Perlino

Perlino refers to a specific coat color dilution gene found in horses. It is a form of cremello or palomino that results in a lighter shade of red or bay. A perlino horse will have a cream gene and a red base coat. This means they have a lighter body coat, a white or light mane and tail, and blue eyes.

The perlino gene acts on a chestnut base coat to produce a pale cream or ivory colored horse with a white mane and tail. If a horse has a bay base coat and a cream gene, it will appear as a buckskin, not a perlino. Therefore, perlino is specifically a dilution of the chestnut base coat.

The effect of the perlino gene is one of incomplete dominance, meaning that a horse with one copy of the gene will appear different from a horse with two copies. A horse with one cream gene and a red base coat is a palomino, characterized by a golden body and white mane and tail. A perlino horse has two copies of the cream gene, resulting in a much lighter, almost white body and white mane and tail.

Perlino is a desirable color in many horse breeds and is often sought after for its striking appearance. It is important to note that while perlino horses have blue eyes, they do not necessarily have vision problems associated with some other blue-eyed conditions.