"The quality goes in, before the color
goes on!
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Champagne Color Genetics
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The champagne gene in the equine is gradually becoming recognized and accepted
in various breed registries. It has been identified in approximately the last 5
years, so these horses are rare in the equine color world.
This gene causes specific skin characteristics and is a dominant dilution gene.
This means if the gene is present, it is seen in the skin and eye color. Foals
are born with bright blue eyes and bright pink skin. The eye color will
gradually darken to amber and the skin will develop small distinct black
freckles. As the gene dilutes the skin and eyes, it also dilutes the base color
of the horse's coat.
Classic champagnes are a black based horse diluted by the champagne gene. Their
color can vary from taupe to almost a grullo color. The foals are born darker
and shed lighter to their adult color. The manes, tails and points can be the
same color as the body or a shade or two darker than the body color. Their
winter coats are darker than their summer coats. If the horse has any black hair
coloring, it cannot carry the champagne gene as black is diluted to brown.
Amber champagnes are bay-based horses with the champagne gene. The points are
diluted to brown while the body color can be shades of amber to fawn colored.
Sometimes the legs are almost the same color as the body color. The foals are
born looking bay with bright blue eyes and pink skin.
Gold champagnes are chestnut-based horses with a champagne gene. The foals are
born a chestnut color, but again there are bright blue eyes and pink skin. Their
manes, tails and body coat can be all of the same color, called "self" gold or
they can have flaxen manes and tails. They are commonly mistaken for palominos.
Palominos can have anywhere from gray to black skin, their eyes can be amber to
dark brown. They can have some pink mottling under the tail or on the
udder/sheath, but these horses are NOT champagne. Remember that champagnes have
pink skin with small, defined, black freckles all over their bodies. The crème
gene dilutes palominos whereas the champagne gene dilutes champagnes, so the
genetics and offspring are completely different types.
Last, but not least, are the crème champagnes. The crème AND the champagne gene
dilutes these horses. All have pale; close to a cremello colored coat with the
black, bay or chestnut base to tint the final color. On these foals, sometimes
the freckling doesn't show up until 4-6 months of age. Their eyes may darken
only to blue-green, green or very light amber. These horses were formerly
referred to as "Ivory" champagnes, but the terminology is being changed to
reflect the true genetics of these horses. Pumpkin colored skin is not
considered champagne nor is the mottled skin seen in appaloosas. Some cremellos
have some light gray mottling; these are larger and not as distinct as the
freckling.
Another way to determine if your horse may be champagne is to look at the
genetics involved. The International Champagne Horse Registry has identified
lines of champagnes in the Quarter Horse, Tennessee Walking Horse, miniature
horses, Saddlebred horses and mixed Arabians. Another clue would be what
characteristics do the progeny demonstrate? Do they have the bright pink skin
all over and the bright blue eyes that change? Do they develop black freckling?
These are most easily seen on the muzzle, around the eyes, on the sheath/udder
and under the tail. In the summer, the muzzle freckles can thicken to almost
solid black, so a more accurate identification can be obtained under the tail.
Of course, the champagne gene can be combined with the dun, appaloosa, roan,
sabino, tobiano/pinto/frame or silver dapple genes. Tennessee Walking Horses can
be registered as champagne and many are working with the AQHA to get those
horses registered as champagnes.
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| Dun is so rare in TWH that it
is immediately doubted. (I have seen a bay horse advertised as dun -
NOT! Dun Cashed In is the only verified dun sire in TWH registry.) |
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Dorsal stripe, clear and
defined is dun. With counter-shading, which is common with
champagne, the dorsal counter-shading is fuzzy
and gets lighter toward the edges. |
Legs: horizontal striping
are more primitive markings and additional proof of true
duns. |
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| Neck/shoulder vertical
striping are more primitive markings that ONLY true duns have.
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There are several web sites that are excellent resources for information and
photographs to demonstrate the various characteristics of champagne versus
non-champagne horses.
www.ichregistry.com,
www.champagnehorses.org,
and
www.champagnehorses.com
are the three sites I am aware of. ICHR can verify and register your horse as a
champagne. This way, you and your customers can rest assured they are getting a
true champagne horse. Dr. Sponenberg, DVM, has a book published called
Equine Color Genetics that is an excellent reference for all genetic color types.
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