~ The Colors of Rancho Bayo ~

The Dun Dilution

Kiger Mustangs carry a dominant dun gene. The dun gene is a dilution, in this case it dilutes the base or coat color of a horse, but keeps the "points" darker. The points are the mane, tail, legs and face mask. It also puts a line down the back and could add a variety of striping on other parts.

One parent must carry the dun dilute in order for it to pass onto offspring. If you have one dun parent, your chance for dun is 50%, whereas if both parents carry the dun dilute (having dun parents themselves), then the foal will be born with it.

If you have a dun horse in which both sire and dam carried dun dilute, then that horse will pass on the dun dilution 100% of the time. This is the case with the Kiger Mustang. Even when crossbred to non-dun horses, the offspring will show the dun dilution.

The dun dilution affects each base color differently. With black, dun dilutes to grullo (or grulla if female). Grullo is the Spanish referral to the blue-grey colouring of the native crane. The grullo can range from a light gunmetal silver (silver grullo) to slate grey, blue (lobo dun) or faded blue black. The points of a grullo are black.

A dun dilution of bay is often referred to as "dun", "lineback dun" or "zebra dun". There is a wide variety of shades within this dilution, depending on the base shade of bay. Most common is a horse that appears a buckskin color with black points.

A dun dilution of chestnut is a red dun. Here again there are many shades of red dun. Some refer to light colored red duns as a "claybank" (or a white horse that rolled in the clay). Usually a red dun will have a dilute color on the points; they may be a darker shade of red. Some red duns will have black in the mane and tail with the rest of the points being a darker red.

There is another variation of dun that is controversial in the Kiger breed, the claybank. It is often put upon a horse that is the lightest, creamiest dilution of bay. A pseudo-cream dilution along with the dun factor. While this is a prized color to some, others just refer to it as a light zebra dun. The horses also "lighten" over time, with body color and points.

The other characteristic of the dun dilution is to produce primitive markings such as the dorsal stripe and leg bars. A reverse mask will also be present, along with ear tips and edging. A mask will be the darker color on the top of the nose, around the eyes and may affect the jaw and muzzle. The back of the ears can be tipped with the dark color from just a small amount or up to 3/4 of the ear. When viewing the ears from the front, a dark edging can be seen around the outer part of the ear.

Transverse stripes can also run down the withers in various lengths and widths. Shadowing can also be seen along the neck and even down onto the shoulder. These marks can be a darker shade than the body color instead of the darkest point color.

Cobwebbing can also appear around the eyes or extending down from under the forelock. Sometimes mottling will appear as dark spots around the forearms, gaskins, shoulders and stifles.

Most dun horses also sport the bi-colored mane and tail. This is a lighter hair color on both sides of the mane and tail that forms a sort of highlight. The tail will also have the dorsal stripe run into the tail with lighter guard hairs on the outside.

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