Colours and patterns

Agouti (A)

The agouti signaling protein gene (often shortened to agouti or ASIP) controls where black pigment is produced on the horse.

Black/Red (E/e)

The black/red factor test (also known as “extension”) determines the underlying base color of a horse in the absence of any modifiers (such as agouti).

Brindle/IP

Incontinentia pigmenti (IP) is a variant of the IKBKG gene on the X chromosome, causing in weepy skin lesions present at birth.

Champagne (CH)

Champagne is a variant of SLC36A1 that reduces the amount of both black and red pigments.

Cream (CR)

Cream (CR, sometimes seen as “Crème”) and pearl (prl, sometimes called “apricot” or “Barlink factor”) are variants of the SLC45A2/MATP gene that reduce the overall amount of pigmentation, thus diluting the color of the horse.

Curly Coat (KRT25) "CU1", (SP6) "CU2"

Dominant White 1No21 (W1No21)

Dominant white (“W”) refers to a class of white spotting patterns in which a horse with one copy generally displays markings on 50-100% of the body.

Dun (D)

Dun, a dominant dilution gene, is the ancestral coat colour of equids.

Frame/Lethal White Overo (LWO)

Lethal white overo (also known as frame overo) is a variant of the EDNRB gene that produces a white spotting pattern.

Grey (G)

Grey is a modifier of coat colour, resulting in a progressive loss of pigmentation throughout the coat.

Leopard Spotting Complex (LP)

Leopard Complex Spotting (LP), also known as Appaloosa spotting, is a variant of the TRPM1 gene that results in a collect of unique pigmentation patterns.

Mushroom Dilution (mu)

Pattern 1 (PATN1)

Leopard Complex Spotting (LP), also known as Appaloosa spotting, is a variant of the TRPM1 gene that results in a collect of unique pigmentation patterns.

Pearl (prl)

Sabino 1 (SB1)

Sabino 1 is a variant of the KIT gene that causes the sabino (or sabino overo) spotting pattern.

Silver (Z)

Silver (sometimes called silver dapple or taffy) is a variant of PMEL17 that dilutes black pigment.

Snowdrop (sno)

Splashed Whites 1No4 (SW1No4)

Splashed white overo is a white spotting pattern characterized by extended white markings on the legs, face, and often tail/belly, sometimes described as a horse that was dipped in paint.

Sunshine (sun)

Tiger Eye (te)

Tobiano (TO)

Tobiano is a large inversion of equine chromosome 3 (ECA3) that likely disrupts the regulation of the KIT gene.

nd1/nd2 (nonNodun Primitive Markings)