Very pale cream coat, almost white, with blue eyes, caused by double dilution of the cream gene over the chestnut base.
Typical Genetic Formula
e/e Cr/Cr
Possible Genotype Variations
e/e A/A Cr/Cr
e/e A/a Cr/Cr
e/e a/a Cr/Cr
The Genetic Basis
For a horse to be born Cremello, it must receive the following combination from its parents:
- To have the red base (Chestnut), this animal necessarily inherited a recessive (e) allele from the sire and another from the dam. Both parents carried the red factor.
- Its blue eyes and pink skin (Double Cream) reveal that both parents were diluted and each passed their Cream gene on.
Understanding the Alleles
The horse Cremello has a specific combination of alleles. Below, we explain each genetic component that forms this coat:
- e/e (Red Factor): The animal has a fundamentally red base (Chestnut), due to the total absence of black pigment.
- A/ (Agouti): The Agouti gene, when active (with E present), restricts black pigment to the extremities. Carried with no visual effect in e/e animals.
- 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.
- Cr/Cr (Double Cream): Intense dilution. Pink skin and light eyes such as blue.
