F
creates a flaxen mane and tail, and perhaps lightens the body
a bit, in ee horses.
G) G, g:
Gray
G is the
most dominant gene, and turns any color to gray. Foals may be
born any color, but lighten with age. In other words, G is epistatic
to all other genes. g has no effect.
Lp) Lp, lp:
Leopard-complex
Lp
creates mottling and spotting characteristics, and allows for
different spotting patterns, such as those seen in the Appaloosa.
lp has no effect.
N) N, n:
White markings
One hypothesis is that the N gene prevents all white markings--
even if the horse had sabino or other pinto genes, this would
mask them. n allows white markings to occur, and they will if
pinto genes are present. It is not known for sure if the N gene
exists.
Fr) Fr,
fr: Frame
Fr creates the Frame pinto pattern in the horse. Homozygous
form (FrFr) is lethal, resulting in an OLWS (overo lethal white
syndrome) animal that dies.
P) P, p:
Pangare
The Pangare
gene, P, lightens the horse's muzzle, flanks and belly, creating
a 'mealy' horse.
Rn) Rn,
rn: Roan
Creates
a mix of light and dark hairs, making roaning.
Sb) Sb,
sb: Sabino
The genetic
control of sabino is not completely known. It appears to be
polygenic, and not a simple dominant like tobiano.
Sc) Sc,
sc: Snowcap
Causes pigment
loss in the form of snowcap spotting, in the presence of Lp.
Sd) Sd,
sd: Dark spots
Causes dark
spots in the presence of Lp.
Sn) Sn,
sn: Snowflake
Causes white
spots (snowflake pattern) in the presence of Lp.
Sv) Sv,
sv: Varnish
Causes silvering/varnish
effect in the presence of Lp.
Spl) Spl,
spl: Splashed White
Causes pigment
loss in the form of a Splashed White patterned pinto.
Sty) sty,
Sty: Sooty
Causes mixture
of black hairs, creating seasonal dapples, or a 'sooty' appearance.
To) To,
to: Tobiano
Causes pigment
loss in the form of a tobiano pinto pattern.
W) W, w:
White
Causes pigment
loss over entire body in hair and skin, but not eyes; dominant
white. There is some doubt as to whether this gene actually
exists.
Z) Z, z:
Silver
Dilutes
black pigment, has no effect on red pigment.