[Sancho]

Rebel Star mare:
http://www.horsegroomingsupplies.com.../3/1/4/RS1.jpg
http://www.horsegroomingsupplies.com.../3/1/4/RS2.jpg

stallion:
http://aussiecoloured.homestead.com/jamiesonspg.html

I am hopeing to get a black foal. Here is the thread that I posted about 2 mares. It came down that the chestnut was the best.

Critique these broodmares - Pics post #7

[Malibu Barbie]

Wait.... I don't know much about horse genetics, but how would you get a black horse from a bay and a chestnut? Is black a recessive gene that they are both carrying?

[Sancho]

Originally Posted by Malibu Barbie

Wait.... I don't know much about horse genetics, but how would you get a black horse from a bay and a chestnut? Is black a recessive gene that they are both carrying?

depending, on what his sire's colour was, trying to find that stuff out. But if it is the go ahead, and his family has a hidtory of black, what do you think the baby would be like?? I am looking at buying the chestnut. By the way.

[madvoice]

I've always liked Jamieson. As for progeny, I couldn't tell you.

[Jenje!]

Jamieson is black according to that website.

[Malibu Barbie]

Oh sorry for some reason he looked bay to me when I glanced at him, but now he sure looks black to me! Sorry I don't really know anything about horse breeding I was just confused.

[Sancho]

Originally Posted by Malibu Barbie

Oh sorry for some reason he looked bay to me when I glanced at him, but now he sure looks black to me! Sorry I don't really know anything about horse breeding I was just confused.

I thought you ment how do know you are going to get a black. Foal now I am confused. hehe... I love him though I think he is tops.

[JBandRio]

Originally Posted by Malibu Barbie

Wait.... I don't know much about horse genetics, but how would you get a black horse from a bay and a chestnut? Is black a recessive gene that they are both carrying?

Black is dominant.
Chesnut (red) is recessive, so a chestnut horse has 2 copies of red (homozygous).

If a horse has 1 black and 1 red gene, it will be a black-based horse. Whether he is black or bay then depends on whether he also has a bay modifier.

So, if a bay horse has 1 black/1 red, and 1 bay modifier, he can pass the black but not the bay genes. The chestnut ONLY has a red to give, and for the sake of this argument let's say the chestnut has no bay to give.

This gives the foal 1 black, 1 red, and 0 bay modifiers, giving you a black foal.

[Malibu Barbie]

Thanks for explaining it to me! But if black is dominant, then how come pure black horses are so uncommon?

[JBandRio]

Originally Posted by Malibu Barbie

Thanks for explaining it to me! But if black is dominant, then how come pure black horses are so uncommon?

Because the bay modifier is also dominant, and it's not common for a black-based horse to have NO bay modifiers

Bay only affects the placement of black hairs, restricting the black to the points of a black-based horse. This turns a black horse into a bay. Because chestnuts have no black hair, the bay is not visible, even if there are 2 copies. It's fairly safe to assume that most chestnuts have at least 1 copy of bay, so even if you breed a homogyzous black horse to that chestnut, guaranteeing a black-based horse, you still have at least a 50/50 chance of getting bay.