Along with chestnut, black is a base coat color that all other genes modify, called the extension gene. The extension gene's dominant allele (E) produces eumelanin, black pigment. Both black and chestnut share the same gene, ee/EE, and in order for a horse to be black, it can have either extension EE or Ee.
Black is a coat color in which the entire coat has black pigmented hairs. It is an uncommon coat color, as agouti (bay) is dominant over black.
Black foals will usually be born mousy greyish in color. As some foals are born with primitive like markings, it can be easy to confuse a black foal for a dun type of horse, but black hairs will grow in over time.
Some adult black horses' coat will become sun bleached over time, and can appear bay. These horses are called 'fading black', and can sometimes be mistaken for the rarer smoky black.
Some breeds, such as the Friesian, Murgese, and Ariegeois(Merens) are comprised of almost solely black horses. Black is also common in other breeds, such as the Fell Pony, Dales Pony, and Groningen.
Black is a coat color in which the entire coat has black pigmented hairs. It is an uncommon coat color, as agouti (bay) is dominant over black.
Black foals will usually be born mousy greyish in color. As some foals are born with primitive like markings, it can be easy to confuse a black foal for a dun type of horse, but black hairs will grow in over time.
Some adult black horses' coat will become sun bleached over time, and can appear bay. These horses are called 'fading black', and can sometimes be mistaken for the rarer smoky black.
Some breeds, such as the Friesian, Murgese, and Ariegeois(Merens) are comprised of almost solely black horses. Black is also common in other breeds, such as the Fell Pony, Dales Pony, and Groningen.
Genes that are in bold are active on the coat. Genes that are underlined are genes that the horse may carry, but will have no visible effect on the coat.
Gene Sequence: E_ · aa · gg · crcr · dd · chch · ff · zz · stysty · rbrb · rn+rn+ · sb1+sb1+ · w+w+ · to+to+ · oo · splspl · lplp · patn1patn1 · patn2patn2