# Do bays have dorsal stripes?



## ThunderingHooves (Aug 10, 2013)

So I was taking a look at Jinxx earlier and I noticed he had a bit of a dorsal stripe coming from his tail and it looked liked d
own his back. So I was wondering if bays can have dorsal stripes? I've personally never heard or seen one have one before.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Yes, this is Wart, she's dun and has the stripe.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)




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## TexasBlaze (Oct 4, 2010)

A bay dun will have a dorsal stripe but a true bay will not. They can have a line called countershading but it will not be as pronounced as a true dun dorsal stripe and ususally it doesn't go completely up the back. My bay gelding has countershading but it doesn't make it all the way to his withers.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

True. On Wart, above, you can also see the leg barring that's typical of duns. She also has lacing over her shoulders which doesn't show in the light of these pics, and face masking as well as the dark outlining on her ears and ear barring on the backs of her ears.


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## Bridgertrot (Dec 2, 2011)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> True. On Wart, above, you can also see the leg barring that's typical of duns. She also has lacing over her shoulders which doesn't show in the light of these pics, and face masking as well as the dark outlining on her ears and ear barring on the backs of her ears.


Lacing?









Or shoulder stripe? I know it's referred to in a few different ways (shoulder barring, etc) but never heard of it referred to as lacing, since lacing is a different thing. lol


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Bridgertrot said:


> Lacing?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I said lacing, because it looks kind of lacy over her shoulders, but it's black. I guess it is more correctly called shoulder barring?


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Here, you can kind of see it in this pic. The lighting was bad so it's not easy. 










This was right after I bought her and she wasn't in very good coat. She's better now but I haven't taken any new pics recently.


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## Bridgertrot (Dec 2, 2011)

Yeah, duns have shoulder barring


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Now that she's getting in better coat, her's are showing up. I had never had a dun before her, so am just learning all the neat different markings they can have.


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## LovesMyDunnBoy (Aug 11, 2011)

Bays don't have a real dorsal stripe, but they can have counter-shading that looks like a dorsal. But it's smudgy, and the edges are very well defined. A real dorsal looks like it was drawn with a marker.
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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

Bays do not have dorsal stripes caused by the dun gene. If the dun gene is present, the horse is no longer a bay, but instead they are a bay dun. 

However - bays can have dorsal stripes. It is caused by something else - counter shading possibly - but it is still called a dorsal stripe. Dorsal stripes are not exclusive to dun horses, and they are called the same no matter what is causing them.

This guy cannot possibly be dun - he is a registered Arabian. As you can see, his dorsal is clean and crisp.


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## PrairieChic (Sep 12, 2012)

Both my bays have a stripe.


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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

I've had two purebred Arabians with dorsal stripes, shoulder barring, and tiger striping on their legs and the ears (which one passed onto her colt). All just counter shading.
I have a light chestnut that almost looks like a red dun but since she's purebred, that's not an option. LOL


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## goneriding (Jun 6, 2011)

Bridgertrot said:


> Yeah, duns have shoulder barring


I would think this is a grulla? Beautiful horse!


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## BreakableRider (Aug 14, 2013)

That is a grulla yes, and also a dun. All grulla is, is black + dun. 

What most people think of as 'dun' is usually bay + dun.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

goneriding said:


> I would think this is a grulla? Beautiful horse!


Grulla is just a fancy name for a black dun (black base + dun).

Technically, ANY color can be diluted by dun, even coats that are already diluted by cream.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> Technically, ANY color can be diluted by dun, even coats that are already diluted by cream.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Yup like my Dunskin 








_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## EquiiAlex (Sep 28, 2013)

I think that is countershading! But you have a very beautiful horse there


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## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

EquiiAlex said:


> I think that is countershading! But you have a very beautiful horse there


My dunskin or the OP? Definitely not counter shading on Jackpot he is a bay dun with cream or dunskin. Look closer on the first pic you'll see the leg barring he has them on all his legs.
















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