PLEASE NOTE: Please check this website (DUNCENTRALSTATION and go to the False Dun Characteristics page) prior to applying for dun registration with Dilutes Australia as it contains pertinent information and illustrations of FALSE DUN CHARACTERISTICS. UPWBDA does not register as duns any horse or pony exhibiting false dun characteristics and checking these out for yourself prior to application may save you the disappointment of being refused registration on those grounds. When a DNA test for dunning is developed, such horses and ponies will be required to be DNA'd for dun.
The company has chosen to register duns based on genetics and not merely on external characteristics, although a number of characteristics must still be present in order for the horse to be considered a true genetic dun. This is a major departure from the accepted practice of identifying duns practised by most other buckskin / dun associations.
Dun Studbook: mares & stallions - must have 2 registered and recognised parents. Proof must be provided. Must PASS classification on conformation.
Dun Non-studbook Register: mares & stallions - either one or both parents are unknown / unregistered / unrecognised. Must PASS classification conformation. These horses have full showing rights.Dun Gelding Register: geldings - may have either registered / recognised parentage or unknown / unregistered / unrecognised parentage. Must PASS classification conformation
Foundation Mare Register: solid non-buckskin or dun mares that produce STUDBOOK registerable buckskin/dun foals and who are not the progeny of company registered studbook horses.
COMPOSITE CREMELLO / DUN DILUTES
Single cremello dilute / dun - these colours are caused when the coding for both cremello and dun dilution are present in the genotype on one or other of the colour genes. Red dun / cremello is known generally as claybank which can also produce the subtype palomino dun (yellow dun / cremello). Mouse dun / cremello gives the seal point dun which can be quite difficult to distinguish from the standard yellow dun and grullo / cremello creates the so called silver grullo which is also very difficult to distinguish from the standard grullo. Breeding 2 composite cremello / dun dilutes together can result in double dilutes.
The owners of all duns must be current financial members of the Association. Should an owner cease to be a financial member, the registration of all horses registered in his or her name will be suspended until such time as said owner rejoins the association, at which time the registration of all horses registered in his or her name will be reinstated.
STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE
A dun shall meet the standards of conformation (breed characteristics being irrelevant) prescribed by the Board. To be considered for DUN STUDBOOK, NON-STUDBOOK or GELDING registration, a dun must gain the required conformation marks prescribed by Board and fulfill the following:
Must be a genetic dun. Genetic buckskins which exhibit dun characteristics will not be eligible for registration as duns but will be registered as buckskins.
Must exhibit at least 3 of the following characteristics:
Dorsal Stripe
Barbs or barring extending from dorsal stripe
Leg Barring Mottling
Ear Tips and Ear Edging Cobwebbing Face Mask
Shoulder Stripe or Shadow Neck Shadow
Mane and/or Tail Frosting and Guard Hairs Dorsal stripe & shoulder barring
The family of duns generally fall into four (4) categories: GRULLA (black/dun), MOUSE (brown/dun), YELLOW (bay/dun) AND RED (chestnut/dun).
GRULLA - Grulla (pronounced Grew-yah) is considered an intense colour. The body colour is described as mouse, blue, dover, or slate coloured with dark sepia to black points. Grulla has no white hairs mixed in the body hairs. The hide of a Grulla is comparable to the hide of the Dun and is well pigmented to withstand heat and sunlight. Grulla horses have a dorsal stripe and in most cases shoulder stripe and leg barring. Grulla should not be confused with roan or grey colours.
(L-R: yellow dun, grulla)
MOUSE DUN – A mouse dun is often a muddy brown or tan colour with a muddy brown face mask and black primitive markings.
YELLOW DUN - The yellow dun varies in colour from pale cream to orange/brown. Yellow dun differs from the Buckskin in the respect that the body colour is a duller shade and often will have a smutty appearance. The yellow dun has a very prominent dorsal stripe and usually has a shoulder stripe and leg barring. Legs, mane and tail are brown or black with frosting and guard hairs being common.
RED DUN - The red dun will vary in body shades of red, from peach to copper through to rich red and liver. In all shades, the accompanying points will be a darker red or chestnut and be in contrast to a lighter body colour. Red dun must have a definite dorsal stripe. The dorsal stripe will usually be dark red and predominant. Leg barring and shoulder stripes are common. Horses with faint dorsal stripes may be denied registration.
copper dun - one of the family of red duns
COMPOSITE CREMELLO DILUTE / DUN
It is quite common for some horses to carry both cream and dun modifiers. These horses are referred to as composite duns and they can produce both cream dilutes and duns when crossed with each other and to the base colours.
BUCKSKIN DUN – one copy of cream on bay/brown + dun; the lightest shades are sometimes called ‘seal-point’ duns. These horses can be virtually indistinguishable from yellow duns and may only be ‘discovered’ by a check of their pedigree or from the production of common dilute progeny from base coloured or non-common dilute partners.
PALOMINO DUN – one copy of cream on chestnut + dun. Palomino duns can vary in colour from pale straw right through to yellow gold and they generally have gold or tan dun markings.
PERLINO DUN – two copies of cream on black, brown or bay + dun.
SILVER GRULLO – silver & dun on black.
Left: normal black or brown silver,
Right: silver grulla)
BUCKSKIN SILVER DUN – one copy of cream, silver & dun on black, brown or bay.
To be eligible for Dun registration a dun must:
Have a body free from imperfections and free of white spots except those caused by accident.
Be permitted white markings on the face and legs only, the legs not to be white above the knees or hocks save for a continuous diminishing spear or stripe running above the knee or hock. NO dun may have ANY white markings (ie belly splashes) other than those permitted under the Regulations of the Company.
Have a basic skin colour which is dark.
Have both eyes dark and the same colour. Wall eyes are not acceptable.
Not be bleached or dyed
Not exhibit any appaloosa characteristics. Solid horses and ponies with appaloosa parentage will only be issued with a interim registration upon passing classification at 2 years of age IF THEY SHOW NO SIGNS OF APPALOOSA CHARACTERISTICS. These horses must be represented for classification at 4 years of age before a permanent registration will be issued; such permanent registration will only be issued if the horse still shows no evidence of appaloosa charateristics. The company reserves the right to cancel this registration at any time should the horse subsequently show any signs at a later stage of developing characteristics.