Cream and Pearl Horse Society
Requirements
- Have the Cream Mutation
- Have the Pearl Mutation
- Have Both Mutations
Here find the Registry Books for the Cream and Pearl Horse Society.
This is a color registry and the books are sorted by gene. A third book may be added as more "combination" horses join us, until then they shall be registered to the Cream Book.
The only breeds not allowed are pure-bred Arabians and pure-bred Frisians as Cream and Pearl mutations do not exist in their gene pools.
Genetics
Cream and Pearl exist at the same place in the horse genetic sequence. Both mutations cause a change of Aspartic Acid; depending on what it is changed INTO it will result in either Cream or Pearl.
A single horse will only ever have 2 mutations at this site. It may only be heterozygous for Cream or Pearl, or it my be homozygous for one or the other, or it may be a split heterozygote (1 cream and 1 pearl). A horse will NEVER have 2 copies of both mutations (CR/CR-prl/prl).
Cream is an incomplete dominant, that means it shows up to varying degrees - think of it as adding milk (cream!) to coffee; the more you add the lighter it gets. Cream can have a similar effect ranging from a very pale horse to a horse of any given gold shade to a horse that looks like it is cream-free. Cream is often confused with Champagne, especially over Chestnut and Wild Bay. Though the two genes are distinct they may exist in concert. Homozygous Creams were once considered to be Albino and of defective genetics and barred from various registries; today we know better and such horses are now welcomed by most (and sought by many). It should be noted that the true Albino does not exist in the equine population, though Cream is probably the closest gene to that state (Dominant White is not Albino).
Pearl has it's historical roots in the Iberian peninsula and it's modern roots in the American Quarter Horse. Once referred to as "Barlink Factor" in America, we now know it is the same gene that Iberian breeders have been calling Pearl for generations. Pearl is a dilution, but it is a recessively expressed gene: a horse needs to be homozygous (have 2 copies) of the mutation for it to be visible. Interestingly Pearl is also "cream activated" which means that a single copy of pearl will interact with it's sister mutation Cream and create a horse that looks very much like a homo-cream. This effect is referred to as "pseudo double dilute" as "true" doubles have 2 copies of Cream. As a recessive gene Pearl is notated in the lower case when gene sequencing.
n/n - No mutation
CR/n - heterozygous Cream: Palomino, Buckskin, Smoky Black
CR/CR - homozygous Cream: Cremello, Perlino, Smoky Creme
n/prl - heterozygous pearl: horse carries the mutation, but does not show it
prl/prl - homozygous pearl: horse shows the Pearl dilution
CR/prl - split heterozygote: horse has both mutations and resembles CR/CR.
Sooty Palomino: Morgan mare Metigoshe Mariah, adult and foal pics. / SIMS horse Cav. Unknown Citizen
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Buckskin: Buckskin Dun AQHA Dusty / SIMS horse CF Rescued Belle
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Smoky Cream: TCF Palladium, World's 1st Smoky Cream TB
Perlino: USJC TB RFF Pearlescent, dam of TCF Palladium / SIMS Horse AngloArabian CF Golden Boy
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Cremello: USJC TB RFF El Dorado / SIMS horse TB Royal Summer
For Comparision: Dominant White Australian JC TB Glacial
Palomino Pearl AQHA/APHA Raleigh's Barlink, sire is Cremello and dam is Chestnut
Black Pearl Iberian-bred Avispado,
advertised as Champagne he is DNA-typed as Ee-aa-prlprl
Grey (Bay Pearl), breed unknown. DNA is Ee-Aa-prlprl-Gg
dam is Bay, sire is unknown (only pic available)
Apricot/Chestnut Pearl AQHA/APH Barlink Peaches N Cream
The horse that started it all
For Comparison: Flaxen Gold Champagne AQHA Zippos Millennium Bug ee-CH/n / SIMS horse Quarab CF Sunny Daze (note the Green eyes)
Bug has been making the web rounds and is often misidentified as Palomino, flaxen gave her the white mane and tail.
Another Gold Champagne,this time without Flaxen ee-CH/n
For Comparison: Amber Champagne vs Buckskin
PB-Arab Khalvin Klein / SIMS horse ADS Dark Ember (note the noses)
For Comparison: Amber Champagne vs Buckskin (Wild Bay base)
Miss Sprat Brat / SIMS horse CF Zillion to One (note the manes and muzzles)
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Gold Cream, American Cream Draft ee-CR/n-CH/n
Sooo...is it a Champagne...or a Cream?
Historically, Buckskin, Bay Dun, and Amber Champagne have often been confused. So, too, have Gold Champagne and Palomino. A few ways exist, however, to tell them apart.
When heterozygous, Champagne works on the mane/tail while Cream does not.
When homozygous, a Champagne will look the same as a heterozygous while a Cream will become very pale.
Champagne often comes with freckling of the muzzle and genitals; Cream does not.
While both foals may have blue eyes, the eyes of a Champagne typically turn to amber or green at maturity and a heterozygous cream will retain their "baby blues".
Champagne horses will often have pink muzzles while Cream horses will see a darker shading to theirs.
Of course there are exceptions (such as a green-eyed cremello), but these guidelines will cover the majority of horses available to Sims players.
Disclaimer:
To the best of my knowledge all real horses pictured here have been DNA tested (except Glacial, her descendants have been tested).
Images are included under Fair Use for educational purposes and no infringement is intended.
Registry Links
Circle F Main Office (Home Page)
CPHS Home
CPHS Cream Book
CPHS Pearl Book
KSMH + CPHS (FB Group)
