The quarter horse is one of the most popular horse breeds in the world today. Cremello is a rare coat color in higher demand than standard bays or chestnuts. Other breeds approved for the Cremello coat color are miniature horses, Gypsy vanner horses, Andalusian horses, Tennessee walking horses, Connemara Pony, Missouri Fox Trotter, and some draft horses.
1. Pink Skin
Cremello horses feature pink skin due to a lack of pigmentation when inheriting the cream gene. So, the pink skin is a result of no color being available in the skin.
2. More Expensive Than a Standard Quarter Horse
A quarter horse with the Cremello color usually sells for more than a standard bay, gray, or sorrel quarter horse. A beautiful Cremello horse is striking with its creamy, shiny color and blue eyes. It's important to remember that a great horse is more than just looks; it also needs a good temperament and conformation to suit your needs. The stud fee is also higher for Cremello stallions than more common colored stallions.
3. Blue Eyes
One of the attractions of the Cremello horse from horse enthusiasts is its bright blue eyes. Not many horse colors show blue eyes; their rarity and fairytale-like appearance make them more desirable to many horse owners.
4. Cremello Quarter Horses Are Rare
The Cremello color is relatively rare in Quarter horses as most breeders breed for performance and not color. And the ones that do breed for color still cannot count on the foal being a Cremello as it is never color guaranteed. Be careful when purchasing a Cremello horse, as some owners may give incorrect information and call their horses Cremello while they are Perlino or buckskin. To be safe, have them tested or ask for their AQHA papers.
5. More Sensitive to The Sun
Cremello horses are more sensitive to the sun and its UV rays because of their pink skin. They can easily get sunburned and are more prone to skin cancer. It's, therefore, essential to protect your horse's muzzle with sunscreen or a fly veil during the hot summer months.
6. Must Inherit Cream Gene From Each Parent
Just because you breed two Cremello horses to each other does not automatically result in a Cremello foal. The foal must inherit one copy of the cream genes (homozygous) from each parent to be a true Cremello horse. There is, therefore, only a 25% chance the foal will be Cremello when breeding two Cremello horses.
7. AQHA Recognizes Cremello as a Color
The American Quarter Horse Association has approved the Cremello color as a recognized color for the quarter horse breed. It means they can be registered with AQHA and become approved breeding stalltions within the association.
8. Often Mistaken For A White, Albino, Palomino Horse
There is no such thing as an Albino horse, a term made up of inexperienced horse people. Palomino foals on the other hand are often mistaken as a Cremello foals. Palomino horses have more of a golden cream color, resulting from inheriting the cream gene from one parent only. Palominos also have darker skin and brown eyes. It's easy to distinguish a Cremello horse from a white horse as they are true white with no warm undertone and a white mane.
9. Increasing Popularity for English Disciplines
The Cremello color is gaining popularity among horse enthusiasts looking to stand out in the show ring. A Cremello stallion that has taken the online equestrian world by storm in the last year is 8-year-old showjumper Ivy Thomas-Cook, who jumps her parents' Cremello stallion ' Crown’s Ace Of Pearl'. She shares clips of her jumping up to 1.20m with this striking horse on her Instagram account @jumpingwithivy. The stallion's calm temperament and athletic ability allow the tiny rider to fly safely over giant jumps, hence their viral videos.
Photo: Jumping with Ivy
In conclusion, the Cremello quarter horse is incredible to look at and a very versatile horse. Whether looking for a barrel prospect or a trail horse, you can never go wrong with a beginner safe - Cremello trail horse.
