What Color Will Your Foal Be? FREE Genetics Predictor | 25,000+ Breeders Trust Us
What Color Will My Foal Be? Horse Color Calculator 2026
🐎 Planning your next foal crop? Over 25,000 American breeders use our free horse color calculator 2026 to predict foal coat colors before breeding. Whether you're breeding Quarter Horses, Thoroughbreds, Arabians, or Paints, our genetics-based tool shows you the probability of bay, chestnut, palomino, buckskin, and rare colors.
🐎 HORSE COLOR CALCULATOR 2026 - What Color Will Your Foal Be?
Join 25,000+ American breeders predicting foal colors before breeding
How This Horse Color Calculator Predicts Your Foal's Color
Equine coat color genetics follow specific inheritance patterns. Our foal color calculator 2026 uses the same genetic principles as UC Davis veterinary genetics laboratory to predict probabilities with scientific accuracy. When you ask "what color will my foal be?", our calculator analyzes:
🧬 Core Color Genetics
Extension Locus (E/e): Controls black pigment. E = black possible, e = red only (chestnut)
Agouti Locus (A/a): Restricts black to points. A = bay, a = solid black
Cream (Cr): Single copy = palomino/buckskin, double copy = cremello/perlino
Gray (G): Dominant gene causing progressive graying from any base color
Dun (D): Primitive markings with dorsal stripe, leg barring
🌈 Popular Color Combinations
Bay x Bay: 75% bay, 25% chestnut (if both carry red)
Chestnut x Chestnut: 100% chestnut foals
Palomino x Chestnut: 50% palomino, 50% chestnut
Buckskin x Bay: 50% buckskin, 50% bay
Gray x Non-Gray: 50% gray foals
📐 Genetics Behind "What Color Will My Foal Be?"
Base Color Formula: E allele = black pigment, e allele = red pigment (chestnut). A allele restricts black to points (bay).
Cream Dilution: Single Cr allele dilutes red to gold (palomino), black to smoky. Double Cr = cremello/perlino.
Probability Calculation: Our calculator runs Punnett squares for each gene locus, then combines probabilities for accurate predictions.
Breed-Specific Adjustments: Quarter Horses (high bay frequency), Thoroughbreds (no cream dilution naturally), Arabians (high gray frequency).
Based on 2026 equine genetics research from UC Davis and Animal Genetics Laboratory
Common Questions About Foal Colors
Chestnut Genetics
Genotype: ee __ (homozygous red)
Can produce: Only red-based foals (chestnut, palomino, cremello)
Hidden colors: Chestnut can carry agouti (A) without expressing it
Breeding tip: Two chestnuts = 100% chestnut-based foals
Bay Genetics
Genotype: E_ A_ (black + agouti)
Can produce: Bay, black, chestnut, plus dilutions
Most common: Bay is the most common horse color worldwide
Breeding tip: Bay x chestnut = 50% bay, 50% chestnut if bay carries red
Black Genetics
Genotype: E_ aa (black, no agouti restriction)
Rare: True black is less common than bay or chestnut
Fading black: Some blacks fade in sun, now linked to separate gene
Breeding tip: Black can carry red (e) and produce chestnut foals
Gray Genetics
Genotype: G_ (dominant over base color)
Progressive: Foals born colored, lighten with age
High frequency: Arabians, Lipizzans, Andalusians
Breeding tip: Gray x non-gray = 50% gray probability
Dilution Colors: Palomino, Buckskin, Cremello & More
Single Dilutes
Palomino: Chestnut base + one cream gene (ee __ Crcr) - golden body, flaxen mane/tail
Buckskin: Bay base + one cream gene (E_ A_ Crcr) - tan body, black points
Smoky Black: Black base + one cream gene (E_ aa Crcr) - looks black but can produce dilutes
Breed popularity: Palomino highly desired in Quarter Horses and Western breeds
Double Dilutes
Cremello: Chestnut base + two creams (ee __ crcr) - cream body, blue eyes, pink skin
Perlino: Bay base + two creams (E_ A_ crcr) - cream body, slightly darker points
Smoky Cream: Black base + two creams - very rare, cream-colored
Note: Double dilutes always produce dilute foals when bred to non-dilutes
❓ What Color Will My Foal Be? - FAQ for American Breeders
What color will my foal be if I breed a bay horse to a chestnut?
If you breed a bay horse (E_ A_) to a chestnut (ee __), you'll get approximately 50% bay and 50% chestnut foals. If the bay carries cream dilution, you could also get palomino or buckskin. If both carry hidden genes, you might see black or smoky colors. Use our calculator above for exact probabilities based on your specific horses.
Can two chestnut horses produce a bay foal?
No. Chestnut is recessive red (ee), so both parents can only contribute e alleles. Without an E allele from either parent, the foal cannot produce black pigment and therefore cannot be bay or black. The foal will be chestnut-based (chestnut, palomino, or cremello if cream genes present).
What's the probability of getting a palomino foal from a buckskin and a chestnut?
Buckskin (E_ A_ Crcr) x Chestnut (ee __ CrCr or Crcr) gives approximately: 25% palomino, 25% chestnut, 25% buckskin, 25% bay. The exact probability depends on whether the chestnut carries cream and whether the buckskin carries hidden red. Our calculator accounts for all these variables.
How does the gray gene affect my foal's color prediction?
If either parent is gray (G_), there's a 50% chance the foal will be gray (if one parent gray) or 75% (if both gray). Gray foals are born their base color (bay, chestnut, etc.) and gradually turn gray over 2-6 years. Our calculator shows both the birth color AND eventual gray color.
What are the most common horse colors for American breeds?
Quarter Horses: Most common are sorrel (chestnut), bay, palomino, and buckskin. Thoroughbreds: Bay (50%+), chestnut, black, gray. Arabians: Very high gray frequency (40-50%), bay, chestnut. Paints: Same base colors as Quarter Horses plus tobiano/overo patterns. Our calculator adjusts probabilities based on your selected breed.
What is the difference between palomino, buckskin, and cremello?
Palomino: Chestnut base + one cream gene - golden body with flaxen mane/tail. Buckskin: Bay base + one cream gene - tan body with black points (mane, tail, legs). Cremello: Chestnut base + two cream genes - cream/ivory body, blue eyes, pink skin. All are dilute colors caused by the cream gene.
Breed-Specific Color Genetics for American Breeds
🇺🇸 Quarter Horse Colors
Most common: Sorrel (chestnut), bay, palomino
High cream gene frequency - many palominos and buckskins
Gray less common than in Arabians
AQHA registers 17 official colors
🇺🇸 Thoroughbred Colors
No natural cream dilution (palomino not naturally occurring)
Bay most common (50%+), followed by chestnut, gray
Gray often indicates Arabian ancestry
Jockey Club recognizes bay, chestnut, black, gray, roan
🇺🇸 Arabian Colors
Very high gray frequency (40-50% of registrations)
Bay, chestnut common as base colors
No spotting patterns (no Paint/Appaloosa genes)
Black relatively rare in Arabians
🇺🇸 Paint Horse Colors
Base colors same as Quarter Horses
Plus tobiano, overo, tovero spotting patterns
Color patterns inherited separately from base color
Our calculator focuses on base color - pattern calculators separate
Stop Guessing - Know Your Foal's Color!
Join 25,000+ American breeders predicting foal colors with science
⚠️ Equine Genetics Disclaimer (Updated February 2026)
Educational Tool for Breeders: This horse color calculator 2026 is designed to help breeders understand "what color will my foal be?" based on established equine genetics principles. Our algorithms follow research from UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory and Animal Genetics Inc.
Accuracy Note: Predictions are probabilities, not guarantees. Actual foal colors may vary due to rare genetic variations, mutations, or incomplete testing. For 100% certainty, genetic testing of both parents through UC Davis or similar labs is recommended.
Breeding Advice: Color should never be the sole factor in breeding decisions. Prioritize health, conformation, temperament, and genetic diversity. Some color combinations may carry health considerations (e.g., lethal white in overo x overo).
Last Update: February 15, 2026 | Data Source: UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory / Animal Genetics Inc.