Champagne, a dominant color dilution of horses

Abstract

Champagne dilution of horses results in a group of pale colors which have mottled dusky skin and amber eyes. Body color varies from light brown to gold or cream. Eye color of champagne foals is blue, and darkens to amber with age. The mating of champagne to nonchampagne horses resulted in 54 champagne and 40 nonchampagne foals. These results are consistent with a dominant gene (X2 = 2.1, 1 df, P > 0.1). This dilution is proposed as due to the champagne allele (Ch(C)) at the Champagne (Ch) locus. This allele dilutes black to pale brown with dark brown points, dilutes bay to yellow with brown points, and dilutes chestnut to gold or yellow with yellow or pale points.