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Description
This section of the horse color genetics series I'm working on explains the genetics of red horses. Red is a result of a recessive extension mutation, causing the entire coat to have red pigment and have no black pigment anywhere due to the inability to produce it. Red coats can vary in shade, and modifiers can act upon them to change their appearance. A gene that is specific to chestnut coats is called flaxen, and will be explained in detail on a future page. Red horses are also referred to as chestnut and sorrel, all 3 terms being synonymous with each other.

The genotype for a red-based horse is e/e. The agouti locus does not affect the appearance of a chestnut horse, so a chestnut horse can be A/_ or a/a and not be any different from any other.

Description
This section of the horse color genetics series I'm working on explains the genetics of red horses. Red is a result of a recessive extension mutation, causing the entire coat to have red pigment and have no black pigment anywhere due to the inability to produce it. Red coats can vary in shade, and modifiers can act upon them to change their appearance. A gene that is specific to chestnut coats is called flaxen, and will be explained in detail on a future page. Red horses are also referred to as chestnut and sorrel, all 3 terms being synonymous with each other.

The genotype for a red-based horse is e/e. The agouti locus does not affect the appearance of a chestnut horse, so a chestnut horse can be A/_ or a/a and not be any different from any other.