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Champagne skin coloration
 Here
are some examples of the pink skin with freckles that is characteristic of a
horse with the Champagne gene.
Appaloosas, Palominos, roans, sabinos and even perlinos and cremellos can
have pink skin, mottled or freckled, on various places on their bodies, but that
does not mean that they have the Champagne gene. (See THIS
PAGE for examples.) The genetic conditions for champagne must also be met
(directly inherited as a simple dominant from at least one parent).
The place where the freckling shows up best
on a Champagne colored horse is on the muzzle/lips, around the eyes, and under
the tail; though it is also pink and freckled under the body hair
as well. Many non-Champagne Palominos, for example, have pink freckled
skin on their private areas, and even on much of their bodies, but not
directly around the eyes, nor on the muzzle.
Palomino (Foal or adult)
Many Palominos are born with
pink skin and blue eyes. Usually they turn dark within days or
weeks after birth. Some Palominos keep much of their pink skin, even
developing mottling and/or freckles on their private parts, and some have
light brown eyes, but without the skin permanently pink and freckled
around the eyes and lips, and at least one champagne parent or
offspring, they cannot be Champagne.
 This
palomino was born with pink skin and blue eyes that turned dark
shortly after birth. Shown here with the original pink skin
& blue eyes. Bred by Gary Barnes, Bar NS Ranch,
Visalia, CA.
 This
little fellow is a Palomino, too. More info and pics of him were HERE.
Please let us know if you know where he is now. His name is
probably Chase. In his case, also, the blue eyes and pink skin do
not mean he is a champagne, and they will both darken in a few days to weeks.
Docs Dewin Time, a creamy-white Palomino QH gelding, owned
by Dr. Joseph Kostelnik
of Ohio. Doc's has a very diluted color, and pink,
mottled and freckled skin, but they are due to the cream
gene and extensive "sabino roaning" or "cream roaning".
At age
3 Doc still had pink skin, with freckles, on much of his body
... but NOT around his dark brown eyes, where
the skin is dark, almost like eyeliner; or on his muzzle,
where the skin is dark grey. By age 7 there was much
less pink skin color.
Appaloosas
 Mottling, not freckling.
Note the difference from Champagne FRECKLING.
One difference is that the pink skin on Appaloosas is PIGMENT
FREE, and a Champagne's "pink" skin retains some
pigment.
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All four Appaloosa photos by Andrea
Jackson.
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