What You Think is Palomino Might Not Be

Lets face it, palominos are really pretty animals. What with that golden color and those long blonde locks, what’s not to like?

That Golden Glow

Although most people think of deep, copper animals with creamy mane & tail (like Barbie’s horse) palomino shades are actually quite varied & interesting. In fact, they can range from an almost white color, to a very deep chocolate brown (all the while retaining their white-blonde locks). But interestingly enough there are a number of different color genetic combinations that create such a similar coloration it’s hard to tell them apart.

Mistaken Identity

Almost all shades of palomino can be mimicked in the genetics of other types, in fact there are quite a few genetic mixes that create animals with palomino characteristics.

Creating That Color

The palomino coloring comes from the cream dilution gene affecting a chestnut colored base coat. A single dose of the cream gene affects bay animals by making them buckskin and has very little effect on a black coat. The parent’s coloring (& obviously their genetics) determines the palomino body color in their offspring.

Silver Animals

The silver dilution gene can also affect any coat color, but interestingly enough it’s the dilution on a black or a bay coat that produces an animal that looks very similar to a dark palomino (which comes from a chestnut base) Like black isn’t affected by the cream gene, chestnut is not affected by the silver.

Flaxen Animals

There is also the flaxen color modifier which creates very similar coloring, but isn’t palomino (& they are perhaps more often mistaken for palominos than silver animals). The flaxen modifier only affects chestnut coats of all shades & changes the mane & tail turning them a creamy white.

Champagne Animals

To add to the confusion, the champagne dilution gene also produces a light golden animal with a creamy mane & tail. This is a result of the champagne gene on a chestnut base & often these animals have a metallic sheen to their coloring.

Hard to Tell

It’s obvious why people have trouble with this coloring, there is such a wide variety of different genetics that can produce a pretty blond animal. Be sure to learn how a double dilution of the cream gene creates what people call ‘albino’ & that how that pesky cream creates buckskins which are often mistaken for dun too.