# What's the difference in palomino and dunalino?



## sunedee

So what's the difference between palomino and dunalino? Or I guess the question should be how do you tell the difference between countershading and a dorsal stripe? Does countershading show up on palomino? 

There's a stallion I know that's being advertised as dunalino and I'm just curious. I can't find any dun in his pedigree but I've been wrong before!

Thanks!!


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## Poseidon

A dunalino is a palomino with the dun gene. Dun is a basically a modifier. Even horses that are just called "duns" are actually bay duns, or bay with a dun gene. 

A dorsal stripe is well defined and dark, as if drawn on by a Sharpie. Countershading may be dark, but the edges are fuzzy and generally look like the two sides of the horse are overlapping. 

Does that make sense?

And the stallion would have to have dun somewhere to be a true dunalino. If he doesn't have zebra barring or shoulder barring, then it's countershading. Do you have a picture?


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## sunedee

Thanks!! I say that there is no dun in his pedigree but there are several grays with no reference to base color so I guess it's possible.


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## TheLastUnicorn

actually, I believe the stallion would have to have a dun PARENT... as far as I'm aware it cannot be several generations back and then pop up. I may be wrong. 

If there is no dun in either of his parents I would say they have a palomino with some dun-like countershading. (I have one of those "sneaky" palominos... in the early spring he gets a mask, dorsal stripe and sometimes zebra stripes... once summer hits they fade, and through the winter the only marker left is a faded dorsal stripe.)


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