Color Question-What to test for?

[Triple 7 Farm]

I've got this nice little mare that is out of a Palomino & a Gray (don't know what color @ birth, just registered as Gray). She has Brown eyes, dark skin on muzzle & around eyes. She looks white in the summer. Now with her winter coat she's got a bit darker colored legs (the longer hair is grayish, not gray all the way to her skin, just starting from the middle of her hairshaft to the tip). I'm assuming she's Gray per how she looks right now (and she's registered as Gray)- just "odd" to me as she's been "white" looking for so long, course I suppose some Palominos are so light they look white (least the ones I've got started out that way as weanlings & are darkening up), so her Graying process may not have been noticeable.... EDITED TO ADD: She's only 4 yrs old (Per my QH experience, we've never had a horse go White due to Gray modification this early & that's why I'm a bit baffled).

She was bred to a Palomino, overo bred stallion last year & they produced a Cremello or Max. Expression (She's white with blue eyes). She's bred back to the same stallion for this year. What other possibility could the foal be? I know I probably won't end up with one like last years, but the mares color baffles me a tiny bit.

I know she could have been born Palomino & went gray (She's only 4 & is PURE WHITE looking, except for now in winter coat that is with the darker legs). So IF she was Palomino & was "modified" by Gray, if I test for Cream will it still show?? Can she hide the cream gene by looking at her as Gray modified her??? How will I know which she really is? I know GRAY IS A MODIFIER, NOT A COLOR.

I'd just like to know what to call her for her color since she's "white". Sorry I can't post any pics as I just got her & don't have any on my computer yet.

Thanks for your input!

 

[chandab]

There is no test for gray at this time, but its probably being worked on.

Anyway, what tests to perform, depend on how much you want to know about her genetic color...

You could test her for cream, red factor (with the gray modifying her base color, she could be either black or red based), agouti (bay gene- it'll show on black, but is carried by red), and silver (perhaps her "gray" parent was actually silver, or silver plus gray; silver plus gray often appear to gray faster).

I guess that wasn't too helpful. Share some pictures, and perhaps someone can help you decide which tests to perform.

 

[dgrminis]

There is no test for gray at this time, but its probably being worked on.

ANIMAL GENETICS does have a grey test -- it is $40.00 (maybe $45.00)....

 

[chandab]

There is no test for gray at this time, but its probably being worked on.

ANIMAL GENETICS does have a grey test -- it is $40.00 (maybe $45.00)....

I guess I kind of remember someone mentioning that awhile back.