Most animal species have a gene that codes for albinism. The horse, however, does not possess the albino gene. There are white and white-appearing horses, but these are not albinos. Most have some pigment, and all have brown or blue eyes instead of the pink eye of the true albino.

A cremello has a cream-colored coat, a white mane and tail, pink skin, and blue eyes. A perlino has a cream-colored coat, reddish-tinted points (mane, tail, lower legs), pink skin, and blue eyes.

The cremello genotype is ccee. They are often called "double-diluted palominos" because they have two copies of the c dilution gene. Perlinos are A-ccE-. They are the only color to possess of the A and E genes and not have black points. The effect of cc is to dilute the black points to a rusty color. (See the dilutes page for further information and illustrations of the effect of Cc and cc on bay and chestnut.)

Cremellos

Perlinos

This horse's tail is tied to the left side of the saddle.

 


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