The cream gene

[mandi]

I know that cream is an incomplete dominant sooo my question is since grey is a complete dominant is is possible for a grey horse to carry the cream gene?

 

[BlueStar]

Yep....see my other post about color...got a pali colt from grey and red/white pinto!!

 

[Minimor]

Yes, a horse can have both--it's entirely possible to have a palomino that goes grey, or even a cremello that goes grey...can be hard to tell the difference on that one!

A palomino that has the grey gene will often (maybe always?? I don't know--I haven't seen too many of them) turn a very dark color before it greys out to a light/white shade.

 

[Bunnylady]

The cream gene occurs in a completely different place in the horse's genetic code from where the grey gene occurs. Each is independent of the other. Every horse has either "cream" or "not cream" at the cream locus, and "grey" or "not grey" at that locus. A grey horse can carry any other color, it's just like someone put White-out over whatever else he carries. A max white sabino could possibly carry grey, you just wouldn't be able to watch it grey out! Only the horse's ancestors and progeny would tell.

 

[mandi]

Ok so basiclly, a horse that looks cremello or perlino can carry the grey gene, but a horse that looks say dapple grey cant carry the cream gene because it would show up in their phenotype. Is this correct?

 

[Jill]

Yes. Grey is in addition to ANYTHING else the horse may carry. It doesn't negate any other color genes, it only makes the "invisible" to the eye. A grey horse can carry cream, dun, appy, pinto and probably other things I can't remember we get in our horses

However, I think if a horse truly looks cremello or perlino, it is really cremello or perlino. I have greys and double dilutes. The double dilutes have a "warm" hue to their coats while the greys have a "cool" hue. Seeing them side by side, you see the double dilutes really are not "white" but more of a cream color.

At one time, I owned a palomino filly (now owned by "normajeanbaker" of this forum) and it was interesting to see her transform as she became DARKER as she greyed. From a light palomino at birth, to a horse with dark lower legs, mane & tail, and grey "dappling" on her body...

 

[rabbitsfizz]

A Grey horse, irrespective of whether it is at the dappling stage or not, will not show the Cream effect, especially if the Grey is Black base.

If the Grey is Red base and still has some Red in the coat, it might show the effect of Cream.

Same with a Perlino/Cremello with Grey....both would normally look like a white horse.

Grey can cover everything and anything, so a Grey can be: Frame/Splash/Sabino/Tobiano/Appy/CrCr/Silver/Champagne and Pearl, all at once!!!!!

I would expect it maybe to show in the eye colour, but I do not know if the CrCr blue eyes would cancel out the effect of Champagne on the eyes....and also the skin.

As far as I know this has not yet happened, but , in theory, it could!!!

 

[Versatility Farm & Training]

Ok so basiclly, a horse that looks cremello or perlino can carry the grey gene, but a horse that looks say dapple grey cant carry the cream gene because it would show up in their phenotype. Is this correct?

You have it backwards. Grey is completely dominant. If they have the grey gene they appear grey. So if a horse does not look grey, it does not carry the grey gene. How ever several horses that are grey are born appearing another color, but go grey as it ages. If a horse is a cremello or perlino, it doesn't have a grey gene. A grey horse can carry the cream gene, or any other color, you just can't physically see it unless it is one that is born a color and then greys out.