HGG Community Forums

Ammit · Sep 1, 2025 1:32 AM

For the past several months I have been working on bringing merle to the game. This gene is an allele (different mutation) of the silver gene. Like silver it dilutes black pigment and will not show on ee horses.**

This gene is so complex that for the first time I am doing a beta test on a gene. I need to see hundreds of color combos to make sure this is working right. Merle for sale for a very limited time and once I get enough buyers I will be shutting off merle sales. There will be no warning on the shut off.

If you choose to purchase during this beta test please understand the following before purchasing:
-Expect there to be bugs. It's extremely likely that issues will come up, and you will just need to report them be chill about it.
-Expect markings to change. There is a high change I will need to make some tweaks to generation which will change the markings on your merle horses. Don't get too attached to any markings this month.
-Expect not to fully understand whats going on. A deep in-depth guide to merle is coming, but it's a few weeks out. I won't be able to give you deep explanations for this beta.

Key Info
-All merle genes will have a number, written Mrl(#). The number is the SINE length. Bigger number = more dangerous.
-Merle does not care about being homozygous or not. Combined SINE numbers under 80 are safe. Over 80 and you start getting health problems. Too high and the foal dies.
-You can max ability a merle foal with health problems to get a health foal.
-Silver can be dangerous combined with higher SINE numbers. Mix at your own risk.
-All new merle creates will have a SINE length between 55 and 68. This is the classic merle pattern.
-SINE lengths are unstable. They will spontaneously shorten or length during breeding.
-SINE lengths can not be editing in the GMT lab and will never change via GMT lab edits.
-If you can breed SINE numbers small enough you can get healthy homozygous merles.
-Very small SINE numbers stop showing as merle all together.

**While the merle pattern won't be seen on ee horses it can still cause blue eyes on all colors. As merle reaches dangerous lengths it can also turn off all pigment resulting in white areas.

Merle is available for 38 USD until I sell enough for the beta test. It will be available for everyone in October.

LakeOndowaFarm · Sep 1, 2025 3:06 PM

I just made this gorgeous merle stallion:

Melvokian 1X

Cavalynn · Sep 1, 2025 11:25 PM

Got my first batch of babies!

I think this ones the direction I want to go with them:

2G Merle 20699818

Here's the others. The homozygous merles really do have low PT. :P

https://bluegrass.horsegeneticsgame.com/adv_search.php?owner=218079&owner_lm=like&barn=0&barn_lm=like&runsearch=go

Ammit · Sep 2, 2025 2:11 AM

Thank you everyone who opted into this beta test. Sales on merle are now closed. It will be back on sale in October when testing concludes.

For those who purchased feel free to share your horses and foals, discuss strategy etc here.

WhiteValley · Sep 2, 2025 5:01 AM

WV Merlin

I'm not really sure what I'm going to do with my stallion, apart from having fun seeing how the new gene interacts with different coat colours. I automatically made him a 2 year old, because that's what I usually do with my stallion creates, but that means I can't use him for breeding until next month. I'll probably pull some straws and put them up for public breeding as well as breed him to some of my own mares. I love his blue eyes. :)