▁C ream ▁coat ▁colors ▁are ▁described ▁by ▁their ▁relationship ▁to ▁the ▁three ▁" base " ▁coat ▁colors : ▁ch est nut , ▁bay , ▁and ▁black . ▁ ▁All ▁horses ▁obtain ▁two ▁copies ▁of ▁the ▁M AT P ▁gene ; ▁one ▁from ▁the ▁s ire , ▁and ▁one ▁from ▁the ▁dam . ▁ ▁A ▁horse ▁may ▁have ▁the ▁cre am ▁alle le ▁or ▁the ▁non - cre am ▁alle le ▁on ▁each ▁gene . ▁Those ▁with ▁two ▁non - cre am ▁alle les ▁will ▁not ▁exhib it ▁true ▁cre am ▁tra its . ▁ ▁H ors es ▁with ▁ ▁one ▁cre am ▁alle le ▁and ▁one ▁non - cre am ▁alle le , ▁popular ly ▁ ▁called ▁" single ▁dil utes ," ▁exhib it ▁specific ▁tra its : ▁all ▁red ▁p ig ment ▁in ▁the ▁coat ▁is ▁gold , ▁while ▁the ▁black ▁p ig ment ▁is ▁either ▁una ffect ed ▁or ▁only ▁subt ly ▁affected . ▁These ▁horses ▁are ▁usually ▁pal om ino , ▁bu ck sk in , ▁or ▁sm ok y ▁black . ▁These ▁horses ▁often ▁have ▁light ▁brown ▁eyes . ▁H ors es ▁with ▁ 2 ▁copies ▁of ▁the ▁cre am ▁alle le ▁also ▁exhib it ▁specific ▁tra its : ▁cre am - color ed ▁co ats , ▁pale ▁blue ▁eyes , ▁and ▁ros y - p ink ▁skin . ▁These ▁horses ▁are ▁usually ▁called ▁cre m ello , ▁perl ino , ▁or ▁sm ok y ▁cre am . ▁ ▁H eter o zy g ous ▁cre ams ▁(" single