#11 What markings do true duns have? The dun "characteristics"

Continuing our Colour Series

Following on from our last post, here are the characteristics which differentiate the duns from all others. This was explained in my 1999 book, Horse Colour Explained. It is out of print but you can buy a few copies from me.

Dorsal stripe

The dorsal stripe may be black, brown or red, varying according to the base colour. A yellow dun by definition has a black dorsal stripe. The stripe will run along the backbone from the withers to the base of the tail, appearing to run into the mane and tail. Occasionally, the stripe will not run the length of the back, or is divided. The more pronounced the stripe the better.

Dorsal stripes are also known as 'lineback'. The dorsal stripe is typically like a child's pencil drawing, perhaps a little crooked around the edges, or widening and narrowing as it progresses down the spine, or (rarely) broken so as not to form a continuous line.

The dorsal stripe of the dun matches the mane colour, so a red dun will have a red or brown dorsal stripe. This is helpful for identification, as some red duns look very similar to bay, which has a black stripe, if present at all.

Leg barring

Horizontal stripes of varying widths, the same colour as the dorsal stripe, across the hocks, forearms and knees are known as leg barring, zebra or tiger stripes. In many duns the lower leg is quite light and it is only the leg barring that makes the legs appear darker. Zebra stripes appear on the back of both the knees and hocks and, less commonly, across the fronts of the forearms or stifles. Rarely, more extensive stripes, barbs, or ghost markings can occur higher up the body, giving a brindle effect