This special horse also has blue eyes and pink skin, which really adds to its unique fairytale allure. Cremello horses are actually any breed of horse, that has had a genetic mutation from the dam and sire (mum and dad). Unusual and beautiful with a pinch of a majestic appearance, the Cremello horse has a cream color with no markings and a white mane and tail. Blue eyes and pink skin are also a physical trait of Cremello horses. They almost look like they galloped right out of a fairytale, don't they?

Cremello is actually just a color and can be found in any breed. The color results from the color genetics of the dam and sire. The most common breeds to find the unique coloring are Quarter Horses, Shetland Ponies, Draft Horses, and Saddlebreds just to name a few. The base color of a Cremello is actually red or chestnut. Two cream dilution genes on a chestnut horse (double diluted) are responsible for the unique color. It all comes down to genetics and base colors.

Palominos are chestnuts with one cream dilution gene and a Buckskin is a bay with a cream dilution gene. A Cremello has two cream dilution genes, making them double diluted. Remember Punnet Squares back in Biology class? By breeding two Palominos together, there is a 25% chance the foal will have both cream genes resulting in a Cremello color. Close to the Cremello color, a Perlino horse has a bay base color instead. Perlinos have the cream-colored coat, but instead of a white mane and tail, theirs is darker than their coat color. Perlino horses still have pink skin and blue eyes. Instead of breeding Palamino horses, Buckskin horses are used in the hopes of having a Perlino horse, resulting in a double dilute color of a bay horse.

Many people try to call a Cremello horse an albino horse because of their appearance. Indeed, their blue eyes, pale coat, and pink noses make them look that way, but albino horses are born white and have no pigment. Cremellos may appear white, but when compared to a white horse, it is obvious they are a cream color. Cremello foals are also born of with blue eyes and of a darker color usually, and fade to the light cream. For the longest time, a Cremello and Perlino Quarter Horse or horses of double dilute were not able to be registered by AQHA. With the help of Cremello and Perlino Educational Association, the AQHA withdrew their rule about registering Cremello horses in 2003. Today, there are people across the world breeding these horses just for the color itself.

Cremello horses are a science. The reasoning behind their unique color is interesting and the result of their genetics is that of a majestic looking horse with gorgeous blue eyes. Now that you have an understanding of where a Cremello horse comes from, the next time you hear someone call a horse albino, you have the information you need to stop them in their tracks.