Horse glossary

The gene locus that decides where black pigment goes. The dominant form pushes black to the points (bay); the recessive form spreads it over the whole body (black).

See also: Extension (red factor), Points, Base colour

One of the three colours that all other horse colours are built on: chestnut, bay or black. Dilutions and patterns work on top of a base colour.

See also: Dilution gene, Points

A broad white stripe running down the forehead and nose. Narrower it is a stripe; very broad it becomes a bald face.

See also: Marking, Star

A dominant dilution gene that dilutes black to brown and red to gold, with a typical metallic sheen, pinkish mottled skin and amber eyes.

See also: Dilution gene

A dilution gene that dilutes red to yellow. One copy gives palomino (on chestnut) or buckskin (on bay); two copies give an almost white colour such as cremello. Cream is dominant with a dosage effect.

See also: Dilution gene, Heterozygous, Homozygous

A gene that lightens a base colour. Some dilute only red, others only black, others both. Examples: cream, dun, champagne and silver.

See also: Cream, Dun, Champagne, Silver

A trait that shows with a single copy of the gene. Cream, dun and grey are for example dominant.

See also: Recessive, Heterozygous

A dark stripe running along the topline, from withers to tail. The clearest sign of the dun gene and the main difference from a buckskin.

See also: Dun, Primitive markings

A dominant dilution gene that lightens the body and adds primitive markings such as a dorsal stripe. Head, lower legs, mane and tail stay undiluted.

See also: Dorsal stripe, Primitive markings

The gene locus that decides whether a horse can make black pigment. Two recessive e alleles give a chestnut: the horse then makes only red pigment.

See also: Agouti, Base colour, Recessive

Not a fixed colour but a process: the horse turns whiter year after year, whatever colour it was born. The skin stays dark.

See also: Roan

Carrying two different versions of a gene (for example one cream and one normal). With a dominant gene a heterozygous horse already shows the trait.

See also: Homozygous, Dominant

Carrying two identical versions of a gene. With cream, homozygous (two copies) gives a cremello instead of a palomino.

See also: Heterozygous, Recessive

A congenital white marking on the head or legs, such as a blaze, star or white sock. Markings are separate from the coat colour itself.

See also: Blaze, Star, Snip

A recessive dilution gene that shows only in double dose or together with cream, then giving a pale, even colour and sometimes light eyes.

See also: Cream, Recessive

The extremities of a horse: mane, tail, ear rims and lower legs. On a bay the points are black, and on a buckskin too.

See also: Agouti, Base colour

The ancient markings that come with dun horses: the dorsal stripe, horizontal zebra bars on the legs and sometimes shoulder stripes.

See also: Dorsal stripe, Dun

A trait that shows only when a horse has two copies of the gene. Chestnut and pearl are for example recessive.

See also: Dominant, Homozygous

White and coloured hairs mixed on the barrel, with a coloured head and legs. Unlike a grey this does not change with age.

See also: Grey

A white pattern with irregular, ragged markings on the legs, belly and face, often with a lot of intermixed white hairs (roaning).

See also: Roan, Marking

A dominant gene that lightens only black, not red. Mane and tail turn silvery. On chestnut it is invisible. Linked to the eye condition MCOA.

See also: Dilution gene

A small white patch on or between the nostrils, separate from any blaze.

See also: Marking, Blaze

A small white patch on the forehead. Larger, it is called a star.

See also: Marking, Blaze

A pinto pattern with large, rounded white patches that cross over the back, usually with white legs and a mostly coloured head.

See also: Marking