Shades of Buckskin / Smoky Black

Sample photographs of the various shades of buckskin and smoky black, recognised by Dilutes Australia Ltd.



Please note - these photos are for illustrative purposes only and by no means represent the full spectrum of shades found in equines.  

Some examples of different buckskin foal shades

Some examples of adult buckskin shades

Genetically brown is a phenotype of bay so is more correctly referred to as 'dark bay'.  However, research has found that dark bays invariably test as EE A_ (but not all EE A_ horses are dark bay).

Smokey Blacks

A single copy of cream doesn't express on black.  The variations in pigment colour in smokey blacks that were once thought to indicate the presence of cream are now attributed to nd1, natural pigment variations like those seen in bays and chestnuts, mineral deficiencies, bleaching and fading.  These photos have been included purely to illustrate how smokey blacks can vary in shade but these shades are not unique to smokey black - they also occur regularly in ordinary blacks as well.  We only know the horses in these photos carry cream because they have a double cream dilute parent or have been DNA tested.

Some examples of Smokey Black foal shades

Some examples of Smokey Black adult shades


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