Haley
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Agouti
Jan 12, 2010 15:43:43 GMT -6
Post by Haley on Jan 12, 2010 15:43:43 GMT -6
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Many horse colors are the result of dilution genes acting on the base colors. They all work similarly in that they dilute the main body color, but not always the color of the legs, mane, and tail. Bay is the most basic dilution color, and it is caused by the agouti gene diluting black. The black body hairs are diluted to a shade of brown while the legs, mane, and tail remain black. Like most dilution genes, agouti is dominant, so if a horse carries it, it will be expressed.
Agouti is not actually a separate gene, but rather a piece of the black gene called an allele. It can occur in three forms: A-agouti (meaning the horse is bay), a-non agouti (meaning the horse remains black), and At-brown (a color often confused with dark bay, but genetically different from bay).
Shades of bay: light bay, dark bay, blood bay, wild bay (the black on his legs is restricted to just his joints and pasterns)
Light bay Blood bay Dark bay Wild bay
Brown (At) is also a dilution that acts on black as mentioned above. Though it looks similar to dark bay, it is genetically different. Brown horses are characterized by having a black coat with brown hairs on their muzzles, flanks, inner forearms, and inner thighs. Seattle Slew is an excellent example of this color.
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