Horse Colours - Palomino

PALOMINO - Variations are apricot, cream, and dark palomino

This varies from pale cream to a strikingly rich golden hue. The palomino colour in its truest form can be likened to that of a newly minted gold coin.

There should be a marked contrast between the colour of the coat (rich gold) and the mane and tail (cream or white).

The word Palomino orginates in Latin and means "Paleness". How do you get a Palomino foal - sometimes just by luck!

The fact that both parents are palomino will not automatically produce a palomino foal. A cream gene from one parent together with a chestnut gene from the other will produce a Palomino foal as the gene is "heterozygous" or blended from both parents.

Foals are usually born cream or apricot and the palomino colour becomes more obvious with age.

The summer coat of a palomino is of a much warmer tone than the winter woolies which can look quite faded! However, too much exposure to sunlight can also fade or "bleach" the coat.

In the show ring, palominos are marked on the purety of their colour, black hairs in the coat or mane and tail are frowned upon by judges.

Palominos often have white facial or leg markings. Click on this link to find out about other beautiful Horse Colours!