The "Single Creme Dilutes"  are Palomino, Buckskin, & Smokey Black
(Click for Double Cremes: Cremello, Perlino, Smokey Cream)

PALOMINO
is Red (sorrel, chestnut, "ee") diluted by one Creme Gene.

The US Marine Corps uses only Palomino BLM former wild mustangs for their mounted color guard.

Unlike Flaxen Chestnuts, which look very similar, Palominos do not breed true. Breeding two palominos together will result in the following possibilities, 50% palomino, 25% sorrel/chestnut and 25% cremello. It doesn't matter if the Palominos are dark or light, the ratios remain the same. The most dependable producer of Palomino offspring is a Cremello, bred to a Red (sorrel, chestnut). This cross will produce one red gene and one creme gene - the formula for Palomino - every time.

See: Palomino or Flaxen Chestnut?

BUCKSKIN
is BAY diluted by one Creme gene.

• Light tan, light brown, or light red body (frequently dappled)

• Black mane, tail , & lower legs (guard hairs along edge of mane and tail may be very light, due to the extra bleaching effect of Creme on very coarse hair)

• Dark skin & eyes

Buckskin requires three genetic layers: black base, bay modifier, and the creme gene

Buckskins and Duns look very much alike, with these differences:

• Buckskins do not have the dun factors of true dorsal stripe, "tiger" or "zebra" stripes on their legs, shoulder bars, or cob-webbing.

• Buckskins, but not Duns, are frequently dappled.

The most obvious difference between a Dun and a Buckskin is the presence or absence of a dorsal stripe.

But this can be tricky: Buckskins often have "counter-shading" created by the Sooty gene - which mimics a dorsal stripe.

Buckskin vs Dun
 

Light dappled buckskin owned by Gail from Tennessee

Benny, a buckskin mustang from Buck & Bald HMA in East-Central Nevada

Dun

Buckskin

SMOKEY BLACK is Black with one Creme dilution gene.

Smokey Black horses look like any other horse with black genetics. The creme dilution on Black is so slight as to go unnoticed most of the time.

The only way you know that a horse is a Smokey Black is if the horse produces offspring that can only result from a parent carrying the Creme gene. OR, a new Creme gene test is available from UC Davis, should you want positive identification.

Smokey Blacks can produce the full range of Creme colors (depending on the base color of their mate): Smokey black, Buckskin, Palomino, Perlino, Cremello & Smokey Cream.

1. They used to say that Buckskins had a dorsal stripe and Duns didn't. Exactly backwards! Many people still use that terminology, so many horses are labeled incorrectly.

2. They also now recognize the genetics behind the Creme gene, and will allow Cremellos and Perlinos to be registered.