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Coat Colors & Detailed Genetics
Coat Colors With Cream Gene Added  (Cr)
Coat Color Without a Cream Gene
One Cream Gene
Two Cream Genes
Sorrel/Chestnut
ee AA
ee AAt
ee Aa
ee AtAt
ee Ata
ee aa
Palomino
ee AA Crcr
ee AAt Crcr
ee Aa Crcr
ee AtAt Crcr
ee Ata Crcr
ee aa Crcr
Cremello
ee AA CrCr
ee AAt CrCr
ee Aa CrCr
ee AtAt CrCr
ee Ata CrCr
ee aa CrCr
Bay
EE AA
EE AAt
EE Aa
Ee AA
Ee AAt
Ee Aa
Buckskin
EE AA Crcr
EE AAt Crcr
EE Aa Crcr
Ee AA Crcr
Ee AAt Crcr
Ee Aa Crcr
Perlino
EE AA CrCr
EE AAt CrCr
EE Aa CrCr
Ee AA CrCr
Ee AAt CrCr
Ee Aa CrCr
Seal Brown
EE AtAt
EE Ata
Ee AtAt
Ee Ata
Smoky Brown
EE AtAt Crcr
EE Ata Crcr
Ee AtAt Crcr
Ee Ata Crcr
Smoky Brown Cream
EE AtAt CrCr
EE Ata CrCr
Ee AtAt CrCr
Ee Ata CrCr
Black
EE aa
Ee aa
Smoky Black
EE aa Crcr
Ee aa Crcr
Smoky Black Cream
EE aa CrCr
Ee aa CrCr
An upper case "E" represents the BLACK gene. A lower case "e" would mean the foal carries RED instead of black. One upper case "E" will result in a black based foal. Two upper case "E's" will result in a homozygous black foal.  The next modifier, agouti, will determine if the foal remains black based or will be bay or brown based.

"A" is represents the dominant Agouti gene.  This gene restricts a BLACK base to just the points.  This gene does not affect a red based coat color.  (However a red based horse still has some form of agouti.  It just doesn't change the color the way it does on a black horse.)  Lower case "a" would mean the horse would not have the dominant agouti gene (also called recessive agouti).  Two lower case a's will result in a black based foal.  There is also the "Seal Brown" base caused by an "At" agouti gene- check out the article below for more details!

For breeders looking to get BLACK foals, breeding a mare that is "AA" for Agouti will NEVER result in a black foal. This is another reason to know the genetics of the parents before trying to produce a particular foal. Also, a foal receives one copy from each parent, so an "EE" horse will always give a black base to its offspring. An EE parent will never produce a foal color in the top row of the chart to the right. Likewise, an "AA" parent will never produce a foal in the bottom 2 rows of the chart.

GREAT article to check out!
'Believe in Brown' Article printed April 2010 in the Paint Horse Journal by Irene Stamatelakys about the "At" form of agouti.
 
* Unlike the Cream gene, the Dun, Roan, and Champagne dilution genes are simple dominant and do not affect the coat color differently when the horse carries one or two of the genes.  As you can see from above, the Cream gene will modify the color of the horse depending on whether the horse carries one or two copies of it.  If the horse has at least one of the cream, dun, roan, or champagne dilutions, you will SEE it in the coat color.  

Pearl and Silver combinations are not represented below, but they too are possible dilutions to a base.
 
Animal Genetics Color Calculator
 
Coat Colors With Dun Gene Added  (D)
Two upper case D's means homozygous dun and all offspring will have at least one dun gene.
One upper case D means heterozygous dun and 50% of offspring will have dun.
If the horse carries one dun gene, its coat color will be visibly different than the base coat color.
A horse that is homozygous will look the same as a heterozygous horse.
Sorrel/Chestnut + Dun = Red Dun
Palomino + Dun = Dunalino
Cremello + Dun = Cremello Dun
ee AA DD
ee AAt DD
ee Aa DD
ee AtAt DD
ee Ata DD
ee aa DD
ee AA Dd
ee AAt Dd
ee Aa Dd
ee AtAt Dd
ee Ata Dd
ee aa Dd
ee AA Crcr DD
ee AAt Crcr DD
ee Aa Crcr DD
ee AtAt Crcr DD
ee Ata Crcr DD
ee aa Crcr DD
ee AA Crcr Dd
ee AAt Crcr Dd
ee Aa Crcr Dd
ee AtAt Crcr Dd
ee Ata Crcr Dd
ee aa Crcr Dd
ee AA CrCr DD
ee AAt CrCr DD
ee Aa CrCr DD
ee AtAt CrCr DD
ee Ata CrCr DD
ee aa CrCr DD
ee AA CrCr Dd
ee AAt CrCr Dd
ee Aa CrCr Dd
ee AtAt CrCr Dd
ee Ata CrCr Dd
ee aa CrCr Dd
Bay + Dun = Dun
Buckskin + Dun = Dunskin
Perlino + Dun = Perlino Dun
EE AA DD
EE AAt DD
EE Aa DD
Ee AA DD
Ee AAt DD
Ee Aa DD
EE AA Dd
EE AAt Dd
EE Aa Dd
Ee AA Dd
Ee AAt Dd
Ee Aa Dd
EE AA Crcr DD
EE AAt Crcr DD
EE Aa Crcr DD
Ee AA Crcr DD
Ee AAt Crcr DD
Ee Aa Crcr DD
EE AA Crcr Dd
EE AAt Crcr Dd
EE Aa Crcr Dd
Ee AA Crcr Dd
Ee AAt Crcr Dd
Ee Aa Crcr Dd
EE AA CrCr DD
EE AAt CrCr DD
EE Aa CrCr DD
Ee AA CrCr DD
Ee AAt CrCr DD
Ee Aa CrCr DD
EE AA CrCr Dd
EE AAt CrCr Dd
EE Aa CrCr Dd
Ee AA CrCr Dd
Ee AAt CrCr Dd
Ee Aa CrCr Dd
Brown + Dun = Brown Dun
Smoky Brown + Dun = Smoky Brown Dun
Smoky Brown Cream + Dun =
Smoky Brown Cream Dun
EE AtAt DD
EE Ata DD
Ee AtAt DD
Ee Ata DD
EE AtAt Dd
EE Ata Dd
Ee AtAt Dd
Ee Ata Dd
EE AtAt Crcr DD
EE Ata Crcr DD
Ee AtAt Crcr DD
Ee Ata Crcr DD
EE AtAt Crcr Dd
EE Ata Crcr Dd
Ee AtAt Crcr Dd
Ee Ata Crcr Dd
EE AtAt CrCr DD
EE Ata CrCr DD
Ee AtAt CrCr DD
Ee Ata CrCr DD
EE AtAt CrCr Dd
EE Ata CrCr Dd
Ee AtAt CrCr Dd
Ee Ata CrCr Dd
Black + Dun = Grullo
Smoky Black + Dun = Smoky Grullo
Smoky Black Cream + Dun =
Smoky Cream Grullo
EE aa DD
Ee aa DD
EE aa Dd
Ee aa Dd
EE aa Crcr DD
Ee aa Crcr DD
EE aa Crcr Dd
Ee aa Crcr Dd
EE aa CrCr DD
Ee aa CrCr DD
EE aa CrCr Dd
Ee aa CrCr Dd
 
Coat Colors With Roan Gene Added  (R)
Two upper case R's means homozygous roan and all offspring will have at least one roan gene.
One upper case R means heterozygous roan and 50% of offspring will have roan.
If the horse carries one roan gene, its coat color will be visibly different than the base coat color.
A horse that is homozygous will look the same as a heterozygous horse.
Sorrel/Chestnut + Roan = Red Roan
Palomino + Roan = Palomino Roan
Cremello + Roan = Cremello Roan
ee AA RR
ee AAt RR
ee Aa RR
ee AtAt RR
ee Ata RR
ee aa RR
ee AA Rr
ee AAt Rr
ee Aa Rr
ee AtAt Rr
ee Ata Rr
ee aa Rr
ee AA Crcr RR
ee AAt Crcr RR
ee Aa Crcr RR
ee AtAt Crcr RR
ee Ata Crcr RR
ee aa Crcr RR
ee AA Crcr Rr
ee AAt Crcr Rr
ee Aa Crcr Rr
ee AtAt Crcr Rr
ee Ata Crcr Rr
ee aa Crcr Rr
ee AA CrCr RR
ee AAt CrCr RR
ee Aa CrCr RR
ee AtAt CrCr RR
ee Ata CrCr RR
ee aa CrCr RR
ee AA CrCr Rr
ee AAt CrCr Rr
ee Aa CrCr Rr
ee AtAt CrCr Rr
ee Ata CrCr Rr
ee aa CrCr Rr
Bay + Roan = Bay Roan
Buckskin + Roan = Buckskin Roan
Perlino + Roan = Perlino Roan
EE AA RR
EE AAt RR
EE Aa RR
Ee AA RR
Ee AAt RR
Ee Aa RR
EE AA Rr
EE AAt Rr
EE Aa Rr
Ee AA Rr
Ee AAt Rr
Ee Aa Rr
EE AA Crcr RR
EE AAt Crcr RR
EE Aa Crcr RR
Ee AA Crcr RR
Ee AAt Crcr RR
Ee Aa Crcr RR
EE AA Crcr Rr
EE AAt Crcr Rr
EE Aa Crcr Rr
Ee AA Crcr Rr
Ee AAt Crcr Rr
Ee Aa Crcr Rr
EE AA CrCr RR
EE AAt CrCr RR
EE Aa CrCr RR
Ee AA CrCr RR
Ee AAt CrCr RR
Ee Aa CrCr RR
EE AA CrCr Rr
EE AAt CrCr Rr
EE Aa CrCr Rr
Ee AA CrCr Rr
Ee AAt CrCr Rr
Ee Aa CrCr Rr
Brown + Roan = Brown Roan
Smoky Brown + Roan = Smoky Brown Roan
Smoky Brown Cream + Roan =
Smoky Brown Cream Roan
EE AtAt RR
EE Ata RR
Ee AtAt RR
Ee Ata RR
EE AtAt Rr
EE Ata Rr
Ee AtAt Rr
Ee Ata Rr
EE AtAt Crcr RR
EE Ata Crcr RR
Ee AtAt Crcr RR
Ee Ata Crcr RR
EE AtAt Crcr Rr
EE Ata Crcr Rr
Ee AtAt Crcr Rr
Ee Ata Crcr Rr
EE AtAt CrCr RR
EE Ata CrCr RR
Ee AtAt CrCr RR
Ee Ata CrCr RR
EE AtAt CrCr Rr
EE Ata CrCr Rr
Ee AtAt CrCr Rr
Ee Ata CrCr Rr
Black + Roan = Blue Roan
Smoky Black + Roan = Smoky Blue Roan
Smoky Black Cream + Roan =
Smoky Black Cream Roan
EE aa RR
Ee aa RR
EE aa Rr
Ee aa Rr
EE aa Crcr RR
Ee aa Crcr RR
EE aa Crcr Rr
Ee aa Crcr Rr
EE aa CrCr RR
Ee aa CrCr RR
EE aa CrCr Rr
Ee aa CrCr Rr
 
Coat Colors With Champagne Gene Added  (Ch)
Two upper case Ch's means homozygous champagne and all offspring will have at least one champagne gene.
One upper case Ch means heterozygous champagne and 50% of offspring will have champagne.
If the horse carries one champagne gene, its coat color will be visibly different than the base coat color.
A horse that is homozygous will look the same as a heterozygous horse.  (*Possibly some small differences, but testing is always best to confirm.)
Sorrel/Chestnut + Champagne = Gold
Champagne
Palomino + Champagne = Gold Cream
Champagne
Cremello + Champagne = Cremello Champagne
ee AA ChCh
ee AAt ChCh
ee Aa ChCh
ee AtAt ChCh
ee Ata ChCh
ee aa ChCh
ee AA Chch
ee AAt Chch
ee Aa Chch
ee AtAt Chch
ee Ata Chch
ee aa Chch
ee AA Crcr ChCh
ee AAt Crcr ChCh
ee Aa Crcr ChCh
ee AtAt Crcr ChCh
ee Ata Crcr ChCh
ee aa Crcr ChCh
ee AA Crcr Chch
ee AAt Crcr Chch
ee Aa Crcr Chch
ee AtAt Crcr Chch
ee Ata Crcr Chch
ee aa Crcr Chch
ee AA CrCr ChCh
ee AAt CrCr ChCh
ee Aa CrCr ChCh
ee AtAt CrCr ChCh
ee Ata CrCr ChCh
ee aa CrCr ChCh
ee AA CrCr Chch
ee AAt CrCr Chch
ee Aa CrCr Chch
ee AtAt CrCr Chch
ee Ata CrCr Chch
ee aa CrCr Chch
Bay + Champagne = Amber
Champagne
Buckskin + Champagne = Amber Cream
Champagne
Perlino + Champagne = Perlino Champagne
EE AA ChCh
EE AAt ChCh
EE Aa ChCh
Ee AA ChCh
Ee AAt ChCh
Ee Aa ChCh
EE AA Chch
EE AAt Chch
EE Aa Chch
Ee AA Chch
Ee AAt Chch
Ee Aa Chch
EE AA Crcr ChCh
EE AAt Crcr ChCh
EE Aa Crcr ChCh
Ee AA Crcr ChCh
Ee AAt Crcr ChCh
Ee Aa Crcr ChCh
EE AA Crcr Chch
EE AAt Crcr Chch
EE Aa Crcr Chch
Ee AA Crcr Chch
Ee AAt Crcr Chch
Ee Aa Crcr Chch
EE AA CrCr ChCh
EE AAt CrCr ChCh
EE Aa CrCr ChCh
Ee AA CrCr ChCh
Ee AAt CrCr ChCh
Ee Aa CrCr ChCh
EE AA CrCr Chch
EE AAt CrCr Chch
EE Aa CrCr Chch
Ee AA CrCr Chch
Ee AAt CrCr Chch
Ee Aa CrCr Chch
Brown + Champagne = Sable
Champagne
Smoky Brown + Champagne = Sable Cream
Champagne
Smoky Brown Cream + Champagne =
Sable Smoky Cream Champagne
EE AtAt ChCh
EE Ata ChCh
Ee AtAt ChCh
Ee Ata ChCh
EE AtAt Chch
EE Ata Chch
Ee AtAt Chch
Ee Ata Chch
EE AtAt Crcr ChCh
EE Ata Crcr ChCh
Ee AtAt Crcr ChCh
Ee Ata Crcr ChCh
EE AtAt Crcr Chch
EE Ata Crcr Chch
Ee AtAt Crcr Chch
Ee Ata Crcr Chch
EE AtAt CrCr ChCh
EE Ata CrCr ChCh
Ee AtAt CrCr ChCh
Ee Ata CrCr ChCh
EE AtAt CrCr Chch
EE Ata CrCr Chch
Ee AtAt CrCr Chch
Ee Ata CrCr Chch
Black + Champagne = Classic
Champagne
Smoky Black + Champagne = Classic Cream
Champagne
Smoky Black Cream + Champagne =
Classic Smoky Cream Champagne
EE aa ChCh
Ee aa ChCh
EE aa Chch
Ee aa Chch
EE aa Crcr ChCh
Ee aa Crcr ChCh
EE aa Crcr Chch
Ee aa Crcr Chch
EE aa CrCr ChCh
Ee aa CrCr ChCh
EE aa CrCr Chch
Ee aa CrCr Chch
 
Coat Colors With Champagne & Dun Genes Added  (Ch) & (D)
Sorrel/Chestnut + Champagne & Dun
= Gold Dun Champagne
Palomino + Champagne & Dun =
Gold Cream Dun Champagne
Cremello + Champagne & Dun =
Cremello Dun Champagne
ee AA ChCh DD
ee AAt ChCh DD
ee Aa ChCh DD
ee AtAt ChCh DD
ee Ata ChCh DD
ee aa ChCh DD
ee AA ChCh Dd
ee AAt ChCh Dd
ee Aa ChCh Dd
ee AtAt ChCh Dd
ee Ata ChCh Dd
ee aa ChCh Dd
ee AA Chch DD
ee AAt Chch DD
ee Aa Chch DD
ee AtAt Chch DD
ee Ata Chch DD
ee aa Chch DD
ee AA Chch Dd
ee AAt Chch Dd
ee Aa Chch Dd
ee AtAt Chch Dd
ee Ata Chch Dd
ee aa Chch Dd
ee AA Crcr ChCh DD
ee AAt Crcr ChCh DD
ee Aa Crcr ChCh DD
ee AtAt Crcr ChCh DD
ee Ata Crcr ChCh DD
ee aa Crcr ChCh DD
ee AA Crcr ChCh Dd
ee AAt Crcr ChCh Dd
ee Aa Crcr ChCh Dd
ee AtAt Crcr ChCh Dd
ee Ata Crcr ChCh Dd
ee aa Crcr ChCh Dd
ee AA Crcr Chch DD
ee AAt Crcr Chch DD
ee Aa Crcr Chch DD
ee AtAt Crcr Chch DD
ee Ata Crcr Chch DD
ee aa Crcr Chch DD
ee AA Crcr Chch Dd
ee AAt Crcr Chch Dd
ee Aa Crcr Chch Dd
ee AtAt Crcr Chch Dd
ee Ata Crcr Chch Dd
ee aa Crcr Chch Dd
ee AA CrCr ChCh DD
ee AAt CrCr ChCh DD
ee Aa CrCr ChCh DD
ee AtAt CrCr ChCh DD
ee Ata CrCr ChCh DD
ee aa CrCr ChCh DD
ee AA CrCr ChCh Dd
ee AAt CrCr ChCh Dd
ee Aa CrCr ChCh Dd
ee AtAt CrCr ChCh Dd
ee Ata CrCr ChCh Dd
ee aa CrCr ChCh Dd
ee AA CrCr Chch DD
ee AAt CrCr Chch DD
ee Aa CrCr Chch DD
ee AtAt CrCr Chch DD
ee Ata CrCr Chch DD
ee aa CrCr Chch DD
ee AA CrCr Chch Dd
ee AAt CrCr Chch Dd
ee Aa CrCr Chch Dd
ee AtAt CrCr Chch Dd
ee Ata CrCr Chch Dd
ee aa CrCr Chch Dd
Bay + Champagne & Dun =
Amber Dun Champagne
Buckskin + Champagne & Dun =
Amber Cream Dun Champagne
Perlino + Champagne & Dun =
Perlino Dun Champagne
EE AA ChCh DD
EE AAt ChCh DD
EE Aa ChCh DD
Ee AA ChCh DD
Ee AAt ChCh DD
Ee Aa ChCh DD
EE AA ChCh Dd
EE AAt ChCh Dd
EE Aa ChCh Dd
Ee AA ChCh Dd
Ee AAt ChCh Dd
Ee Aa ChCh Dd
EE AA Chch DD
EE AAt Chch DD
EE Aa Chch DD
Ee AA Chch DD
Ee AAt Chch DD
Ee Aa Chch DD
EE AA Chch Dd
EE AAt Chch Dd
EE Aa Chch Dd
Ee AA Chch Dd
Ee AAt Chch Dd
Ee Aa Chch Dd
EE AA Crcr ChCh DD
EE AAt Crcr ChCh DD
EE Aa Crcr ChCh DD
Ee AA Crcr ChCh DD
Ee AAt Crcr ChCh DD
Ee Aa Crcr ChCh DD
EE AA Crcr ChCh Dd
EE AAt Crcr ChCh Dd
EE Aa Crcr ChCh Dd
Ee AA Crcr ChCh Dd
Ee AAt Crcr ChCh Dd
Ee Aa Crcr ChCh Dd
EE AA Crcr Chch DD
EE AAt Crcr Chch DD
EE Aa Crcr Chch DD
Ee AA Crcr Chch DD
Ee AAt Crcr Chch DD
Ee Aa Crcr Chch DD
EE AA Crcr Chch Dd
EE AAt Crcr Chch Dd
EE Aa Crcr Chch Dd
Ee AA Crcr Chch Dd
Ee AAt Crcr Chch Dd
Ee Aa Crcr Chch Dd
EE AA CrCr ChCh DD
EE AAt CrCr ChCh DD
EE Aa CrCr ChCh DD
Ee AA CrCr ChCh DD
Ee AAt CrCr ChCh DD
Ee Aa CrCr ChCh DD
EE AA CrCr ChCh Dd
EE AAt CrCr ChCh Dd
EE Aa CrCr ChCh Dd
Ee AA CrCr ChCh Dd
Ee AAt CrCr ChCh Dd
Ee Aa CrCr ChCh Dd
EE AA CrCr Chch DD
EE AAt CrCr Chch DD
EE Aa CrCr Chch DD
Ee AA CrCr Chch DD
Ee AAt CrCr Chch DD
Ee Aa CrCr Chch DD
EE AA CrCr Chch Dd
EE AAt CrCr Chch Dd
EE Aa CrCr Chch Dd
Ee AA CrCr Chch Dd
Ee AAt CrCr Chch Dd
Ee Aa CrCr Chch Dd
Brown + Champagne & Dun =
Sable Dun Champagne
Smoky Brown + Champagne & Dun =
Sable Cream Dun Champagne
Smoky Brown Cream + Champagne & Dun =
Sable Smoky Cream Dun Champagne
EE AtAt ChCh DD
EE Ata ChCh DD
Ee AtAt ChCh DD
Ee Ata ChCh DD
EE AtAt ChCh Dd
EE Ata ChCh Dd
Ee AtAt ChCh Dd
Ee Ata ChCh Dd
EE AtAt Chch DD
EE Ata Chch DD
Ee AtAt Chch DD
Ee Ata Chch DD
EE AtAt Chch Dd
EE Ata Chch Dd
Ee AtAt Chch Dd
Ee Ata Chch Dd
EE AtAt Crcr ChCh DD
EE Ata Crcr ChCh DD
Ee AtAt Crcr ChCh DD
Ee Ata Crcr ChCh DD
EE AtAt Crcr ChCh Dd
EE Ata Crcr ChCh Dd
Ee AtAt Crcr ChCh Dd
Ee Ata Crcr ChCh Dd
EE AtAt Crcr Chch DD
EE Ata Crcr Chch DD
Ee AtAt Crcr Chch DD
Ee Ata Crcr Chch DD
EE AtAt Crcr Chch Dd
EE Ata Crcr Chch Dd
Ee AtAt Crcr Chch Dd
Ee Ata Crcr Chch Dd
EE AtAt CrCr ChCh DD
EE Ata CrCr ChCh DD
Ee AtAt CrCr ChCh DD
Ee Ata CrCr ChCh DD
EE AtAt CrCr ChCh Dd
EE Ata CrCr ChCh Dd
Ee AtAt CrCr ChCh Dd
Ee Ata CrCr ChCh Dd
EE AtAt CrCr Chch DD
EE Ata CrCr Chch DD
Ee AtAt CrCr Chch DD
Ee Ata CrCr Chch DD
EE AtAt CrCr Chch Dd
EE Ata CrCr Chch Dd
Ee AtAt CrCr Chch Dd
Ee Ata CrCr Chch Dd
Black + Champagne & Dun =
Classic Dun (Grullo) Champagne
Smoky Black + Champagne & Dun =
Classic Cream Grullo Champagne
Smoky Black Cream + Champagne & Dun =
Classic Smoky Cream Grullo Champagne
EE aa ChCh DD
Ee aa ChCh DD
EE aa ChCh Dd
Ee aa ChCh Dd
EE aa Chch DD
Ee aa Chch DD
EE aa Chch Dd
Ee aa Chch Dd
EE aa Crcr ChCh DD
Ee aa Crcr ChCh DD
EE aa Crcr ChCh Dd
Ee aa Crcr ChCh Dd
EE aa Crcr Chch DD
Ee aa Crcr Chch DD
EE aa Crcr Chch Dd
Ee aa Crcr Chch Dd
EE aa CrCr ChCh DD
Ee aa CrCr ChCh DD
EE aa CrCr ChCh Dd
Ee aa CrCr ChCh Dd
EE aa CrCr Chch DD
Ee aa CrCr Chch DD
EE aa CrCr Chch Dd
Ee aa CrCr Chch Dd
Karen Gauger-Huber, Certified Equine Specialist
N1227 County Road M, Watertown, WI 53098

  Phone: (262) 914-0551

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