Shetland Pony Coat Color Panel

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.

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.

Cream

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

Dun Dilution

Dun is a coat color dilution characterized by lightening of the coat, with the head, lower legs, mane, and tail undiluted. Oftentimes, dun is also characterized by "primitive markings" such as a dark dorsal stripe, barring of the legs, shoulder stripes, and "cobwebbing" on the forehead.

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.

Silver

The silver dilution dilutes black/brown pigment to lighten the manes and tails of black and bay horses to a flaxen or silver gray. The silver dilution is also associated with an inherited ocular syndrome known as Multiple Congenital Ocular Anomalies (MCOA).

Tobiano

Tobiano is a white spotting pattern characterized by white on the body that crosses the topline.

Mushroom

Mushroom is a dilute coat color found in Shetland Ponies that results in a distinctive “sepia” toned coat, often accompanied by a flaxen mane and tail.

Sample Collection

Horse DNA tests are carried out using cells from the roots of a hair sample (roughly 20-30 hairs).

1. Grab about 10 hairs at the base.

2. Wrap the hairs around your finger and give it a quick pull.

3. Check the ends to make sure the pulled hairs have roots.

4. Repeat the process until you have collected about 20-30 hairs with intact roots.

5. You can choose different places on the mane or tail. NOTE: For foals, we recommend pulling all hairs from the tail only. 

6. Tape the hairs to the submission form and fold the form along the dotted line to protect the sample. Do not use ziploc bags as they can cause condensation that allows mold to grow on the hair.

Hairs with roots

7. Place the folded form containing the sample in a paper envelope and mail it to the laboratory.

 

Type of Sample

Species

Type of Panel