Champagne
Champagne gives a metallic sheen, pinkish/mottled skin and light (amber) eyes.
What does this colour look like?
A diluted body with a typical metallic sheen, pink to mottled (pumpkin) skin and light amber to greenish eyes, most striking at birth.
- Body
- diluted with metallic sheen
- Mane and tail
- diluted
- Legs
- diluted
- Skin
- pink/mottled
- Eyes
- amber
How does this colour arise?
Champagne dilutes black to brown and red to gold, and gives glowing skin and eyes.
More about the genetics
Champagne is dominant (Ch). It dilutes black pigment to brown and red to gold. On the three base colours this gives classic (black), amber (bay) and gold (chestnut) champagne. Distinctive vs cream: mottled skin and amber eyes (cream gives pink skin and blue eyes when doubled).
What is this colour often confused with?
- Palomino
You recognise a palomino by its golden coat with light, almost white mane and tail.
- Buckskin
A buckskin has a golden body with black mane, tail and lower legs.
- Cremello
An almost white, cream-coloured chestnut with pink skin and blue eyes.
- Gold champagne
Champagne on a chestnut base: golden, with pink/mottled skin and amber eyes.
Discover more
Sources: UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory · Sponenberg, D.P. & Bellone, R.R. (Wiley-Blackwell).