Racking Horse

Red Factor

The extension gene, or red factor, determines whether a horse will have a chestnut base coat color or a black or bay base coat color.

Gray

The gray gene causes progressive depigmentation of the hair, often resulting in a color that is almost completely white by 6-8 years of age. The individual gray test will determine the number of copies of the gray allele (zygosity). The coat color panel tests detect presence or absence of the gray allele.

Dominant White Mutations – W5, W10, W13, W20, and W22

Dominant white is a variable white spotting pattern caused by many different mutations in the KIT gene. The VGL tests for the five most common mutations known as W5, W10, W13, W20, and W22. Homozygosity for W5, W10, W13 or W22 is thought to be non-viable.

Cream

Cream is a dilution that causes the palomino, buckskin, smoky black, cremello, perlino, and smoky cream coat colors.

Agouti (Bay/Black)

The agouti gene controls the distribution of black pigment, and determines whether a horse will have a bay or black base coat color.