Dun Dorsal Stripes

Dorsal = along the back (spine)

Stripe = clear, sharp-edged line, not an area of blurred shading

Ah, dorsal stripes.  Welcome to the land of ambiguity.

While the stripe on a dun will have sharp edges, it may be broken in places; also, it can have body color hairs mixed in, or body-colored hairs may appear to divide it into two or more stripes. We have one photo of a "triple" dorsal stripe -- see photos, below.

Dun Morgan stallion "Zeke" shows off his dorsal stripe, courtesy of Nancy Nard, Ragtime Morgans, where he was standing on lease at the time this photo was taken.

NOTICE: the author of this web site has just seen a photo of a Breyer model horse with a dun stripe split in an unrealistic way.  For examples of how REAL dorsal stripes may appear divided, see the photos below (and anywhere else there are photos of live, dun horses).

The horse model in question is a pinto/paint, but that does not change the way dun is expressed; the white markings simply erase all color (pigment) in the skin and hair where they occur.  Someone has posted a photo of this model here: http://community.webshots.com/photo/fullsize/2841048070058133436lOvcbl 
This is not a realistic pattern. See real divided dorsal stripe photos below.

Some horses that have no markings other than a dorsal stripe are duns.  This statement is based on their ability to pass on more "standard" dun markings, and now, also,
on their testing positive for dun.

Undun Dorsal Stripes?

Some horses are born with beautiful, dark, clear, sharp dorsal stripes
that go away within a few months or years and never return.

Some return occasionally.  Some even go away and then return to stay.

So far, horses with dorsal stripes that "behave" this way have not been accepted as "duns".  We hope to find out what they are, and how the trait is inherited, in each case that "breaks the rules" for dun.

Then there are those horses with beautiful, completely dun-like dorsal stripes, and some even with leg barring, in "breeds that don't have dun".  None of them has even been tested for the currently accepted "dun markers".

Update: at least one palomino that has an "on & off", faint dorsal stripe, and no leg barring, has tested positive for dun.

BELOW: these pictures of various duns' dorsal stripes should give the viewer a well-rounded concept of what the backs of dun horses can look like.  And not.

For the sake of argument, we're only showing dorsal stripes from horses that also have leg markings, unless otherwise indicated.

Just a reminder: these pictures may end up all being replaced by others, if a suitable photographer is found.  Also, they are "small" due to having been originally added when everyone was on "dial-up"...sorry.

This is Kiger Cougar, a famous dun Kiger Mustang who has won everything from reining to endurance, and at the time these pictures were taken by this webmaster, lived at Kentucky Horse Park as part of the Parade of Breeds.  He has nice leg barring. His dorsal stripe dwindles away to almost nothing over his withers, and appears split in two by body-color hairs over his rump.  Shown with his Horse Park rider at the time, Jennifer (list member).

Dorsal stripe on Holly, owned by list member Mary Haas of Haas QH's

Dorsal stripe on Ricki, owned by list member Mary Haas of Haas QH's

Dorsal stripe on Sassy, owned by list member Mary Haas of Haas QH's

Fuzzy foal dorsal stripe, and mature version, on Wesand Chex, previously owned by list member Mary Haas of Haas QH's

These pics are from list member Patricia Jansen in The Netherlands. It appears that this horse's dark, dorsal stripe hairs shed, or grow in, at a different rate than its other hairs!

Marjena Bass' dun QH stallion, Go Copper Glo.  Note unusual "break" or "zig" in dorsal.
Sadly, now deceased.

This filly, Honey, is being considered for purchase by list member Mary Haas.  It appears to me that she is a flaxen red dun.  She is said not to have any leg markings; I think this might change when she gets her glossy, summer coat.

This young red dun mare has an amazingly dark dorsal stripe.  Wonder what color she would have been without the dun gene? 
For sale, at the time, by Sally Creger.

Blu Beary Chex, owned by Pam of Bearcat Ranch.

Look at the incredible markings on this colt, including a TRIPLE AND TRIPLE WIDE DORSAL STRIPE!  It is believed by some that this effect is caused by extreme "fishboning", the lines that come out perpendicular to the dorsal stripe on a strongly-marked horse.

Pam wrote: "2003 'Rev' grulla/roan colt 88-89% NFQHA . He has a triple dorsal, lots of striping on his legs, neck and shoulders and cob webbing on his forehead.  Sire: Nitros Revenue, a grulla Driftwood/Poco Bueno bred horse; Dam: Blu Beary Chex (grulla/roan)."