New Zealand Golden Horse and Dilute Society

Palomino

The Palomino has a golden body colour, ranging from pale cream to deep ochre. A Palomino is a chestnut horse with a single dilution factor which washes out the chestnut to gold. There are, however, many variations of Palomino ie: Sooty, Dappled and almost Chocolate, many of which show varying amounts of dark hair through the mane and/or tail. Although these are not preferable, they will still carry and show the dilution factor and are invaluable to the breeding of Palominos.

Showing standards for Palominos

Ideally the body colour must be as near as possible to that of a newly minted gold coin with a variance of three shades lighter or darker being permissible. The body coat should be of an even colour with no heavy dappling or dorsal stripe along the spine. Eyes must be dark brown, black or hazel. White markings are permitted on the face. White on the legs shall not extend above the knees or hocks. Pinto patches on the body are not permissable. Palominos must be shown in their natural state - ie manes and tails to be unplaited. Individuals showing variations of these standards shall not be disqualified, but shall receive a lesser score where applicable.

The Dun is an intense colour with a hide that has an abundance of pigment in the hairs. Rarely will a Dun with lighter points or a mixture of light and dark hairs within the points be classified. The dorsal stripe, shoulder stripe and leg barring belong to the Dun and often ear tips, ear edging, face mask, mottling and cobwebbing may occur as well. Duns do vary in body shades. Generally leg barring, shoulder stripe and dorsal stripe are the same colour as the mane and tail. Horses eligible for Registration as a Dun must display a minimum of three Dun Factors - including the dorsal stripe. Duns fall into the following categories:
Timor Dun - Silver Dun - Red Dun - Grulla Dun - Brindle Dun and Dun.

The Buckskin is a dilute colouwith the body colour varying in shade from Cremello to Bay or Brown. Points (mane, tail and legs) can be dark brown or black. Buckskin is a self-colour and is free of any smuttiness. A Buckskin with dappling on the body colour is acceptable for Registration. Guard hairs grow through the body coat and over the base of the mane and tail. Guard hairs streaked through the mane and/or tail. Buckskins fall into the following categories:
Creamy with black points - Champagne - Golden - Burnt - Brown - Black and Standard. Duns and Buckskins must also be shown in all led classes in their natural state - ie unplaited.

The use of colour enhancements and dyes are not permitted.

The Cremello The delicate cremello color is the result of the action of two cream genes on a red (chestnut/sorrel) horse.  Where one cream gene on a red produces a Palomino, two of them create the cremello!

The Perlino Perlino is the result of two cream genes on a bay base. One could also describe it as "the buckskin color with one more cream gene added".  These horses have cream colored body hair, and a darker yellow, tan, or orange cast to their manes & tails. The genetic abbreviation for the genes that make the perlino color isE_A_CrCr

 I have had some very handy information passed on to me from one of our members, so i have included it for all dilute breeders and those interested in breeding from a dilute to see.

The dilute that causes palomino and buckskin is called Cream (Ccr)....chocolate is another color - often caused by the silver gene i.e. rocky mountain horses.

Cremello (and Perlino, smoky cream etc) do not produce 100% cremello, they are homozygous and produce 100% cream dilute.

 I find this is the easiest to understand website for color explained simply.http://www.horsecolors.us/

Champagne is another dilute and the name should not be used except for variations of that color range (to save confusion).  It has nothing to do with cream dilute or dun unless it is mixed with them to create further dilution.  This is their website.

 http://www.ichregistry.com/

 There is also a newly discovered dilute called Pearl (name decided upon by U C Davis color genetics lab) There is a link to a New Dilutions website/group at the bottom of the horsecolors us website.  It is believed to be a mutation of Ccr.

 Finally, in the buckskin description cremello is mentioned as a variation of color.  Cremello is the name for double cream chestnut and has nothing to do with buckskin.  You can also get cremello form Palomino x Buckskin as in my stallion.

 regards Heather, Smoothrunnings Stud

Conformation of all these diltues ponies/hacks must be sound and attractive. As these dilutes in New Zealand cover many breeds, the conformation must be true to the type of breed represented by each animal - ie: Welsh - Arab - Quarter Horse - Miniature Horse etc.

No specific breed type will be favoured by the Society. The Society retains the right to refuse any pony/hack with congenital unsoundness, unattractive and unhealthy appearance