# Do Perlino Horses need any extra care?



## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

I have a cremello and he doesn't really require any extra care. I keep a fly mask on him for both fly and UV protection, though I would do that for any color horse  

Double dilutes do still have a small amount of pigmentation, so they aren't as prone to burning as white pinto horses. Of course if they also have white markings such as a blaze then they will probably need extra protection like any other horse with the same kind of marking.
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## Horseychick87 (Feb 5, 2014)

Some blue eyed double dilutes (cremello, prelino, smoky cream) can have issues with bright sunlight since they have pink skin around their eyes and it does not reflect the light back like black or grey skin will. However most of the DD's I've been around have no issue with it.


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## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Extra care double dilutes such as perlinos and cremellos need are: BATHS! Every bit of dirt and mud shows. Keeping them clean will be as easy as keeping a white car clean in a dust storm LOL


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

SunnyDraco said:


> Extra care double dilutes such as perlinos and cremellos need are: BATHS! Every bit of dirt and mud shows. Keeping them clean will be as easy as keeping a white car clean in a dust storm LOL


It shows (particularly if they have a habit of sleeping in poo or pee) but I think they're easier to keep clean than a white pinto or a gray who has gone completely white. The little bit of off-white creaminess to their coat helps hide a little bit of dust/dirt.

But I have to say, when you hose them off, you can see ALL of the dirt running off. It's very obvious where there is still dirt on a wet horse with pink skin :lol: I find that this makes bathing take a lot longer because I end up chasing every little speck of dirt off with the hose!


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

verona1016 said:


> But I have to say, when you hose them off, you can see ALL of the dirt running off. It's very obvious where there is still dirt on a wet horse with pink skin :lol: I find that this makes bathing take a lot longer because I end up chasing every little speck of dirt off with the hose!


Omigawd YES! They take a lot more time to bathe thoroughly because you can TELL, and so can everyone else, if you've missed a SPECK of dirt. The UP side to it is, they have this gorgeous iridescence to their fur that makes them almost glitter in the sunlight. They reflect like a prism when they're really in good coat and clean. Skippy even does it dirty but not as dazzlingly. 

I do use an SPF 50 sunscreen on his nose and around his eyes. He's a flymask Houdini and gets them all off and destroys them. When it's really hot and bright out I pull him, and the several other horses I have that have white blazes and need sunscreen, into the barn from about noon to 7 or 8 at night and then turn them back out over night. Skippy prefers Banana Boat, the others are fine with No Ad. inkunicorn:


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## Southern Grace (Feb 15, 2013)

Long nosed fly mask on during the day. The pink skin around the eyes and nose is prone to sunburn, but the slight pigmentation of the hair should save the skin covered by hair.


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## DuckDodgers (May 28, 2013)

I've heard that beyond paying attention to areas on the face without pigmentation you don't have to worry about much with perlinos or cremellos. On areas with less pigmentation (such as around the eyes or muzzle area) you need to treat them as a normal horse with white marking in those areas and use sunscreen when necessary.


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## wakiya (Feb 7, 2009)

Coronado has a huge blaze in addition to being perlino so he gets a long nosed fly mask and sunscreen. He's also turned out at night on really hot days.


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