Cremello.. Perlino.. What's the difference? The Color Chart showed what creates a Cremello, vs what creates a Perlino. A Cremello is like a "double palomino" and a Perlino, like a "double buckskin," but can you tell the difference just by looking at them? Absolutely. A Cremello horse will have a WHITE mane and tail, just as a palomino would. Some Cremellos have hair coats which are so pale that their body will look just as white as their mane and tail, while others are more markedly cream colored.     A Perlino horse will have mane, tail, and "points" that are DARKER than thier body hair coat, like a buckskin would. But instead of being black, these darker areas are usually rust or orange hued.     Both Cremello And Perlino colored horses will have Pinkish Skin and Blue eyes. They both can have markings, such as: Socks, Stars, Stripes, Snips and other white markings, as well as dorsal stripes (if they have the dun factor) can all be seen easily if they are present on the horse. Double dilutes can also come in tobiano and overo patterning, and they can be homozygous for the tobiano gene as well. The picture below is of BANDERA TUBOK as a foal. He has been tested by UC-Davis as being homozygous for both the creme gene (he's cremello) and also homozygous for the tobiano gene. Another unique feature Cremellos and Perlinos share is their blue eyes. Dr. Ann Bowling believed that Cremello/Perlino blue eyes, resulting from the dilution gene, may differ greatly from "paint" blue eyes, which result from spotting genes. Research has yet to be completed on this, but if nothing else, there IS one difference between the eyes: the appearence. Cremello/Perlino eyes often have areas or "flecks" with darker blue pigment, or even green or amber. Paint blue eyes are usually very light "ice" blue, as illustrated above. There is currently a study being done by veterinarians on equine blue eyes. As soon as any information is available from that study, we will have it posted on our webpages! Palominos can have blue eyes as well: Without knowing the pedigree of the palomino above, just from seeing the color of the eye it would seem likely that this would be the Paint-type of blue eye, without the horse having the Paint patterning. "But I've SEEN Albino Horses!" (Click link for more!) The creme gene and Lethal whites (Click link for more!) This site is not intended to give the visitor a complete education in the science of equine genetics, but merely to explain the creme gene in layman's terms, and thus help dispel some of the myths associated with it. If you have questions about these horses and their coloration, Please visit our Creme Gene Facts page, or if you still have questions, visit the Color Discussion Board The American Quarter Horse Association had a rule on its books, 227i (formerly known as 227j), that disallowed registration of purebred Quarter Horses with two creme genes.  The organization that has gotten the AQHA Rule 227i eliminated has an email list you may join:   Click to subscribe to CPEA