Champagne (CH) is responsible for a variety of rare horse colors. The most distinctive trait of a champagne horse is pink freckled skin, and green or hazel eyes.
A champagne foal is born darker with pink skin and blue eyes.
In champagne, any hairs that would have been red are gold, and black hairs are chocolaty brown. Skin is pink with dark, numerous freckles, not mottles, specks, or blotches. Though not as distinctive as an Akhal-Teke, many champagne horses will have a metallic sheen to their coat.
Champagne is only known in American breeds, such as the American Cream Draft, Tennessee Walker, and American Saddlebred.
In champagne, any hairs that would have been red are gold, and black hairs are chocolaty brown. Skin is pink with dark, numerous freckles, not mottles, specks, or blotches. Though not as distinctive as an Akhal-Teke, many champagne horses will have a metallic sheen to their coat.
Champagne is only known in American breeds, such as the American Cream Draft, Tennessee Walker, and American Saddlebred.
Before the champagne gene was discovered, gold champagnes where sometimes called 'pumpkin-skinned palominos', and classic champagnes where called 'lilac duns'.
American Cream Drafts consist almost entirely of champagne colors. The foundation mare of this breed, Old Granny (~1905), was a gold champagne, and most ACDs owe their color consistency to the champagne gene. It wasn't until 1969 that the gene was 'discovered' on a classic champagne Tennessee Walking Horse mare, Champagne Lady Diane. The owner sent hair samples to several universities, where it was written off as a "color accident". The champagne gene wasn't located until 2008.
American Cream Drafts consist almost entirely of champagne colors. The foundation mare of this breed, Old Granny (~1905), was a gold champagne, and most ACDs owe their color consistency to the champagne gene. It wasn't until 1969 that the gene was 'discovered' on a classic champagne Tennessee Walking Horse mare, Champagne Lady Diane. The owner sent hair samples to several universities, where it was written off as a "color accident". The champagne gene wasn't located until 2008.
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
ee · aa · gg · crcr · dd · CH_ · F_ · zz · stysty · rbrb · rn+rn+ · sb1+sb1+ · w+w+ · to+to+ · oo · splspl · lplp · patn1patn1 · patn2patn2
Gene Sequence
ee · aa · gg · crcr · dd · CH_ · F_ · zz · stysty · rbrb · rn+rn+ · sb1+sb1+ · w+w+ · to+to+ · oo · splspl · lplp · patn1patn1 · patn2patn2