▁sh ade , ▁are ▁pale ▁gold ▁with ▁black ▁points . ▁ ▁They ▁are ▁sometimes ▁called ▁but term il k ▁bu ck sk ins . ▁The ▁cre am ▁gene ▁acting ▁on ▁the ▁dark est ▁b ays , ▁( s ometimes ▁mistaken ▁for ▁se al ▁brow ns ) ▁may ▁dil ute ▁to ▁a ▁so oty ▁bu ck sk in . ▁True ▁se al ▁brown ▁bu ck sk ins ▁can ▁be ▁very ▁difficult ▁to ▁identify ▁ow ing ▁to ▁their ▁almost ▁all - black ▁co ats . ▁It ▁is ▁only ▁the ▁re dd ish ▁mark ings ▁around ▁the ▁eyes , ▁m uzz le , ▁el bow ▁and ▁gro in , ▁which ▁are ▁turned ▁gold , ▁that ▁may ▁give ▁them ▁away . ▁ ▁Sm ok y ▁black , ▁a ▁horse ▁with ▁a ▁black ▁base ▁coat ▁and ▁one ▁copy ▁of ▁the ▁cre am ▁alle le , ▁is ▁less ▁well - known ▁than ▁the ▁two ▁golden ▁sh ades . ▁ ▁Since ▁a ▁single ▁copy ▁of ▁the ▁cre am ▁gene ▁primarily ▁affect s ▁red ▁p ig ment , ▁with ▁only ▁a ▁subt le ▁effect ▁on ▁black , ▁sm ok y ▁black s ▁can ▁be ▁quite ▁difficult ▁to ▁identify . ▁Sm ok y ▁black s ▁may ▁have ▁re dd ish ▁guard ▁hair s ▁inside ▁their ▁ears , ▁and ▁experienced ▁horse ▁persons ▁may ▁detect ▁something ▁" off " ▁about ▁the ▁coat ▁of ▁a ▁sm ok y ▁black , ▁though ▁the ▁slightly ▁burn ished ▁look ▁is ▁often ▁ch alk ed ▁up ▁to ▁sun ▁ble aching , ▁which ▁can ▁also ▁be ▁seen ▁in ▁true ▁black