# Brindle!?



## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

As far as I am aware, brindle is quite rare in horses, but I don't really know the genetics behind it--I think it may have something to do with sooty.
Subbing!


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## KLJcowgirl (Oct 13, 2015)

So... My mother has always called my horse a brindle, but I had read an article once about brindles, in particular the stallion Dunbars Gold (boy is he handsome) and it just didn't sound right. Brindle is caused (if I remember right, correct me if I'm wrong) by two embryos fusing in the womb. The horse would essentially be a mix of two horses have two sets of dna, and it is extremely rare. They would be considered chimera.

Well I have always had life long horse people ask me what my horses color would be considered, and I always just tell them roan and I get a "Huh.... You sure?" from them. 

So I got curious enough and posted these (terrible) pictures and asked a color genetics page on facebook what he would be considered and I got this answer: 

























"He is a Red roan where the roaning has skewed along the lines of Blaschko. The lines of Blaschko are the lines along which pigment cells migrate from the neural crest during fetal development. Skewed roans aren't very common but we do see them posted form time to time on this group."

She also continued to say that many people who proclaim to have brindles, more often than not have skewed roans (usually the ones with a base color with white stripes). 

Also try googling skewed roan... NOTHING!!! So I'm just using info given to me from color gurus off facebook so take it for what it's worth haha But this can also happen to people and I found lots of pictures of that.

There is also a skin condition that can cause the stripes... but I can't for the life of me remember what it's called...

My guy's fun stripes have faded and blended more as he ages, but looked much like that first picture in his younger years. He was once called "That ugly purple zebra" by my uncle, I resented the ugly part of that.


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

KLJ,
The horse I saw looked a LOT like yours, just slightly more distinct "vertical line" marks up by the girth area, otherwise spot on! The skewed roan makes a lot of sense. And yes, I have seen photos of Dunbar (what a drool worthy horse!)


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## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

I thought brindle was more of a somatic mutation rather than chimeric.

Rabincanos and roans can often take on a brindly appearance due to what was posted above. Trues are quite uncommon.


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## KLJcowgirl (Oct 13, 2015)

Up close pictures show the roaning much better.


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## KLJcowgirl (Oct 13, 2015)

ApuetsoT said:


> I thought brindle was more of a somatic mutation rather than chimeric.


Haha like I said... correct me if I'm wrong!  I may have to do some internet searches today.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Brindle can be chimeric in origin. Honestly, they're not 100% certain what causes it.

Karlie, the horse you saw sounds rabicano to me. Brindle, unless on a grey, is not usually white and a darker base color. It's exactly like it is in dogs, with black and brown (or variations of those shades) stripes.

Rabicano is not altogether uncommon. Especially if the horse presented similar to KLJ's horse, just more defined, then I'd definitely say rabicano.

Some examples of rabicano:



















Did the horse, by chance, have a skunk tail?


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

I have never heard that brindle horses are chimeric.
Typically (again, to my knowledge! Color genetics are not my forte!) chimeras tend to have far less traditional coloring.

Like this fella


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

Dah, I always forget how "stripey" a rabicano can present. I didn't get a good look at the tail, since the horse was trotting up to us and facing us the whole time.
It was more of a liver chestnut, definitely with white striping, not the black/sooty stripes boxers get.
Closer to this guy:












I may have to ride over there a few more times and see if I can't catch the owner outside and strike up a conversation.


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## KLJcowgirl (Oct 13, 2015)

I did just find this about Dunbar's Gold

Dunbars Gold Has Feminine Side

He does indeed have two sets of DNA. But when I do think of chimeric horses, I picture that horse you posted Zexious.


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

My like button won't work, but here's a "like" for that awesome link on Dunbar.


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