Ok, so on to one of the most popular and sought after colors in horses in general--GOLD. Whether golden palomino, like the ever-famous Trigger or golden buckskin like Pa's horse on Bonanza, gold shines. In Miniatures, the Gold Melody Boy and Kahoka lines are well known for consistency in producing palomino; the Buckeroo line for creating golden buckskin of top show quality one after another.
So, how does one find gold?
A palomino is actually a chestnut horse, with a single copy of the dilution gene known as creme.
A buckskin is actually a bay horse, with a single copy of the dilution gene known as creme.
Because these colors are the heterozygous version of creme, the horse has a 50/50 chance of passing on it's creme gene when it breeds. This lack of consistency used to cause all horse breeders no end of frustration, yet it was realized the only way to get a palomino or buckskin was through one or more parents being that color.
For a time, it was thought that crossing two palomino's or two buckskins had a chance of producing a foal similar to the lethal white's of frame overos. This is now known to be not true.
What you may produce with crossing them is the homozygous version of either color, in which the resulting foal will always pass on it's creme gene. These colors are known as:
Cremello-two copies of the creme gene on a chestnut
Perlino-two copies of the creme gene on a bay
It follows that if one wants to produce palomino, a cremello bred to a sorrel or chestnut is your best bet. Likewise, a perlino bred to bay is the best chance of producing buckskin.
A cremello is a beautiful ivory color, with blue eyes. ALL homozygous creme horses have blue eyes. A perlino will be that beautiful ivory color also, but with slightly darker points...a smoky ivory shade there.
It is now, with the knowledge and genetic color tests available, much easier to produce gold in Minis. Do not forget though that conformation has to come first over color! A horse should never be bred just for it's color!
So, how does one find gold?
A palomino is actually a chestnut horse, with a single copy of the dilution gene known as creme.
A buckskin is actually a bay horse, with a single copy of the dilution gene known as creme.
Because these colors are the heterozygous version of creme, the horse has a 50/50 chance of passing on it's creme gene when it breeds. This lack of consistency used to cause all horse breeders no end of frustration, yet it was realized the only way to get a palomino or buckskin was through one or more parents being that color.
For a time, it was thought that crossing two palomino's or two buckskins had a chance of producing a foal similar to the lethal white's of frame overos. This is now known to be not true.
What you may produce with crossing them is the homozygous version of either color, in which the resulting foal will always pass on it's creme gene. These colors are known as:
Cremello-two copies of the creme gene on a chestnut
Perlino-two copies of the creme gene on a bay
It follows that if one wants to produce palomino, a cremello bred to a sorrel or chestnut is your best bet. Likewise, a perlino bred to bay is the best chance of producing buckskin.
A cremello is a beautiful ivory color, with blue eyes. ALL homozygous creme horses have blue eyes. A perlino will be that beautiful ivory color also, but with slightly darker points...a smoky ivory shade there.
It is now, with the knowledge and genetic color tests available, much easier to produce gold in Minis. Do not forget though that conformation has to come first over color! A horse should never be bred just for it's color!
