Creating a Cremello
May 24, 2010
AQHA’s color specialists explain how to get a cremello colored horse, plus how to enjoy him in competition.
Question:
I have a cremello mare, but a photo of her sire looks like he is gray. Could that be possible?
Also, conformation wise, my mare is beautiful and halter qualitly. I was told by a trainer not to waste my time conditioning her for halter showing, because there is a bias against cremellos in the show ring. Do you agree?
This is my first AQHA horse (I come from a different breed), and I have never had such a sweet, trainable, steady horse. I am impressed! Either I just lucked into a great horse, or I have found a new breed (or both!).
Shelley MacMillan
Answer:
Dear Shelley,
It is possible for a gray horse to carry the creme dilution. Most likely, the gray sire of your mare was a palomino or buckskin before he turned gray.
AQHA rules allow you to show your cremello mare, even at halter. There shouldn’t be any biases toward cremellos in the show ring, and color should not play a role in judging a horse on conformation.
Learn more about coat color genetics and all the amazing possibilities for each newborn foal. Download AQHA’s popular report, Quarter Horse Coat Colors.
I am glad you found our wonderful Quarter Horse and a very sweet, lovely mare to boot! Enjoy her no matter what you do.
– Debbie Black, AQHA equine color specialist
Comments
8 Comments on “Creating a Cremello”
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September 15th, 2010 at 8:12 pm
I would love some insight on what may happen if I bred my grulla mare with lots of dun factor to a cremello stallion. I can’t quite figure that one out. Thanks, Robin
September 21st, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Hello Robin,
Thank you for your e-mail. To answer your question, when breeding your grullo mare to a cremello stallion, the resulting offspring will be carrying a copy of the creme dilution. It is possible to get a dun or grullo that will have one copy of creme.
Lisa Covey or Debbie Black
Equine Color Specialist
December 31st, 2010 at 10:38 am
[...] His dam started as a palomino and turned gray, and his sire was a gray. Will this palomino have cremello or palomino [...]
April 11th, 2011 at 4:02 am
[...] in halter. Janis knew breeding a buckskin to a palomino had a one-in-four chance of producing a cremello, but she didn’t know that cremellos could not be registered with AQHA at the time. (Cremellos and [...]
May 10th, 2011 at 8:54 am
I have a chestnut mare with some palomino in her background. Now from the looks of it, all I could get from her would be palmonio or buckskin. However, I really want a cremello. Would it even be realistic to breed her to a cremello and get a cremello foal?
May 19th, 2011 at 11:46 am
Hello Emily,
Thank you for your e-mail and to answer your question, even though you have palomino behind the chestnut you will not have a crème diluted horse unless you breed that chestnut to a crème diluted horse (buckskin or palomino). One thing to keep in mind the only thing a chestnut/sorrel will pass on is red.
I understand you want a cremello horse, but the only way to have a double crème diluted horse (cremello or perlino) is to breed two crème diluted horses (palomino or buckskin).
Lisa Covey or Debbie Black
Equine Color Specialist
November 1st, 2011 at 1:45 pm
Just curious, what are the possible combinations to get a cremello foal?
November 1st, 2011 at 3:39 pm
Taylor,
Thank you for your e-mail and to answer your question, you would breed two creme (buckskin or palomino) diluted horses together.
Debbie Black or Lisa Covey
Equine Color Specialist