Would you buy a cremello? *Update, went to see pony*

[TrailPony]

I am looking for a good beginner pony for my niece and I have contacted a barn which has an experienced beginner pony for sale, but it’s cremello. I’ve always preferred to stay away from the cremello/gray/white horses because I’ve known so many of them to get skin cancer. I live in the South, so the sun is strong here most of the year.

Do any of you have experience with cremellos? Are there any other health concerns I should be worried about? I’m still trying to decide if I want to go see the pony or not.

TIA!

[Bluey]

Well, the cancer grey horses tend to get is melanoma, a different kind than the common white skin cancers, squamous cell carcinomas you find in horses with much white, like paints.
Our old paint had one of those when he turned 28, the vet removed it surgically and used chemo on it, twice and it didn’t come back.
Then, decades ago, one grey 3-4 year old had such bad melanomas that he had to be euthanized.

I don’t think cremellos are prone to melanomas and not much more than other horses with pigmented skin to SCC.

Still, that is a concern with any horse.
There is so much that can happen to horses, your guess how risk averse you are.

Are you going to vet the pony?
If so, your vet is who could answer those question, according to his experience with those colors where you are.

The few cremellos I have known had eyes with little pigment and so had more problems with eye irritation, as do horses with that characteristic.

[TrailPony]

[QUOTE=Bluey;8138981]
Well, the cancer grey horses tend to get is melanoma, a different kind than the common white skin cancers, squamous cell carcinomas you find in horses with much white, like paints.
Our old paint had one of those when he turned 28, the vet removed it surgically and used chemo on it, twice and it didn’t come back.
Then, decades ago, one grey 3-4 year old had such bad melanomas that he had to be euthanized.

I don’t think cremellos are prone to melanomas and not much more than other horses with pigmented skin to SCC.

Still, that is a concern with any horse.
There is so much that can happen to horses, your guess how risk averse you are.

Are you going to vet the pony?
If so, your vet is who could answer those question, according to his experience with those colors where you are.

The few cremellos I have known had eyes with little pigment and so had more problems with eye irritation, as do horses with that characteristic.[/QUOTE]

Thank you! Yes, I do plan on having the pony vetted, and hopefully my vet has experience with cremellos.

I have also read a few articles about the eye irritation as well as bug bite irritation, but it seems most people have been able to solve those with fly masks/sheets.

On a side note, my neice’s favorite My Little Pony character is Celestia, so I could always take some hair chalk and dress up the pony for the big reveal. :lol:

[Pennywell_Bay]

Though I personally would not seek one out (personal preference), if the pony: fit all of the other requirements, was in the price range, vetted, was safe and could do the job, took a joke, I’d buy it. You can take all the precautions in the world and they can still walk out in the field and kill themselves regardless of color.

Get your vet’s opinion and go from there.

[Highflyer]

My horses live out and need to be low maintenance at least in theory, so no, but if I were in a situation where I could keep it in from 7 am to 7 pm and I really liked everything else about it, then I probably would. I ride (for a client) a Paint with a lot of pink skin and blue eyes and she does fine on this schedule in spring/ summer/ fall and is out most of the time in winter. But she does sunburn really easily.

[PRS]

Good children’s ponies are hard to find. I would consider a cremello ONLY if he filled all of my requirements and if I could properly care for his needs. I certainly wouldn’t seek one out but that’s because it is probably last on my list of color choices. I, personally, think they are unattractive.

[Kwill]

They need sunscreen on their faces, the pink skin burns easily, as well as a fly mask for eyes, sun sensitivity.

Ask the owners about their maintenance of the pony … if you ask a direct question, they should hopefully give you a truthful answer.

If you like the pony, I don’t think it’s a big deal to manage a cremello, just a few extra steps.

[Nootka]

What Kwill said^^^^^^

[bugsynskeeter]

I own one and have no problem buying another. She lives outside and wears a fly mask. I don’t have any issues with her.

A good horse is a good horse, regardless of color.

[roseymare]

I have met some that could NEVER be without a flymask. Some are worse than others.
I would watch that closely. Ask the owners and look carefully at her face for rubs from a mask.
Definitely are manageable but it is nice to know how much management you will need.

[TrailPony]

Thanks everyone! I’m feeling a bit more comfortable with the idea. I have no problem with the extra maintenance. After working at an upper lever eventing barn, I definitely don’t mind being a little fussy over one pony. My current mare requires little to no fussing, but that doesn’t stop me from giving her extra comforts.

[Appsolute]

Personally - I would avoid a cremello

I am in California, where the sun shines most of the year. I have known a number of cremellos - and I have not known ANY that seem comfortable in the sun or bright light. The one at my current barn has to live in a near dark stall…

I started a thread about it recently - about how cremellos and other “pink skinned” horses seem so uncomfortable - constantly squinting eyes.

http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?465325-Breeding-for-Cremello-Baldface&highlight=cremello

There is a greater risk of eye / skin cancers with pinked skinned horses. And I have known first hand a number who did get eye / skin cancers. One as young as 7 years old.

http://practicalhorsemanmag.com/article/equine_squamous_cell_carcinoma_020910-11482

Squamous cell carcinoma generally shows up first in the skin, particularly around the eyes, on the penis or vulva, and in other areas where skin meets mucous membranes. It’s especially common in horses with pink skin in these areas, such as Appaloosas, Paints and some draft breeds. Unpigmented skin has poor protection from the sun’s damaging UV rays, which are a factor in causing this cancer.

[cowboymom]

The reflection of the sun off of snow can be just as bad or worse as year round sun.

A cremello isn’t at all my personal taste BUT a pony that will keep your kid safe and happy is worth the extra effort.

[bugsynskeeter]

Cremellos do not have PINK skin. They have pumpkin colored skin. You can very much see a difference in skin color when they have markings.

[gloriginger]

I wouldn’t because I think they are butt ugly. I can’t help it, I just don’t like the looks of them. Apparently I am that superficial.

[danceronice]

I don’t actively shop FOR color, just for a horse/pony that will fit what I want. So I wouldn’t buy a pony just because he was cremello but if he fit everything I wanted and happened to be that color, I’d buy him. Heck, I keep getting boring plain bays even when I swear I won’t because they end up being the horse I need.

[x]

A good horse is never a bad color.

[StormyDay]

I almost bought a cremello once. Only thing that stopped me was that it was a stallion :lol: I personally think as long as their face is cute they are very beautiful.

I would say invest in a good fly sheet and do night turnout during the summer. Problem solved!

[msj]

First horse I ever owned was a cremello. We were told he was 10 and then they said maybe 14. Ok fine. We later found out from the veterinarian who bred him that when I had him he would have been 28 yrs old. :eek: He wasn’t vetted when we got him and trying to teach a really old, but very sound horse that old to jump was not the easiest thing for sure. I gave him to my cousin, who sold him to some people for a track pony. I have no doubt whatsoever that he is still going strong! He was tougher than nails, heck, railroad spikes!!! :yes:

PS. Never saw any melanomas but he hated to be bathed! :yes:

He wasn’t totally white, more of a creamy off white and lovely blue eyes. To this day I still love a blue-eyed horse!

[CHT]

I have never had/dealt with a cremello, but I have dealt with a dominant while (pink skin). I would NOT take on another pink skinned horse. This horse gets scabby burns around her nose, ears and eyes, and any other exposed skin. Fly masks help, but not 100%, and they aren’t great in winter (snow sits on the mask and blinds the horse).

Her eyes get watery and look painful if we aren’t very careful…even with a mask.

She also needs to wear a fly sheet to keep her body covered…which is not ideal in hot weather.

The only year we managed this horse successfully over the summer was when the owner agreed to board her inside during the day for the summer and only put her out late afternoon until early morning. Winters are always hard.

I am not sure if Cremello’s are the same though.