Breed Report: American Creme

The American Creme breaks all the rules of breed and even type, as it is simply a breed defined by its color.  Ponies, light, and heavy horses can all qualify to be registered as “Cremes” provided they meet the color specification.  Despite the variation in animals that qualify as “Cremes”, they are generally trainable and showy.

ORIGIN: United States

ENVIRONMENT: Open habitat including grassland, moor and heath

USES: Riding, sports, carriage work and ranch work

HEIGHT: 14.2 to 16.3 hh (58 to 67 in)

COLORS: “Cream”

ORIGINS AND CHARACTERISTICS

The American Creme is an offshoot of the American Albino Horse, a phenomenon that started with the birth of an albino horse named Old King, in 1908.  He was 15.2 hh (62 in), had white hair, pink skin, and dark brown eyes.  He was trainable and versatile and, in 1917, he was chosen by the Thompson brothers of Nebraska to be the foundation stallion for a new breed.  He was selectively bred to Morgan mares and was successful in passing on his color trait.  By the 1970s, a register had been formed for American Albinos, now known as the American White Horse, with a division for cream horses: the American Creme Horse.  There was also a French Creme studbook, which closed in 2002 to allow the breed to be purely defined by color (now Creme Horses) rather than country. The Creme Horse must have pink- through “pumpkin-” (tan-) colored skin.

If I had a horse like this I would name it White Quartz.

NOTES

Coat hair can vary from pale ivory to rich cream; mane and tail color varies from white to cinnamon.  Eye color may be pale blue, pale amber, or brown.

Source:
Debby Sly: Encyclopedia of Horses.  Bath, UK 2008, p. 178