Cremello Champagne Dun or flaxen?

[Veterinarian]

This has been bugging me for a little while now.


Is this Cremello Champagne Dun or Flaxen?

Dun: I understand that he has no stripes on his legs or mane etc. but a dun's mane also is wighter than the body's color.

Flaxen: However, flaxen is when a horse's mane and tail are lighter than the horse's body's colour so this is basically what my colt has but how can I be sure?

[BlackOak2]

This has been bugging me for a little while now.
Is this Cremello Champagne Dun or Flaxen?

Dun: I understand that he has no stripes on his legs or mane etc. but a dun's mane also is wighter than the body's color.

Flaxen: However, flaxen is when a horse's mane and tail are lighter than the horse's body's colour so this is basically what my colt has but how can I be sure?

First, it gets increasingly difficult during their newborn year (before blowing the foal coat) to tell the foals adult colors, especially as you add more color genes.

Second, Dun And Flaxen won't be immediately visible on the foals coat as a newborn. Dun will fade in during their newborn year, but doesn't always (or is too difficult to see). And as far as flaxen is concerned... Flaxen only appears lighter then the base coat when it's on it's base coat (chestnut without dilutions). With two exceptions: pangare and dun (dun won't generally lighten the mane and tail). When chestnut already has cream genes (palomino & cremello) or when it's paired with pearl and cream (palomino pearl) or when it's paired with double pearl (apricot) or when it's paired with champagne (gold champagne) or some combination of these three dilution genes, the mane and tail are naturally lightened.

So when you have a dilute like this and you think your horse may also have flaxen, sometimes it will give hints (but not always). Sometimes, the flaxen shows a much, much brighter white (generally this is hidden behind the already bright white of the mane and tail paired with creams). More often, flaxen will reveal itself by coloring or rather bleeding-out the base-creamed color on the ankles and fetlocks. It will end up looking like somebody air-brushed some silver coloration on them.

But these hints are only available after the foal coat is blown. Until you know your own herd very well and the color patterns they throw regularly, pinning down exactly an adult coat when still just a foal becomes almost impossible (let alone for other players that haven't been producing your herd).

Some things I can say about your foal though.
He appears to be a gold cream: single cream & champagne on chestnut and also appears to carry tiger eye. There may be dun as well.
That's the best I can do.