Marble Moon Farm
  • Home
  • Info
    • Buying From MMF
    • About The Breed
    • Color Genetics
    • Terms To Know
  • Our Horses
    • Mares
    • Upcoming
    • Foals
  • For Sale
    • Available
    • Planned Foals
    • Sold
  • Contact

Color Genetics


Below is a very basic explanation of color genetics, mostly meant to help you understand what letters represent the genetic markers responsible for certain colors.

There are two widely accepted "base" colors. Black or red (chesnut/sorrel). Every horse is either black based or red based. This is shown with E (black) and e (red). Other colors are the result of modifiers and dilutions that play off the base color.

E - represents Black. It is dominant.
e - represents red. It is recessive.

Every horse will receive two of these genes. One from each parent. It can be in one of 3 combinations.

EE - Homozygous black, the horse will be black based and only pass E (black) to its offspring.
Ee - Heterozygous black, the horse will be black based, but may pass either E (black) or e (red) to its offspring.
ee - Homozygous red, the horse will be red based and only pass e (red) to its offspring.

                                          

Picture
Black (Ee)
Picture
Red (ee)

A - represents agouti. Agouti is responsible for turning a black horse "bay." It will have no known effect on the color of a chestnut/sorrel.

Some people consider bay to be the 3rd base color. Agouti is one piece of the puzzle required to make a buckskin, silver bay, bay dun, perlino, etc.


Picture
Bay (Ee/Aa)

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Info
    • Buying From MMF
    • About The Breed
    • Color Genetics
    • Terms To Know
  • Our Horses
    • Mares
    • Upcoming
    • Foals
  • For Sale
    • Available
    • Planned Foals
    • Sold
  • Contact