Entirely black coat, with no dilutions and no Agouti gene action restricting black pigment to the points.
Typical Genetic Formula
E/_ a/a
Possible Genotype Variations
E/e a/a
E/E a/a
The Genetic Basis
For a horse to be born Black, it must receive the following combination from its parents:
- Its ability to express or produce black pigment indicates it received the dominant E allele from at least one parent.
- To be visually black, it needed to inherit the absence of Agouti (a) from both sire and dam.
Understanding the Alleles
The horse Black has a specific combination of alleles. Below, we explain each genetic component that forms this coat:
- a/a (Non-Agouti): Allows black to spread over the entire body when combined with E. In e/e animals it is invisible but still passed on.
