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Description

Pearl - nprl (Carrier) prlprl - Pearl is a coat dilution modifier. One of the most recent equine color genes to be mapped for commercial genetic testing, it has only been confirmed in a few breeds and is generally considered to be one of the rarer of all color traits. The effect of the Pearl gene resembles that of Champagne; however, it is recessive. Pearl dilution is a recessive gene, and therefore will only affect the coat of the carrying horse if:

1) Two inherited copies of the gene are present. Horses carrying two copies of pearl will have a lightened coat, mane and tail, in addition to bright eye colors due to pigment changes caused by the gene.

2) The cream dilution gene is also present in the pearl-carrying horse. It has been confirmed that the dominant cream gene will activate the pearl phenotype if the two genes are present. Horses positive for both cream and pearl will exhibit a double-dilute phenotype, again with a highly pale coat color similar to that of horses that are homozygous for the cream gene.

Pearl dilution will not act if a horse is heterozygous for the trait but negative for the cream dilution gene, meaning that a single inherited copy of the pearl gene alone will not affect the carrier's phenotype. Heterozygous pearl horses may breed diluted offspring if bred to another pearl carrier or a cream dilute horse. The visual coat color changes caused by pearl dilution are based upon the foundation color of the horse - for example, the phenotype of a double-pearl bay will vary from the phenotype of a double pearl chestnut. Often cause pinkish mottled skin and amber eyes and blue eyes.

Bay Pearl - Ee/Aa/PrlPrl or EE/AA/PrlPrlor EE/Aa/PrlPrl or Ee/AA/PrlPrl (Bay Pearl) OR EE/Ata or AtAt/PrlPrl (Seal Bay Pearl) OR Ee/A+a or A+A+/PrlPrl (Wild Bay Pearl) - The body can be anywhere from a pale yellowish color with light brown guard hair, to a very light brown, almost mustard or bronze color, with a mauve shade, depending on light. The skin can be anywhere from a pink with limited dark specks to lilac-pink and any dark specks are generally concentrated on the eyelids with only a few of them on the lips and genitals. Counter colors can be anywhere from lilac-tinged brown to a more muddy brown. The guard hairs can be light chocolate with a mixture of lighter, as well as darker, hair, and the hair tips will normally be a reddish tinge. The ears are light lilac or bronze with a noticeable pale chocolate border.

Shades change depending on illumination. Indoors the horse can be has a lilac shade and outdoors they tend to lean on the bronze side. The eyelashes are light brown; the hooves pigmented. The eyes are clear, the iris has a light oak color, and the sclera is pink.

Description

Pearl - nprl (Carrier) prlprl - Pearl is a coat dilution modifier. One of the most recent equine color genes to be mapped for commercial genetic testing, it has only been confirmed in a few breeds and is generally considered to be one of the rarer of all color traits. The effect of the Pearl gene resembles that of Champagne; however, it is recessive. Pearl dilution is a recessive gene, and therefore will only affect the coat of the carrying horse if:

1) Two inherited copies of the gene are present. Horses carrying two copies of pearl will have a lightened coat, mane and tail, in addition to bright eye colors due to pigment changes caused by the gene.

2) The cream dilution gene is also present in the pearl-carrying horse. It has been confirmed that the dominant cream gene will activate the pearl phenotype if the two genes are present. Horses positive for both cream and pearl will exhibit a double-dilute phenotype, again with a highly pale coat color similar to that of horses that are homozygous for the cream gene.

Pearl dilution will not act if a horse is heterozygous for the trait but negative for the cream dilution gene, meaning that a single inherited copy of the pearl gene alone will not affect the carrier's phenotype. Heterozygous pearl horses may breed diluted offspring if bred to another pearl carrier or a cream dilute horse. The visual coat color changes caused by pearl dilution are based upon the foundation color of the horse - for example, the phenotype of a double-pearl bay will vary from the phenotype of a double pearl chestnut. Often cause pinkish mottled skin and amber eyes and blue eyes.

Bay Pearl - Ee/Aa/PrlPrl or EE/AA/PrlPrlor EE/Aa/PrlPrl or Ee/AA/PrlPrl (Bay Pearl) OR EE/Ata or AtAt/PrlPrl (Seal Bay Pearl) OR Ee/A+a or A+A+/PrlPrl (Wild Bay Pearl) - The body can be anywhere from a pale yellowish color with light brown guard hair, to a very light brown, almost mustard or bronze color, with a mauve shade, depending on light. The skin can be anywhere from a pink with limited dark specks to lilac-pink and any dark specks are generally concentrated on the eyelids with only a few of them on the lips and genitals. Counter colors can be anywhere from lilac-tinged brown to a more muddy brown. The guard hairs can be light chocolate with a mixture of lighter, as well as darker, hair, and the hair tips will normally be a reddish tinge. The ears are light lilac or bronze with a noticeable pale chocolate border.

Shades change depending on illumination. Indoors the horse can be has a lilac shade and outdoors they tend to lean on the bronze side. The eyelashes are light brown; the hooves pigmented. The eyes are clear, the iris has a light oak color, and the sclera is pink.