Walking Horse Colors

Terms explained:

1. Genes - Horses have eleven pairs of genes with the upper case letter being dominant and the lower case letter being recessive.  A horse receives one gene from each pair of genes from each parent and that determines the base color, color pattern of modification of color for the resulting foal.  

2. Dominant genes - Always physically expressed on the horse and requires that at least one parent express that gene in order to pass it on.  (WYSIWYG - What You See Is What You Get). 

3. Recessive genes - Can be hidden and requires both parents contribute a copy of the gene for it to be expressed.

4. Homozygous - means that a foal has received one copy of the same gene (AA, EE, aa, ee) from each parent.  They in turn will always pass one copy of the gene to each of their offspring.

5. Heterozygous - means that a foal has received one dominant copy or one recessive copy of a gene from one parent and the opposite from the other parent, i.e., Aa or Ee which means that foal can pass either the -A- or the -a- and either the -E- or the -e- its offspring. 

6. Description of genes affecting colors and deemed important for this discussion are:

  • The Agouti gene (AA, Aa, aa) is one of the most important factors in the determination of horse color because it regulates the distribution of the black pigment. The effects of the Agouti (A) gene are therefore only visually obvious in the presence of the Black (E) allele. The dominant Agouti allele -- A -- restricts the distribution of black pigment in hair to a points pattern (so any black that shows up on the horse will be found mostly on the legs, mane, tail and ear rims). The Agouti color distribution is found on horses that are bay or a dilution of bay (buckskin, perlino, amber champagne, zebra dun, etc.).

    The recessive allele -- a --causes the distribution of black pigment over the entire body of the horse and, when homozygous in the presence of the black gene (E), produces a uniformly black horse.  A horse that has one Agouti gene (Aa) can pass either the --A-- or the --a-- to it's foals but not both, so depending on what the mate of the breeding carries, the foal can be aa, Aa or AA.   A horse with no Agouti gene --aa-- will always pass an --a-- to every foal. 

    Regardless of what color it is bred to, any horse who is homozygous for the Agouti gene  i.e., has a double Agouti AA allele -- will NEVER produce a solid black or smoky black foal or smoky cream. In fact, a horse who is homozygous for Agouti (AA) will always produce foals either with the black restricted to the points (bay, buckskin, perlino or amber champagne) or with no black at all (i.e., a chestnut, palomino or cremello foal is possible if both parents carry a red "e" gene) who also carries an Agouti gene.       A horse who is homozygous for the Agouti gene will ALWAYS pass one Agouti gene to every single foal that the horse produces.

  • The dominant E gene (EE or Ee) - EE means the horse is homozygous for black and Ee means the horse is heterozygous for black and also has a red gene.
  • Recessive red (e) gene means that with 1 gene (e) the horse is heterozygous for red and with 2 genes (ee) the horse is homozygous for red.
  • The dominant cream (C) gene  (CCcr) is necessary in the dominant form acts to dilute the red pigment to yellow in the heterozygous form (CCcr) and to cream in the homozygous form (Ccr Ccr ). 
  • The dominant dun (D) gene is also a dilution gene which causes the primitive markings which are the dorsal stripe on the back and zebra stripes around the lower legs and can include striping across the withers. 
  • The dominant grey (G) gene causes a pattern of mixed white hairs which progress with age until the older horse is almost white.
  • The dominant roan (Rr) gene causes a pattern of mixed white hairs, but is not progressive with age which means the color with remain the same from birth to death.
  • The dominant pangare (PP or Pp) produces lighter colored areas around the muzzle, eyes, flanks, and the insides of the legs. This gene alters the black coat color to seal brown.

7.  Base Coat Colors in TWHs - The color from which all other TWH colors are created by dilution or modification:

  • Bay - The body is some shade of red and the points (mane, tail and lower legs) are black. 
  • Black - The body is black as well as the points and some will fade when exposed to the sun.
  • Brown- The body looks black with brown around muzzle, eyes, flanks and elbows, but genetically tests as a bay. 
  • Chestnut - The body is dark red with the points the same color and sometimes the mane and tail are lighter even to flaxen.
  • White - The body is white with pink skin but the eyes are dark.  This is not to be confused with a maximum sabino or a cremello.  There will be no dark spots on the skin or hair.  

8. Cream Gene - Dilutes the base color of a foal.

9.  Single Cream Dilute Colors (1 cream gene) - Buckskin, Smoky Black and Palomino

  • Bay + 1 cream gene = Buckskin
  • Black + 1 cream gene = Smoky Black
  • Chestnut/Sorrel + 1 cream gene = Palomino
  • Amber Champagne + 1 cream gene = Amber Cream Champagne
  • Classic Champagne + 1 cream gene = Classic Cream Champagne
  • Gold Champagne + 1 cream gene = Gold Cream Champagne

Single dilute colors are born that color and the only changes will be the shade of the coat color which will be usually determined when they shed off the foal coat but definitely when they shed off as a yearling.  Palominos sometimes develop a richer golden color on their 2nd year.  Single dilute horses must have at lease one parent (single or double dilute) who contributes a cream gene.   DON'T BELIEVE IT WHEN SOMEONE EXPLAINS THAT A PALOMINO OR BUCKSKIN WAS BORN BLACK, BAY OR CHESTNUT AND THEN LIGHTENED TO PALOMINO OR  BUCKSKIN LATER.   Such a happening has never been documented in equine color genetics history.

10.  Double Cream Dilute Colors (2 cream genes) - Perlino, Smoky Cream and Cremello

  • Buckskin + 1 cream gene = Perlino
  • Smoky Black + 1 cream gene = Smoky Cream
  • Palomino + 1 gene = Cremello.

Double dilute colors are smoky cream, perlino and cremello.  Double dilute colors will ALWAYS have blue eyes and pink skin and will be born that color and remain that color throughout their lives.  Double dilute horses receive a cream gene from each parent which means that both parents must be either a single dilute ( buckskin, palomino, smoky black, cream champagne) or a double dilute (perlino, cremello or smoky cream) in order to contributes a cream gene to the foal.  

11.  Champagne Gene is a dominant dilution gene but is not related to the cream gene.  It is a separate gene that dilutes the base colors of a foal but has no cream gene.  All champagne foals regardless of color are born with pink skin and blue eyes which change to hazel or amber or in the cream champagne to green/gray with flecks around the edge of the eye. All champagnes are born dark as their base color and then lighten to the champagne dilution when they shed the foal coat. All champagnes have pink skin with freckling on the skin around the eyes, on the nose, under the tail and on the udder of mares and sheath of stallions and geldings.  Champagne is a dominant gene and does not skip generations so foals must always have a champagne parent.

12.  Champagne Gene Colors -

  • Amber Champagne (diluted from bay),
  • Classic Champagne (diluted from black),
  • Gold Champagne (diluted from chestnut)
  • Cream Champagne (above champagne colors diluted by cream gene).  

13.  Cream Champagne Colors - Amber Cream Champagne, Classic Cream Champagne, Gold Cream Champagne and Sable Cream with all having one cream gene. 

14. Cream Champagnes were previously called "Ivory Champagne" but because they are champagnes further diluted by breeding to a cream dilute or double dilute it seems more appropriate to refer to them as cream champagnes which more accurately describes their genetic color.  They can appear to be a cremello, perlino or smoky cream, however they will have only one cream gene.   Testing for the cream gene by UC Davis will verify they are champagne rather than double dilutes.   They are born with blue eyes but the color of the eyes will change to green/gray/amber and is distinctive from the blue eyed double dilute.  Cream champagnes are born the body color with pink skin and that remains the same for life and only the eyes change colors.

15. Dun (D, Dominant) is a dominant dilution gene separate from the cream gene or champagne gene and always has a dorsal stripe down the spine, transverse stripe across the withers and stripes around the legs. Dun horses have been rarely seen in the Tennessee Walking Horse.  It can be imposed on any base color, single or double dilutes or champagne colors.   ALL Dun horses must have at least one dun parent and cannot skip generations.  This gene is almost non-existent in Tennessee Walking Horse breed,  Although rarely seen in TWHs the most common dun colors are:

  • Grulla has a solid slate blue body color with black points including the head and the primitive markings with the dorsal stripe and zebra stripes on the legs.  This color is due to the effect of the dominant dun dilution gene on black or smoky black base colors.
  • Red Dun has a yellowish-red body color with red to flaxen points and primitive markings with the dorsal stripe down the spine and zebra stripes on the legs. This color is due to the effect of the dominant dun dilution gene on sorrel or chestnut base colors.
  • Zebra Dun has a yellow body with black points and primitive markings with the dorsal stripe down the spine and zebra stripes on the legs. This color is due to the effect of the dominant dun dilution gene on the buckskin color.  

16.  Silver Gene (Z, dominant) Dominant dilution gene dilutes & ocassionally dapples black based coat color & dilutes mane & tail color. It dilutes the black points on bay giving the impression of a chestnut with a flaxen or near white mane and tail, but when color tested will have a black gene and an agouti gene.  It has no effect on chestnut (Red) and remains hidden until bred to a horse that carries a black gene to contribute to the foal who can express the silver gene.  ALL Silver Gene horses must have a parent carrying the Silver gene even if not seen as in a red base.  There is no specific test for the silver gene  but there are several Tennessee Walkers who have been tested to determine their base color (one looks chestnut w/flax mane and tail and tested as homozygous for black which means it is a bay silver. The gene could be hidden in any red based horse and only be expressed when a foal with a black gene expresses it.  Until the silver gene has a test to identify its presence, testing suspected silver gene carriers for the red/black factors will be the only method available.

17.    Dun (D, dominant) Dominant dilution gene and always has a dorsal stripe down the spine, transverse stripe across the withers and stripes around the legs. Dun horses have rarely been documented in the Tennessee Walking Horse.  It can be imposed on any base color, single or double dilutes or champagne colors.  ALL Dun horses must have at least one dun parent and cannot skip generations.  This gene is almost non-existent in Tennessee Walking Horse breed,

18. Roan is a color modifier not a color and it is a dominant gene.  It requires a base color with Roan being the color modifier, i.e., black roan, chestnut roan, buckskin roan, etc.  Roan horses remain the same color their entire lives with the exception of their winter coat usually is dark like the points and doesn't display the roaning until they shed off each spring.  Roan horses must always have a roan parent.   Any base color can be modified by the roan except for grey which is a color modifier also.  Roan is always expressed or the horse doesn't have the gene and therefore can't pass it on to it's foals. 

Three most common roan colors are: 

  • Blue Roan is a black horse with the black points (head, mane, tail and legs) remaining black and with the body color evenly roaned out giving the blue appearance.  
  • Red Roan is a bay horse with the black points (head, mane, tail and legs) remaining black and with the body color evenly roaned out giving the red appearance. 
  • Strawberry Roan is a chestnut horse with the red or flax mane and tail and the head and legs remaining chestnut and with the body color evenly roaned out giving the horse a pink appearance.       

19. Gray is a color modifier and a dominant gene which mixes white hairs on a base coat color. It is a progressive modifier that gradually causes a coat to get lighter until it is almost white or has the "flea bitten" appearance with small spots of the original base coat color.  Registrations should state the base color at birth and add the grey, i.e.., black grey, bay grey, chestnut grey, etc.,  so the records are correct and breeders will know what the base coat was before graying out.  A horse that is grey must have a grey parent and is always expressed or the horse didn't get a grey gene and can't pass it on to it's foals.  Foals are never born grey and so the color change should modify by adding grey and not change the base color.

20. Color Patterns are tobiano, sabino, overo &  Tovero (combinations of 2 or more patterns).  TWHBEA currently puts the color pattern in the markings instead of in the color pattern category and the pedigrees don't have the color pattern with the base color of the horse. making it difficult to research the color pattern inheritance.

  • Base color is the birth color and always the non-white coat color on a horse regardless of how little there is and white is a given regardless of how much white there is. Philip Sponenberg, in his book "Equine Color Genetics", states that "White is superimposed on and covers up areas genetically destined to be specific colors....It is important that white be understood to be superimposed over some color that would otherwise have been present"

  • Identification of all color patterns must be preceded by the base color not covered by white.  Correct color of tobiano or overo to use, i.e., bay tobiano, bay sabino, bay overo, or bay Tovero, etc.   Dilution genes and/or Color modifiers of roan or grey may also be present and modify the base color, i.e., black roan tobiano/grey or chestnut tobiano/sabino or buckskin/grey.   There are many color pattern and color modifying combinations possible but it is important to always identify the base color (birth color) and then add the modifying color or pattern. 

21. Color Patterns found in the Tennessee Walking Horse are:

  • Tobiano is a dominant gene and normally has spotting patterns with smooth edges with the head being dark and having normal face markings and rarely have blue eyes.  The white crosses the top line and it can be boldly expressed or it can be minimally expressed with a few white hairs in the mane or tail and high white stockings that are above the hocks on the back legs and above the knees on the front legs.  Tobianos that have small dark spots called "paw prints" within the white spots are most times homozygous for the tobiano pattern.   A tobiano must have at least one tobiano parent.
  • Sabino is a dominant gene and very common in TWHs.  They can have white from the ground up with excessive white on face, legs, belly, sides and neck. The white is irregular and edges appear fuzzy. They can be solid or roan. 
  • Sabino is a dominant gene and cannot skip generations.   Sabinos can be easily identified by the bald face with white under the chin, jaw and with the white face extending around one or both eyes.  Blue eyes are also common.  Sabinos with stockings that don't extend  all the way up to the body will usually have an inverted "V" where the white stops on the front side of the back legs and on the back side of the front legs.  Another sign of sabino is white on the knees that looks like it was splashed on in a irregular pattern.   Some Sabinos will only display the bald face with white on the jaws and under the chin with little or no body spots.   The key marker on a sabino is the bald face and head markings.
  • Overo is a dominant gene and has white on the belly, sides, neck and face withot crossing the top line.  They usually have dark legs with regular socks and stockings.  The head is sometime completely white except for the top of the head and ears.  The overo pattern is a dominant  gene and cannot skip generations. 
  • Tovero is a combination of tobiano and overo or sabino and will present a combination of color patterns from the tobiano, overo and sabino patterns.  It is most distinctive in the amount of white on the head which has excessive white except for the tip of the head and ears.  Tobiano does not express itself with excessive white on the head. 

Elsie 

Last Chance Farm
 10267 206th Road
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