Chetar Arabians ~ MARES ~ Caprice

Caprice is one of the mares of Chetar Arabians that I spent a long time searching for. Her highly unusual colour combination make her an extremely rare find, and with her close to flawless conformation and lovely attitude, her potential contribution to the future of the Chetar Arabians breeding program will undoubtedly be irreplacable.
Caprice has already proven herself to be a producer of Coloured Derivative Arabians of the highest quality with the arrival of this seasons foal.

Caprice is a Perlino Sabino Overo. Perlino is the term for a homozygous Creme on a Bay base coat, Cremello being the term for homozygous Creme on a Chestnut base. Caprice is guaranteed to produce dilute progeny regardless of the colour of the stallion due to her inability to throw offspring without the Creme gene. Caprice is also heterozygous for the Extension gene and so can produce not only Buckskin, but Palomino progeny as well. In addition to the dilution, Caprice has also been proven to be a carrier of the Sabino Overo gene. Due to her coat dilution the extent of her Sabino Overo colouring cannot be determined, though she is definately a minimal Sabino Overo at the very least. Caprice has a visible blaze covering both nostrils, and high white markings on at least two of her legs. There looks to be disconnected white on one leg as well. They are somewhat hard to see most of the

time, but they are most definately there!
There are also some aspects to Caprice's colouring that indicate other genes that would visibly affect a solid coloured horse but are hard to determine on a double dilute are at work.
Caprice is Perlino and so should have two completely pale blue eyes, when in fact she has pale blue eyes with amber flecks and spots through them. She should also have completely pink skin whereas the skin surrounding her eyes and on her muzzle has tiny dark mottled spots. The skin of her udder, under her tail and vulva are all mottled with darker pink, white and almost black pigmented skin. I have found that these unusual traits have not been documented in any colour other than Champagne, and the indications that Caprice shows are not enough, nor similar enough, to traits shown by Champagne horses for Caprice to be a carrier of this gene.

Champagne horses have some very distinct characteristics that Caprice lacks. That being said, Champagne is a relatively newly documented gene, and double dilute Champagnes are very rare, so there is no where near enough information to satisfy my curiousity. I'm more inclined to think that the unusual traits that Caprice exhibits are the result of another gene, though which one, I don't know - That she even has an additional gene at work I'm not all that sure of. There is so little documentation and research available on Double Dilutes that carry additional colour genes and the coat affects they exhibit that it's hard to determine if the unusual traits this mare displays are just that, unusual, or if she really does carry more than double creme. I'd love to hear from anyone who has thoughts, or more information on these unusual 'extras' of my lovely Caprice.

To date Caprice has produced just the one foal for Chetar Arabians, with the second progeny from her expected to arrive in October 2010.
CHETAR AL TARIQ - 2008/09 Season Colt
Tariq is a gorgeous golden buckskin part bred colt sired by the Crabbet stallion Boomori Kahlua. Tariq was sold to a wonderful home as a weanling as a future stud sire. I have retained a number of services to him, which I think is quite reflective of the confidence I have that this young man will be a future sire of note! [The photo directly above is of Caprice with Chetar Al Tariq at around 4 months of age].
2010/11 BREEDING SEASON
Caprice has been confirmed in foal to Chetar Arabians Purebred Stallion Azzaam [Valor x Azima], and is due in October 2010. This foal will be a 50% Part Bred Arabian and is guaranteed to be Palomino or Buckskin, and may also possibly inherit the Sabino Overo from either or both parents, and/or the Rabicano gene from its' sire. This foal will be the first born dilute foal sired by Azzaam, and will be either the first or second dilute foal born at Chetar Arabians.