Dun

I have never seen a Dun Gypsy Horse, however quite a few UK pony breeds do so it wouldn’t surprise me if it turned up sometime. Plus many people confuse a buckskin and a dun. Hopefully this will make the distinction a bit clearer.

Dun can dilute black and chestnut to some degree. Blacks are diluted to the coveted Grulla colour. Chestnuts are only slightly, if at all, diluted to a Red Dun. Bays and browns are diluted to the typical Dun. That is the tan colour with a black or dark brown mane and tail. The points (mane, tail and lower legs) aren’t typically diluted much by dun, just the body.

The most important feature of a dun however is not how it has diluted but its DUN FACTOR. All duns must have some sort of dun factor. These include, but are not limited to, dorsal stripe, leg stripes, shoulder barring, cob-webbing and others. Other colours, like buckskins, can have something similar to a dorsal stripe. It is usually not as pronounced and is called counter shading as it isn’t a true dorsal stripe. A dun MUST have a fairly well defined dorsal stripe.

Dun is a dominant gene, a dun foal must have a dun parent. Two dun genes look the same as only one dun gene.

This link will show many examples of dun factor and other info about duns

http://www.duncentralstation.com/DunMarkings.html

UPDATE -  A Dun Gypsy Horse!!!

	Albert Coates found this striking filly at Appleby. Her dun facter is quite obvious with a lovely dorsal stripe. Photos courtesy of Coates Gypsy Horses
	Although not tested yet, she looks to be a black dun, or commonally known as a Grulla. The creamy feathers and brownish tinge to her coat might also indicate a creamy gene.