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Regardless of their base color, double cream horses all have the same name in the Russian language: “Isabell.” However, there are distinctive terms used in the United States and elsewhere, depending on the base colors: cremello (chestnut base), perlino (bay base), and smoky cream (black base). Barbara Kostelnik (2008) uses brown cream for homozygous cream combined with the seal brown base. In reality, all these terms are names based on genotypes. In the United States the opinion exists that it is possible to make a conclusion about the genotype of a horse from the shade of the color. It is believed that in cremello horses, the mane and tail can be white, pale cream, or reddish; in perlino the mane and tail are light brown or ashy, as well as the lower part of the legs; and in smoky cream there is a light ashy tone of the body, mane, and tail. However, studies have not revealed a precise correlation between these nuances of hair color and the genotype of double cream horses.

Foals are born very light, almost white, with pink skin and light blue eyes. Sometimes, when grown a little more, the foal’s coat can have a light golden tinge. Double cream horses are vulnerable to the sun and frequently suffer from burns on the nose, and sometimes also from skin cancer. Their eyes are sensitive to the bright sunlight. Long sun exposure can cause their skin to become spotty, as they develop reddish pigmented areas (so-called “pumpkin color”), and sometimes can even become gray, especially around the eyes. Because of the sensitivity to sun, this color was actively selected against by breeders in different parts of the world, Australia or Turkmenistan, for example.