Horse Coat Color Calculator for DNA-Tested Parents

Honest odds, with no hidden guesses

Each chance applies to one conception, and O/O Lethal White Overo always stays in the results. If a lab report cannot settle how variants are arranged, Creatures shows the possibilities separately instead of inventing one percentage.

Buckskin

Possible for a filly or colt

25% chance per conception. 1 of 4 conceptions.

One example of this color — not a prediction of one horse’s exact shade or markings.

Bay

Possible for a filly or colt

25% chance per conception. 1 of 4 conceptions.

One example of this color — not a prediction of one horse’s exact shade or markings.

Palomino

Possible for a filly or colt

25% chance per conception. 1 of 4 conceptions.

One example of this color — not a prediction of one horse’s exact shade or markings.

Chestnut

Possible for a filly or colt

25% chance per conception. 1 of 4 conceptions.

One example of this color — not a prediction of one horse’s exact shade or markings.

Start with the lab report

Parents’ lab results

Enter the results from both parents’ lab reports. Use the reports themselves rather than judging by appearance.

Sire’s lab results

If a gene does not appear on this horse’s lab report, choose “Not tested / not included on report.” Creatures will keep it unknown rather than treating it as N/N.

Lab report progress: 0 of 25 filled in

Sex

The sire is entered as male.

Male

Color basics

Agouti

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

Cream & Pearl

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

Dun

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

Gray

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

Extension and PATN1

Does the report group Extension and PATN1 results by chromosome?

Choose “Yes” only when the report shows which Extension and PATN1 results sit together on each chromosome.

More color genesNot started

Champagne

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

Silver

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

Mushroom

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

Frame Overo

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

Coat pattern genesNot started

White patterns at KIT

Does the report show which KIT variants are together on the same chromosome?

Choose “No” when the report lists KIT variants but does not group them by chromosome.

Leopard Complex

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

Splashed White families

MITF Splashed White

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

PAX3 Splashed White

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

Brindle1

Males have one X chromosome and females have two. Choose the Brindle1 result shown on the report.

First allele

Dam’s lab results

If a gene does not appear on this horse’s lab report, choose “Not tested / not included on report.” Creatures will keep it unknown rather than treating it as N/N.

Lab report progress: 0 of 26 filled in

Sex

The dam is entered as female.

Female

Color basics

Agouti

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

Cream & Pearl

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

Dun

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

Gray

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

Extension and PATN1

Does the report group Extension and PATN1 results by chromosome?

Choose “Yes” only when the report shows which Extension and PATN1 results sit together on each chromosome.

More color genesNot started

Champagne

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

Silver

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

Mushroom

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

Frame Overo

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

Coat pattern genesNot started

White patterns at KIT

Does the report show which KIT variants are together on the same chromosome?

Choose “No” when the report lists KIT variants but does not group them by chromosome.

Leopard Complex

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

Splashed White families

MITF Splashed White

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

PAX3 Splashed White

Choose what the lab report lists for this gene.

First allele

Second allele

Brindle1

Males have one X chromosome and females have two. Choose the Brindle1 result shown on the report.

First allele

Second allele

After choosing whether the report groups Extension, PATN1, or KIT variants by chromosome, select “Show the right lab fields” before continuing. If a gene has two menus and was not tested, choose “Not tested / not included on report” in both.

What this calculator covers

This calculator uses the coat-color tests listed below. It covers Extension, Agouti, Cream and Pearl, Champagne, Dun, Silver, Gray, Mushroom, Frame Overo, linked KIT white patterns, Leopard Complex with PATN1, Splashed White, and Brindle1. Health information comes from population research and cannot diagnose an individual horse.

UC Davis VGL coat-color reference UC Davis VGL Pearl test UC Davis VGL Champagne test UC Davis VGL Mushroom test UC Davis VGL Gray copy-number test UC Davis VGL Lethal White Overo test UC Davis VGL Tobiano test UC Davis VGL Roan test UC Davis VGL Leopard Complex test UC Davis VGL Splashed White test UC Davis VGL Brindle1 test

Horse color genetics can be wonderfully surprising. Start with both parents' laboratory reports, and Creatures will show the colors and patterns their foal could inherit, along with health notes and any questions the reports leave open. This educational tool is not all equine genetics, does not diagnose a horse, and each picture is an example, not an exact forecast of one foal’s shade or markings.

What this horse color calculator can explore

From familiar base colors to dilutions and white patterns, the calculator follows the names used on published VGL and APHA panels. That naming helps you match a laboratory report and does not imply endorsement or a partnership.

Core coat-color tests: Extension, Agouti, Cream and Pearl, Dun, Silver, Gray, and Frame Overo
Champagne at SLC36A1
Mushroom at MFSD12
KIT-region families, including Tobiano, Roan, Sabino1, selected Dominant White alleles, and Camarillo White W4
Leopard Complex at LP
Pattern-1 modifier at PATN1
Splashed White families at MITF
Splashed White family at PAX3
Brindle1 at MBTPS2, with sex-linked inheritance handled for you
Gray stages for the pictures; they show changes in appearance, not a horse's exact age or timetable

How to read your results

You will always see what the calculator knows, what remains uncertain, and what the artwork cannot promise.

Copy each DNA result exactly as it appears on both laboratory reports
Read the main odds as the chance for each conception, including any foal combination that cannot survive
Compare separate possibilities when a report does not show which linked variants sit together
When one percentage is not possible, use the explanation to see what information is missing
Use health notes as educational context, not a diagnosis for an individual horse
Use the pictures as examples because real shade and markings vary
Confirm important breeding and health decisions with the testing laboratory and a qualified veterinarian

Frequently asked questions

Which horse color genetics can I explore?

The calculator covers core coat-color tests, Champagne, Mushroom, selected KIT-region families, LP and PATN1, MITF and PAX3 Splashed White families, and sex-linked Brindle1. It uses published VGL and APHA panel names where they help you match a report. It is not all equine genetics and is not affiliated with or endorsed by either organization.

When can Creatures show one set of foal odds?

When both reports contain all the information the calculator needs, Creatures can show one set of odds for the supported results you entered. If the reports do not show which linked variants were inherited together, it shows the possibilities separately and explains what remains unknown.

Why are combinations that cannot survive included in the odds?

The percentages shown always count every conception. For example, an O/O Frame Overo combination stays in the calculation, so Creatures never makes the chances for surviving foals look higher by quietly removing it.

Can this tool diagnose a horse or replace a laboratory report?

No. The calculator helps you understand the DNA results you enter. It does not diagnose health conditions, confirm a laboratory result, or replace advice from the testing laboratory, a veterinarian, or another qualified professional.

Why might a foal look different from the artwork?

The same color family can appear with different shades, marking boundaries, roaning density, seasonal coats, and development. Each picture is an example, not a portrait of one foal. Gray stages show visible progression rather than a precise age or timetable.

What should I do when the report leaves more than one possibility?

Read each possibility on its own and do not average them together. The testing laboratory may be able to clarify which variants sit together on the same chromosome. Use the calculator again if you receive better information, and confirm breeding or health decisions with the laboratory and veterinarian.