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# Silver
- URL: https://equinecolors.com/silver/
- Published: 2025-12-15T11:19:54.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-10T10:48:47.000Z
- Description: Silver, also called silver dapple or taffy, is a dilution that lightens the mane and tail of black and bay-based horses to a nearly white color.
- Author: Hannelore Roodhooft
- Tags: Colors, Genetics, #Import 2026-08-12 09:42

> The silver dilution only affects black pigment, and therefore doesn't show on chestnut bases (they can, of course, still carry silver and pass it on. It lightens the mane, tail and sometimes also eyelashes/facial hair to a silver or nearly white color. Silver is also linked to eye problems (MCOA).

## Colors

[Silver blackSilver black is a horse coat color caused by the silver dilution on a black base. The mane and tail have a silvery color.![](https://equinecolors.com/content/images/icon/favicon-154.ico)Equine ColorsHannelore Roodhooft![](https://equinecolors.com/content/images/thumbnail/silverblack-2.png)](https://equinecolors.com/silver-black/)

[Silver baySilver ay is a horse coat color caused by the silver dilution on a bay base. The mane and tail have a silvery color.![](https://equinecolors.com/content/images/icon/favicon-155.ico)Equine ColorsHannelore Roodhooft![](https://equinecolors.com/content/images/thumbnail/silverbay-1.png)](https://equinecolors.com/silver-bay/)

### Cream combinations

[Silver smoky blackSilver smoky black is a horse coat color caused by the silver dilution and one copy of the cream dilution on a black base. The horse has a brown, caramel-like color.![](https://equinecolors.com/content/images/icon/favicon-156.ico)Equine ColorsHannelore Roodhooft![](https://equinecolors.com/content/images/thumbnail/silversmokyblack-1.png)](https://equinecolors.com/silver-smoky-black/)

## Gene

[PMEL17 geneThe PMEL gene is responsible for the color silver in horses.![](https://equinecolors.com/content/images/icon/favicon-144.ico)Equine ColorsHannelore Roodhooft![](https://equinecolors.com/content/images/thumbnail/silver-1-1.png)](https://equinecolors.com/pmel17-gene/)

### Presence in horses

Silver is the signature color of the Rocky Mountain Horse. The dilution is also present in several pony and draft breeds and in some warmbloods, more commonly in breeds of European descent. 

[Back to Dilutions](https://equinecolors.com/dilutions/)

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