Cremello horses are one half of the double cream dilutes, perlinos being the other. Cremellos are chestnut horses carrying two copies of the cream dilution modifier.
I have split cremellos and perlinos into their own sections so that there is more space devoted to each of these very special dilutes.
You'll find:
- tips for feeding
- handy hints for showing
- beautiful photos of beautiful cremellos illustrating the different shades they come in
So what's your favourite dilute....
You know that old school thing - what's your favourite colour, what's your favourite number, what's your favourite animal??
Well, most of you probably don't...but back when I was in school it was a popular 'means of communication' I guess you would call it.
My answers were always - pink, 4 and horses. So theoretically that meant I liked pink horses with 4 legs....
One day when I was washing my ivory coloured cremello mare and admiring the beautiful 'apricot pink with polka dots' that she always went when wet I remembered that old school thing and realised how true it had turned out to be.
I love cremellos. Even though I have palominos up the wazoo, my favourite dilutes are cremellos and perlinos. Of course I adore my palominos too (and buckskins, duns, champagnes, pearls, silvers....) but there is just something about those iridescent silver to cream coats and beautiful big sky blue eyes that grab me.
The shades....
Cremellos range in shade from almost pure white through to dark ivory. They can have palomino coloured hairs in their manes and tails....the darker ones often do. They can also have buff coloured legs....again the darker ones often do.
A tip for breeders....
....always take photos of new born cremellos if they have white markings because 9 times out of 10, unless they're one of the darker ones, you won't be able to see the markings by the time they're six months old. Those photos are an invaluable record when it comes time to register them or if you ever want to know what markings they have.
China or glass....
The difference....?
I think of it like this-
- glass is clear
- china is opaque
With a glass eye the iris simply lacks dark pigment. In all other respects it is a normal eye. The pupil is blue like the iris.
In a china eye the iris pigment is white and has more of an opaque appearance like china. The pupil is brown. Again, the eye is otherwise perfectly normal.
Blue eyed horses are light sensitive due to the lack of
dark pigment in their eyes but they are not blind or any of the other
things that have been attributed to them.
Showing cremellos and perlinos
Showing your cremello or perlino can be great fun and very rewarding. Here are some DOs and DON'Ts and handy hints....
Cremellos and perlinos are shown together in the same classes. There should be NO bias towards either colour.
Starting out checklist....
Showing cremellos and perlinos and how you do it really depends on where you live and, if they're registered with a dilute association, what your association's regulations are. For instance:
- are they allowed to be plaited
- are they allowed to have black on their hooves
- is there a particular dress standard for handlers
- what are the requirements for showing colts and stallions
What are they judged on....
Cremellos and perlinos are generally judged on conformation, movement and manners. As there is no coat colour standard of excellence for cremellos and perlinos, there shouldn't be any discrimination between the various shades. Nor should there be any favouritism shown by the judge with respect to breed and type.
To black or not....
I have always shown my cremellos with a clear or neutral finish to their feet. Pink hooves are one of the characteristics of their colour so don't cover it up. Some associations do not permit hooves to be blackened for showing anyway.
General advice....
- Goes without saying that they must be clean. You can't get away with a half hearted wash job with cremellos and perlinos! They show every single bit of dirt.
- They need to lead properly, including standing up correctly and troting out as required. If the judge can't see their conformation or assess their movement properly you are unlikely to do well.
- Feet - make sure they're trimmed or shod correctly. DON'T take a horse or pony to a show with long toes or badly cracked feet. Make sure their feet are balanced both when standing still and when they move.
- Make up - keep it to a minimum. Don't hide any of the characteristics that make the double cream dilutes what they are.
- Try and wear dark trousers which contrast with your horse's front legs - see more about this on the Showing Dilutes page
- Make sure the bridle fits correctly and the colour of any fancy browbands suits them. Cremellos and perlinos do look good in just about any colour though.
For even more handy hints and tips on showing from fellow dilute owners, see the Showing Dilutes page.
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