The UC-Davis site has a lot of good information on colors for those that are interested.
http://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/services/coatcolor.php You'll notice that some of the terms they use may not agree with what's commonly used within the Icelandic breed circles. The UC-Davis site seems more consistent with what I'd heard pre-Icelandic's. And Ann, I was wrong. I see that there is now a dun "test" available, but it's not a true genetic test per se. Here are the details: http://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/services/dunhorse.php Note that you have to present hair samples from the parents too, and since many of our horses have parents from other countries or parents now deceased, that's not viable for many of us. They also ask to see the registration for three generations...and if the registration has errors (and we know that happens) what they do isn't valid. I still don't plan to have any of mine tested, for any color. I'm happy that they can identify the known problematic colors now ("lethal white", and silver dapple for the apparent link to ASD in some breeds - although it's interesting that the ASD link isn't even mentioned on this site...) but it also makes me very sad to know that breeders are picking breeding stock to stack the odds for popular colors. Frankly, I'd much rather see this research money going to soundness and basic health related conditions. As Janice is saying these days - follow the money. Genetics research is always interesting, and colors are pretty, but hair color is literally not even skin deep. Note too, the quote about the cream gene on black: "A genetically black horse (E, aa) can carry the dilution allele without expressing it, since CCcr only affects red pigment." And also: "Many black horses will sun-fade, especially around the muzzle and flanks and such animals may be called brown." In other words, a "fading black" horse (a very vague term) and a "smoky black" horse may look the same. Funny, though, in this breed, some people have made "smoky blacks" sound exotic, and "faded blacks" sound boring and undesirable. Go figure... One thing that just occurred to me after reading this: could it be that Ima's sire, Bragur might carry the cream gene and it's not expressed in his black silver dapple coloring? It's interesting...sort of...but the reality is that Ima is dark "brown" (as defined by Crayola), no matter what her color genetics are. I have no plans to sell Ima, because I like her so much...brown, dark liver chestnut, "smoky black", "possible minimally expressed silver dapple black" or whatever she happens to be. :) Here's the color testing fee schedule: http://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/services/horse.php It's $40 per horse tested for the first coat-color test, with $25 for each additional test. With all the color modifiers found in Icelandic's, I think that could put me into bankruptcy! Karen Thomas, NC
