Analysis of horse mane and tail dilutions

The mane and tail colour can differ drastically from the colour of the body caused by the effect of several genes. This effect can be seen in blacks and bays as well as chestnuts. There are several different causes for mane and tail dilutions in horses. Mane and tail of chestnuts can be diluted by the flaxen allele ( f ) affecting only phaeomelanin. Another allele diluting exclusively mane and tail seems to be the reason for silver mane and tail in blacks and bays with Arabian blood. Independently of the basic colour, dun horses can show a white case around the fully pigmented mane. Sometimes in buckskins, cream dilution leads to mottled mane and tail. On the basis of cream dilution and a possible combination with the flaxen allele, palominos show almost always white mane and tail. All horses with double cream dilution have white to cream coloured mane and tail. Silver dappling in blacks and bays leads to a strong dilution of mane and tail hairs. That is often the reason of false breeding registration. Independently of these main gene effects on mane and tail dilution, many modifying genes exist that produce different nuances of mane and tail colours. A clear knowledge of different colour dilutions supports the colour breeding, avoids mistakes in colour registration and creates conditions for molecular analysis.

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