THE CHAMPAGNE DILUTION GENE
VS.
THE CREME DILUTION GENE
A dilution gene affects a horse's coat and/or mane & tail color. Each dilution gene affects the three basecoat colors (black, bay, and chestnut/sorrel) differently. The dilution genes include the creme gene, the dun gene, the silver dapple gene, and the champagne gene. Although many people confuse the creme gene and the champagne gene, they are quite different.
The table below compares the effects of the creme dilution gene and the champagne dilution gene on each of the three basecoat colors.
BLACK
Creme Gene on a black basecoat: Champagne Gene on a Black Basecoat:
photo coming soon!
Smokey Black or Diluted Black
Classic Champagne
A black horse with the creme dilution gene (smokey black) most often looks the same as a non-dilute black horse, though ocassionally a smokey black will look like a sun-burnt black horse with areas of chocolate brown and the eyes may be a bit lighter. A classic champagne horse has a shiny, taupe or "champagne" colored coat with chocolate points.
BAY
Creme Gene on a Bay Basecoat: Champagne Gene on a Bay Basecoat:
Buckskin
Amber Champagne
Notice the dark black points on the buckskin compared to the chocolate points on the amber champagne. The skin around the nose is also noticeably different.
CHESTNUT OR SORREL
Creme Gene on a Sorrel Basecoat: Champagne Gene on a Sorrel Basecoat:
Palomino
Gold Champagne
Palominos and gold champagnes can be difficult to distinguish between. They are very similar, but the pigmentation around the nose and eyes, along with the eye color is much darker on the palomino.
CREME FOALS VS. CHAMPAGNE FOALS: A major difference between the creme gene and the champagne gene is the color of the foal at birth. Creme foals are born a shade or two lighter than they will be at maturity, with eyes that are only slightly lighter than non-dilute foals. A champagne foal is the color of its basecoat (black, bay, or chestnut) at birth, with light blue or green eyes. The eyes darken and the coat lightens until the horse is 15 months to two years old.
A SEASONAL DIFFERENCE: During the winter months, horses with the creme gene have a winter coat that is a few shades lighter, and they shed off to a darker color in the spring. Champagne diluted horses have a winter coat that is a few shades darker than their summer coat.
THE GENETICS: The creme dilution gene and the champagne dilution gene are DOMINANT genes, so they must be present in the dam or sire's physical appearance to be passed on to offspring - with the exception of a black horse with the creme gene (smokey black). So if you can't see it, IT'S NOT THERE. Two non-dilute horses will not produce a creme or champagne foal under any circumstances.
The mating of a heterozygous creme or champagne diluted horse with a non-dilute horse will produce 50% diluted offspring, and 50% of the offspring will be black, bay, or chestnut.
THE PEDIGREE: Because champagne horses are as dark as their basecoat at birth, they are often registered as black, chestnut, or bay. Champagne Lady Diane, a classic champagne mare that inspired the name of the "champagne" color, is registered as a chestnut. The TWHBEA did not offer champagne as a color choice on the registration forms until recently, so many champagnes are also registered as yellow, buckskin, or palomino.

Ivory Champagne, Cremello, Perlino, & Homozygous Champagne

Before I explain the differences between these colors, let me first define the term "homozygous," because so many people tend to associate it with tobiano horses. Homozygous is a term that means "two of the same." A horse can be homozygous for a wide variety of characteristics - the term is not limited to coat color. For example, when a person talks about his/her "homozygous stallion," and doesn't specify what the stallion is homozygous for, it could mean just about anything. That stallion could be homozygous for big ears, stifle problems, or the red factor gene. If a stallion owner says that his horse is "homozygous champagne," then the term homozygous is describing the champagne dilution gene, meaning that the horse has two champagne genes and will always produce champagne offspring.

IVORY CHAMPAGNE

An ivory champagne horse is a horse with one crème dilution gene and one champagne dilution gene - basically, the horse is heterozygous champagne and heterozygous creme. AN IVORY CHAMPANGE HORSE IS NOT HOMOZYGOUS FOR ANY DILUTION GENES. The skin pigmentation is mottled and only slightly lighter than a horse with one champagne gene. The coat color and mane color are a few shades lighter than the typical champagne colors. There are three different shades of ivory champagne: ivory gold champagne, ivory amber champagne, and ivory classic champagne.

An ivory champagne will produce the following when bred to a non-dilute mare:

25% Ivory champagne offspring
50% Champagne or Crème (palomino, buckskin, diluted black) offspring
25% Non-dilute offspring

While many people assume that ivory champagnes are guaranteed to produce color every time, 25% of the offspring from an ivory champagne and a non-dilute will not carry a dilution gene of any kind. Basically, you have a 75% chance for color from mating an ivory champagne and a non-dilute.

CREMELLO

Cremellos, on the other hand, will always produce offspring with the crème dilution gene. A cremello is a sorrel horse with TWO crème dilution genes. The term "cremello" is just a fancy word for homozygous crème with a sorrel basecoat. A cremello is a light cream colored horse (almost white) with bright blue eyes and pink skin. When bred to a non-dilute horse, a cremello will produce palominos, buckskins, and diluted blacks 100% of the time. Crossing a sorrel or chestnut horse and a cremello will always produce palomino offspring. Keep in mind that crossing a black or bay mare with a cremello may result in a diluted black foal, which is not exactly a popular color.

PERLINO

A perlino is a black or bay horse with TWO creme dilution genes. The term "perlino" is just a fancy word to describe a black or bay horse that is homozygous for the creme gene. Perlinos look like cremellos, except their legs and mane and tail are a few shades darker. They have bright blue eyes and completely pink skin. A perlino will produce palominos, buckskins, and diluted blacks 100% of the time from non-dilute mares. A perlino with a black basecoat is typically a little darker than a perlino with a bay basecoat, but sometimes it is impossible to determine the basecoat color based on the horse's physical appearance. Many people assume that perlinos will produce buckskins 100% of the time, but that is simply not true. Because a perlino carries at least one gene for black coat color, the chances for diluted black are just as good as the chances for buckskin. A perlino with a black basecoat crossed with a black mare will NEVER produce buckskin offspring, and the chances for palomino are only 25% (assuming that neither parent is homozygous black).

HOMOZYGOUS CHAMPAGNE

Unfortunately, there is no fancy word for homozygous champagne. A homozygous champagne horse is a horse with TWO champagne dilution genes. When bred to non-dilute mares, a homozygous champagne will produce gold champagne, classic champagne, or amber champagne offspring 100% of the time. Homozygous champagnes are extremely rare, and our stallion, Eb's Wind Dancer, is the only TWHBEA stallion that is advertised as homozygous for the champagne gene. His skin is almost completely pink, with a small amount of mottling - less than half the mottling of a heterozygous champagne horse. His coat color is very light (but not as light as a cremello) and extremely shiny - and he has light amber-green eyes.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON HOMOZYGOUS CHAMPAGNE

Hopefully this clears up any confusion between the champagne dilution gene and the creme dilution gene. Please contact me if you have any questions after reading this article - I am always happy to talk color genetics!

carrie@brownridgefarm.com
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