Pearl

Update - We have a PEARL Gypsy Horse!!!!!! Pearl is a recessive, cream activated, dilution gene. Recessive means that one copy of  the gene in a horse has no expression (is "invisible"), and two copies (homozygosity) results in full expression (dilutes the base color once). Cream activated means that it also reacts with cream: it shows up, adding another instance of dilution, if there is a cream gene present. In this case it manifests as a "double dilution": pearl AND cream. The Pearl gene is thought to come from horses of spanish desent. There had been noticed, and documented, several startling cases of a cream dilute horse being crossed with a base color horse (chestnut, bay, black, brown) and producing a foal that looks like a double cream dilute. When these foals were color tested, without exception they were found to have only one cream gene, as expected by their parentage. Now, most of these foals have also been tested for Pearl, and those who have been tested all carry it. This was in spanish bred horses and some paint bred horses, who it is assummed must have some spanish ancestors. It was known as Barlink factor in Paint horses. Pearl looks VERY similar to Champagne. In fact the first registered Champagne has now been proven to be a homozygous red based Pearl. Champagne however must have the characteristic freakled skin, Pearl seems to have no more speakles on their diluted skin than would a double cream dilute. Also a Champagne must have a Champagne parent, Champagne is a dominant gene.  Desert Jewel Mystery (below) had us all stumped as to her colour, so she was tested for everything LOL. Her sire is a palomino and her dam a piebald. She came back with one Black, no Agouti, one cream and ONE PEARL! It seems there is no limits for colour with these Gypsy Horses. Mystery is owned by Jennifer Gilson of Desert Jewel Gypsy Horses and more photos of her can be seen here . The most known Pearl horse in Australia is Majodero R, a Lusitano stallion in Victoria. I've included a pic of him below too. This is Mystery as a new born foal. Her diluted skin and pale eyes tells us she's something different! Photo from Clononeen http://www.irishcobireland.com/ Mystery as a weanling. We are calling her colour Smokey Black Pearl. Photo from Desert Jewel & Whispering Winds Gypsy Horses http://www.djwwgypsyhorses.homestead.com/ Majodero R He is a red based cream pearl and Mystery is a black based cream pearl.