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NEW FOREST PONY
COAT COLOUR STUDY (PHENOTYPE)
OF FOREST GRAZERS
(Phenotype: The visual impression)
The Study was held in the first week of September 2009, observing 236 head of grazing
ponies at eight separate locations within the New Forest, Hampshire, England. This number
could be considered a good representation of coat colours on the Forest. The few pintos and
one tall bay mare were excluded, as too Shetlands and Shetland crosses. A New Forest Pony
Sale was also attended for general observation.
NEW FOREST PONY COLOUR (NFPBCS)
“New Forest ponies may be any colour except piebald, skewbald, spotted or blue eyed cream.
Palomino or very light chestnut and cream ponies with dark eyes are not eligible as licensed
stallions. Blue eyes are not permitted. White markings other than on the head and lower
limbs: loss of, or absence of, pigment in hair or skin that is not known to have been
associated solely with skin trauma is not acceptable. So, for the purposes of entry into the
approved section of the Stud Book a pony shall not have any white markings behind the head,
above a horizontal line level with the bony protuberance of the accessory carpal bone at the
back of the knee in the forelimb, and the point of the hock in the hind limb, unless proven to
be due to trauma/injury.”
EQUINE BASE COLOURS
There are four base colours that have been genetically determined for horses and ponies –
Bay, Brown, Black and Chestnut. Every horse and pony will be one of these base colours
first and foremost. They are all now confirmable by DNA testing of mane/tail hair samples,
respectively genetically designated as A, At, a and e.
There are two separately inherited base colour dilution genes and two separately inherited
base colour white pattern genes that are accepted within the New Forest Pony breed –
respectively Cream, Dun, Roan and Grey which are in addition to the base colours and may
or may not be inherited alongside the base colours. Each of the four genes are believed to be
inherited dominantly, i.e. at least one parent must exhibit one of the named genes to produce
it.
Note: It is possible for more than one of these four genes to be present in one pony.
CREAM
A singly inherited Cream gene acts to lighten the four base colours to “Yellow” Buckskin on
Bay, “Mouse” Buckskin on Brown, “Black” Buckskin on Black and “Palomino” on Chestnut.
Commonly in the UK, Buckskin is referred to as “dun” which is a genetic misnomer, for Dun
is a separate gene involving specific markings. The misnomer is applied to both New Forest
Pony and Exmoor Pony purebreds for all shades of genetic Buckskin.
Note: Phenotypically, it is sometimes difficult to identify Mouse and Black Buckskin from
straightforward Brown and Black but DNA testing for the Cream gene will reveal.
Inheriting two Cream genes, i.e. one from each parent (parentage: Buckskin x Buckskin,
Buckskin x Palomino, or Palomino x Palomino), gives rise to the commonly termed “blueeyed cream” - genetically termed “Perlino” on Bay, Brown and Black base colours, and
“Cremello” on Chestnut base colour. Blue-eyed creams will always produce Buckskin and/or
Palomino and can produce blue-eyed creams if mated to Buckskin or Palomino.
Note: Phenotypically, it is difficult to determine between Perlino and Cremello but DNA
testing for base colours will reveal.
Blue-eyed creams (Perlino/Cremello) are extremely sensitive to weather conditions
and need additional care.
A genetically proven Chestnut without a Cream gene, no matter how pale his coat
shade or whether flaxen mane and tail are present, will NEVER produce a blue-eyed
cream.
DUN
Dun is specific (and ancient) darker markings laying over an often lightened base colour.
The darker markings include dorsal stripe, leg barring, body shading, lined ear rims,
‘cobwebbed’ face. The appearance of Dun is the same, whether the gene is inherited in
single or double “dose.” An individual who has two Dun genes will ALWAYS produce Dun.
Dun on Bay base colour gives rise to “Yellow” Dun (often only the dorsal stripe will
differentiate from the Yellow Buckskin); on Brown, the “Mouse” Dun; on Black, the
“Grullo/a” Dun; on Chestnut, the “Red” Dun.
Dun is very seldom seen in the New Forest Pony but is common in the Highland Pony Breed.
Note: One registered purebred New Forest Pony foal at the Sales was, in fact, a Red Dun
but was listed as “chestnut.” This individual was the only specific Dun, displaying
the above markings, found within this Study.
ROAN
There appears to be two types of Roan found in the New Forest Pony. Surprisingly, the
dominantly inherited Standard Roan – white hairs heavily flecked through the whole body
from an early age but leaving head, lower legs, mane and tail unaffected – is the least seen.
The more common type of Roan/Tic in the New Forest Pony sees a frosted affect along all or
parts of the topline particularly around the tailhead, sometimes down the sides/on the belly.
Note: The latter type of Roan/Tic could be investigated to ascertain whether it is actually a
form of Standard Roan and whether similarly dominantly inherited.
GREY
Grey is not a base colour, and does not skip generations, as is commonly thought. It is an
additional gene to the base colour and at least one parent must be Grey for it to be produced.
The inheritance of Grey soon becomes apparent in the young foal, with “spectacles” often
appearing around the eyes before white flecking is spotted through the rest of the coat. As a
pony ages, his grey will continue to lighten and can reach almost white, obliterating base
colour completely. The inheritance of two Grey genes (parentage: Grey x Grey) will not,
necessarily, give a “whiter” grey but such a pony will ALWAYS produce Grey.
Note: Grey often gives rise to skin cancer.
LOCATION COAT COLOUR TABLE
Hill Top
Bay
3xM
1xF
Dibden Purlieu 9 x M
Beaulieu
1xF
Pig Bush
2xM
1xF
9xM
2xF
Balmer Lawn
Brown
3xM
2xF
1xG
Black Chestnut
1xM 3xM
Cream
1 x M (B)
1 x F (B)
5xM
1xF
1xM
1xF
1xM
1xM
1 x F (B)
5xM
1xF
2xM
Hawkhill
7xM
3xM
Stony Cross
27 x M
4xF
1xG
4xM
Ipley
1xM
3xM
Colour Totals
Legend:
68
31
4xM
2xF
1 x M (B)
Roan
3 x M (Bay)
2 x M (Br)
2 x M (Ch)
2 x F (Br)
1 x M (Ch)
1xM
3xM
1xG
2 x M (B)
4xM
1xF
1 x M (P)
1 x M (B)
2 x F (P)
6 x F (B)
4 x M (B)
3xM
1xF
8
45
4xM
3xF
4xM
1xM
6xM
10 x F
8xM
2xF
Grey
2 x M (B)
22
M = Mare (including fillies), F = Foal, G = Gelding
1 x M (Bay)
4 x M (Ch)
2 x F (Ch)
1 x M (Ch)
1 x F (Ch)
4xM
1xF
3 x M (Ch)
1 x F (Ch)
1 x G (Bay)
1 x G (Blk)
2 x M (Bay)
1 x M (Br)
1 x M (Ch)
29
7xM
1xF
3xM
3xF
2xM
33
(no stallions on the Forest at this time)
P = Palomino, B = Buckskin, Br = Brown, Blk = Black, Ch = Chestnut
(Cream, Roan and Grey recorded separately, and not within base colours)
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45% of the ponies of straightforward base coat colour in the Study were visually Bay,
20% Brown, 5% Black and 30% Chestnut.
86% of Creams were Bay/Brown/Black base, 14% Chestnut base.
45% of Roans were Bay/Brown/Black base, 55% Chestnut base.
14.0% of all ponies were Grey, 12% Roan, 9% Cream.
Approximately 90% of Chestnuts had flaxen mane/flaxen mane and tail. (Flaxen is
believed to be inherited recessively, i.e. a flaxen gene from each parent is required for
it to be expressed. Any pony can therefore carry a flaxen gene without expression.)
One unusual ‘very white’ foal at Hawkhill proved to be Yellow Buckskin + Grey.
One ‘liver chestnut’ mare at Hawkhill, with silver in the mane and tail, may be a Bay
Taffy/Silver, DNA testing would confirm. (Taffy/Silver is another base colour
dilution gene inherited in a dominant fashion. Common to Welsh and Shetland.)
Excessive white: Apart from the aforementioned pintos, one Chestnut Roan mare at Balmer
Lawn and one black filly at Dibden Purlieu had small white belly patches, and one Chestnut
foal at Stony Cross had white just above the knee and hock.
NEW FOREST PONY SALE
The Cream gene was evident at the Sales in the registered purebred sections, both in single
(buckskin and palomino) and double (blue-eyed cream) form. Palominos were mostly
correctly described in the Sales List but one palomino colt was described as “grey.” One
Yellow Buckskin colt was described as “light chestnut grey,” another, “dun.” Darker
Buckskins were traditionally described as “dun.”
There was one registered purebred blue-eyed cream colt listed as “palomino.” In the partbred
section, a second blue-eyed cream colt (same owner/breeder) was also listed as “palomino.”
IN CONCLUSION
Whilst the quality and condition of the New Forest Pony on the Forest has greatly improved
over the last few years, the Cream gene has obviously taken a firm foothold in the Breed
during this time; the increase in single Cream (Buckskin and Palomino) purebred foals born
on the Forest this year a testament to this fact, with the Yellow (pale) Buckskin now making a
notable appearance. (The two blue-eyed cream foals born on the Forest in 2008, heavily
publicised, both had dark Buckskin dams, and were obviously by either Buckskin, Palomino
or blue-eyed cream stallions.)
The New Forest Pony Breed Standard clearly states that double Cream (blue-eyed
cream/Perlino/Cremello) is barred from the Breed. So too are licensed stallions with one
Cream gene on Chestnut base (Palomino).
The barring of Cream has been standard policy in all English native ponies, excepting the
Exmoor Pony where single Cream Buckskin is permitted. However, the Exmoor bars
Chestnut from its ranks, thereby eliminating Palomino. Generally speaking, the natives have
evolved in darker colours and shades – nature’s camouflage against one-time predators, not to
mention retaining dark pigment for health. Double Creams and other pseudo albinos are
rightly frowned upon because their lack of skin pigment, and restriction in eye and coat, is
not sustainable in the wild. A general attraction for flies; in sunlight, the eye is squinted and
runs; the skin reacts readily to adverse weather (and tack). Whilst the double Cream is
recognized by breeders as the only guarantor to always produce Buckskin and/or Palomino
offspring, it is a colour that requires extra husbandry which any potential owner of a double
Cream should be made aware of.
However, it appears that purebred registration is not complying with the Breed Standard. If
blue-eyed creams are so undesirable, steps should be taken to prevent them being registered
as purebred. It may well be a point of law for a breeder (and the Registrar) of a blue-eyed
cream pony to misrepresent it as Palomino, especially as these double creams need special
care throughout their lives.
The misnamed ‘duns’ ARE the ‘cream ponies with dark eyes’ described in the Breed
Standard, and such potential Forest stallions should be barred from license along with
Palominos in this case for they both have the same Cream gene, unless the Breed Standard is
re-worded correctly to accept Buckskins but not Palomino licensed stallions, i.e. the Cream
gene acting on bay, brown, and black base colour, and not the Cream gene acting on
Chestnut base colour. However, it must be born in mind that Chestnut mares are found in
high numbers on the Forest so will be very obliging to produce Palomino should they run
with Buckskin stallions who carry Chestnut (A_Ee, At_Ee or aaEe).
Grey stallions with two Grey parents should be DNA tested to ensure that they are not
homozygous (having two Grey genes) to avoid an escalation of Grey, for every one of a
homozygous Grey’s progeny will be Grey. Likewise, the avoidance of running Grey stallions
with Grey mares to prevent the creation of homozygous Grey offspring. This will naturally
keep Greys proportionate within the breed, and therefore the melanoma associated with it.
Grey stallions should also be DNA tested for Cream, as Grey will mask Cream as the
phenotype.
‘Pale’ Chestnut stallions, DNA-proven not to carry a Cream gene, should have the right to be
assessed for licensing.
The most comprehensive method to keep the New Forest Pony to its Breed Standard for
colour via registration, is to make DNA testing for Cream and Grey compulsory for
stallion assessment (and optional for mare owners if they wish), as many other breeds
with colour restriction are now doing. This would involve two separate tests on a hair
sample of approximately 30 hairs per individual pony. Buckskin licensed stallions could
also be genetically verified to ensure they do not carry Chestnut (i.e. they would need to
test ‘EE’) to prevent them producing blue-eyed creams with Buckskin or Palomino
mares. Special rates for society testing is available from various labs, with turnaround
of just a few days.
A simple leaflet on the inheritance of base coat colour, dilution and white patterning
should be made available to all New Forest Pony breeders.
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© Lynn Harrison Sept 2009