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@Ammit, @ConfluenceFarms

I feel like @Cheers amazing guide to the genes should be a thread in their own right as opposed to innocuously hiding in a thread "help me with the colors on this stallion".
I am so grateful I stumbled upon this and bookmarked the discussion, but I am sure a lot of people have no clue it exists. And - I can't stress this enough - this guide is so helpful!

@Cheers: thanks for all the work you keep putting in!

I would love to see some of this worked into the genetics guide if Ammit and Confluence think that’s appropriate. I love that the genetics guide goes into the academic research about the genes, but I didn’t find it particularly helpful as far as relating to the actual game mechanics...so perhaps it might be appropriate to work some of this in there?

White Spotting 8 is the next pattern. It does not spontaneously occur in the game and can only be added from the GMT Lab.

Generally referred to as White 8 or W8. Medium danger when mixing with other Kit patterns.

W8 generally presents as clusters of white speckles on a base color coat at lower white factors, or as large patches of white with very distinctly speckled edges at higher white factors. Unlike the previous 3 white spotting genes, it does not seem to have a preference for white coming up from the ground and base color coming down from the top line or for stripes of color—the patches seem to occur randomly over the whole body.

Written Kitw8. W8 has its own Breeders Club and is always available in the GMT Lab.

W8 White Factor None

Gp M3 Merry Christmas 2G

W8 WF Minimal

Equinox Winners Blue

W8 WF Light

Equinox Royal Kitty

W8 WF Medium

Equinox Rohan Wind

W8 WF Large

3G TBA Eventually Make It

W8 WF Extensive

1336278

White Spotting 20 is the next pattern. As discussed previously, W20 is more of a modifier than a pattern. It seems to contribute to “normal” white markings on the face and lower legs of horses, but having W20 doesn’t automatically cause these white markings. It seems to increase the expression of other patterns including Kit patterns and the Splash patterns.

W20 does not cause the White Spotted signifier in the color name of a horse. It does not have a Breeders Club. It does occur spontaneously in the game and it is always in the GMT Lab.

Written Kitw20.

A few examples of W20:

G2 MHF1335987


SuperWild 2g


1336097


Making it Big

W20 also seems to very rarely cause a small white patch on the belly. I can’t find one quickly but it’s an expression to be aware of.

Ok, we are up to the Sabinos! Sabino 1 is the next pattern. Sabino causes sort of feathery markings with jagged edges, especially on the face, legs and belly. Sabino is much much stronger when there are two copies, including a copy of each. That said, Sabino is relatively safe to mix with other Kit patterns.

Sabino 1 is usually referred to in that way. Occasionally I’ve seen Sab1 or simply Sabino.

Sabino 1 occurs in limited herd helpers, but does not occur spontaneously in random creates. It has its own Breeders Club and is always available in the GMT Lab.

Kitsb1 is the genetic notation for Sabino 1.

Sabino 1 WF None

B3 Viana

Sabino 1 WF Minimal

Equinox Eve of Rohan

Sabino 1 WF Light

Reaping South G5

Sabino 1 WF Medium

G3 Dirty Jingle

Sabino 1 WF Large

Rapid Raptors G10

Sabino 1 WF Extensive

III Risk It All

Hom Sabino 1 WF Medium

EE Shower 1353259

Hom Sabino 1 WF Extensive

5 1348660 KP

Sabino 2 is our last Kit Pattern! Oh my! So exciting!

Sabino 2 is very similar to Sabino 1, but slightly “louder” in expression. White markings still seem to mostly originate on the legs, face or underside of the body/neck. They are somewhat less “feathery” at the edges, with more defined edges between white and base color.

Sabino 2 is usually referred to in this way, occasionally as Sab2. Sabino 2 never spontaneously occurs in the game, but is always available in the GMT Lab. It has its own Breeders Club.

Kitsb2 is the allele designation.

Sabino 2 WF None

Equinox Rigel Soul

Sabino 2 WF Minimal

DS Snowman

Sabino 2 WF Light

1339750

Sabino 2 WF Medium

1339762

Sabino 2 WF Large

1339646

Sabino 2 WF Extensive

Lunar Illusion G9

Like Sabino 1, homozygous Sabino 2 is much stronger.

Hom Sab 2 WF Medium

1339720

Hom Sab 2 WF Extensive

1339723

Ok y’all, I think Splash is next. I’m going to cover all 4 varieties of Splash in the game together in this post even though they’re technically on two different genes.

There are three kinds of Splash on the Splash gene:
Splash 1 is Sps
Splash 3 is Sps3
Splash Macchiato is SpM

The fourth splash is on the PAX3 gene.
Splash 2 is PAX3^C70Y

Splash 1 is usually just called Splash. It occurs spontaneously in the game and is available in the GMT Lab.

Splash 2 never occurs spontaneously in the game. It is available in the GMT Lab.

Splash 3 never occurs spontaneously in the game and is NOT available in the GMT Lab.

Splash 1-3 basically look like the horse has been dipped feet and muzzle first into white paint. The level of expression varies between splash type and is also governed by White Factor. Macchiato is similar to splash but has an edge that looks “roaned” instead of the clean edge of splash 1-3. This is reminiscent of the look of milk “staining” espresso coffee and is the source of the name of this type of splash. Macchiato also lightens the overall color of the horse.

Splash M or Macchiato never occurs spontaneously in the game and is considered a Closed gene, meaning that you can only own breedable horses with the gene if you bought it directly from the game. It is not in the GMT Lab but is on the rotating gene sales list.

All 4 splash varieties are eligible for the Splash Breeders Club. There is not a special club for any one kind of splash.

Splash 2 is lethal when homozygous.
Splash 3 is lethal when homozygous.
Splash 2 and Splash 3 mixed together is lethal.

Splash and Macchiato are safe when homozygous, when mixed together, or when mixed with Splash 2 or 3 (but not splash 2 AND 3 together because obviously that’s lethal).

Homozygous slash or any two splashes mixed together will increase overall expression of the splash markings, which means splash is incompletely dominant.

Some splash examples:

Splash

Carmel1650419


1650210

Please note that Splash 1 can sometimes cause a horse to have blue eyes.

Splash 2

WO2 1661401 Splash2


WO2 1661318 Splash2

Splash 3

$ 1649586pf


Starjack

Splash Macchiato

1659054


3B Mocha Snow etfSmdp

Splash 1 and Macchiato can both cause blue eyes. As far as I’m aware, Splash 2 and 3 don’t, but I may not be accurate there!

@Cheers, just a few corrections to your post:

1. The Rabicano gene's nature in itself is a Homozygous Dominant gene. But like many genes that are Hom. Dom., they have a complementary recessive allele. Just be careful with how you use the terms dominant and recessive when discussing genes, by saying its a 'Dominant/recessive gene' tends to imply that the gene can be both hom. dom. and hom. rec. each having a unique phenotype.

2. Again because Rabicano is a hom. dom. gene you need to be more specific when referring to what genotypes represent certain phenotypes. By saying 'Rb is rabicano' and 'rb' isn't rabicano it can again confuse people, if they have a horse that is heterozygous for the gene but expresses Rabicano markings, they will be confused as the horse has the gene that is rabicano and the gene that isn't. If you are going to refer to the phenotypic nature of the gene, you will have to explicitly refer to all possible genotypes a horse can inherit, e.g.:

RbRb = Rabicano
Rbrb/rbRb = Rabicano
rb/rb = No Rabicano

Hopes this helps you in future conversations about all things gene's. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask me, as I have studied animal genetics.

Thanks,
TBH

@Cheers So much wonderful work here! Are you planning to cover fantasy genes in this thread?

Hey y’all!

Yes I do plan to cover the fantasy genes eventually. Next on the list is Appy and PATN1. Then I’m trying to decide if I do hidden “real” genes like DP and Snowflake before I get into the fantasies, or if I do all of the non-hidden genes and finish up with the hidden ones. I’m leaning towards the first approach right now.

Ok. I’ve been working on Appy in my head for a while here and to be honest I’m struggling with it, mostly because I think I don’t really understand it in real life and all the different terms that can be applied to it. Therefore, PLEASE, if I’m using a term wrong, tell me! Or if I’m missing a real life term that could help explain something, point that out too please!

There are some aspects of Appaloosa markings that are consistently displayed in game, some that are sometimes displayed and some that currently never occur.

Appaloosa is on the L gene. L is no appy, Llp is appy. Appaloosa is incompletely dominant, so one copy of Llp gives you the possibility of a horse with the spots most of us associate with the pattern, while LlpLlp gives you what is called a “snowcap” or a “few spot” Appaloosa.

In game all Appaloosas (unless they have another marking interrupting it) have pink muzzles with spots on them. Homozygous cream and splash and other patterns might override this. They may have striped hooves. They may have some degree of white “blanket” marking starting just barely over the rump or extending over the entire horse. This blanket may have roundish spots on it with one copy of Llp or no/very few spots with LlpLlp. The horse may have a roan sort of effect to its coat without Kitr. This is called “varnish” and varnish may increase over time. The horse may also be a slightly lighter, more golden or sometimes almost slightly purple shade (especially with dun or het cream in the mix) than “normal” which is known as Appy “bronzing”.

Appaloosa has some other characteristic markings in real life, like mottled skin around the eyes, that don’t happen in game.

If present, the size of Appaloosa spots is at least partially associated with the number of darkening genes the horse has (Ssty and DP). Horses with more darkening genes usually have bigger spots.

The size of the blanket marking is partially controlled by another gene in the game and we will hit that next entry.

Below are a few examples of possible Appaloosa markings.

This is basically what I see in my head when I hear “Appaloosa”. A blanket Appaloosa with spots (Het Llp) and this girl also has a fair amount of varnish. Please note the mottled muzzle/lips.

S1650624

Smaller blanket + varnish

Summers Buckaroo

Almost no blanket + varnish, this horse would have looked almost like a normal bay as a young horse.

4 Donners Blackout a

A 2 year old minimal blanket with early varnishing

LC1 Smoke

Bigger blanket + varnish

Ziggy i cute

Nearly all blanket or a Leopard Appaloosa

1650299


Hom Llp small blanket with few spots, also known I believe as a “snow cap”

MRs Dun Equally

Bigger blanket, roan instead of varnish.

Captain Carrot


1651364

“Few Spot” or near few spot

Yulex2 1652718s n

I'm also pretty sure that w20 can increase the blanket size. Not 100% sure, but pretty darn sure

Based on my understanding, W20 shouldn’t have any effect on blanket size but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t. Since blanket size is so variable anyway, I’m honestly not sure.

I did some cursory checking just now and the largest blanket options for each level of PATN1 is possible without the influence of W20 but that’s not necessarily conclusive!

I do recall Ammit talking about a hidden gene in the code that also influences blanket size, I believe, but I'm not sure w20 has anything to do with it, or white factor for that matter.

An interesting side note - from what I saw in the gene sales, it's possible varnish and snowflake rest on the same allele. The couple of snowflakes I made didn't have it, but when someone else went to add it they saw something that read "vn" on the first gene strand they added it to, and that was swapped out for the snowflake.

Based on that, I would make a haphazard guess that in the game, varnish presents minimally when there are no copies of it on the horse, to a small to medium extent when het, and then happens quickly and strongly when hom. Of course, that's all hypothesis.

@Lallyhop I’m pretty sure Ammit has officially said that Snowflake is a version of varnish, so it would make sense they’re different alleles on the same gene. Also, I’m pretty sure but not completely confident that White Factor has no influence on Appy blanket size. Again, I’m pretty sure Ammit has said Appy is its own separate little world.

@Ren yep, definitely Appy spot size is not completely related to darkening genes! But there is a partial association there as all of those threads devoted to Appy have found so I wanted to mention it here. A little like blanket size and PATN1, darkness helps tell part of the story but doesn’t give the complete picture!

The next post will be Mushroom. Then we will hit DP, KP and GP, and then we will hit the fantasy genes by family—Nexus Complex, Ice, Rainbow Riot, Chinchilla. I will also be going back to the Dun entry to update it for the new Dun variation (nd1) and the new terminology for non dun (nd2).

That’s a really helpful example, Waldgraf. Thank you for that!

Back in the W20 post, you mentioned the belly spot that can be associated with W20, but didn't have a picture at the time. I bred a W20 with a belly spot this year.


AdL Don Quixote