Spanish Purebred Horses (PRE) come in a number of very beautiful and rare colours as well the commonly seen greys (70%), bays (25%), and blacks (4%). These colours include the dilutions produced by the Cream (Cr) gene, dilutions produced by the Dun (D) gene,  dilutions produced by the Pearl  (Prl) gene, Rabicano, Roan, and possibly Sabino. More information on these colour and their genetics will be available soon via a link on this page.

 

The MARYSS PRE STUD  is fortunate to own several PRE horses with the DUN (D) gene and they show some beautiful coat colours

 

The most spectacular of these is MILL MITICA who is genetically BLACK + DUN which creates a colour normally known as GRULLA.

 

A Grulla horse is a Black horse (aa E_) which has its body colour diluted by the Dun gene.

 

* Grullas have dark points (mane, tail, and lower legs) though these areas may be more dark chocolate than jet black. 

 

* A black or dark chocolate dorsal stripe which usually runs all the way down the spine from the poll to the end of the tailbone.

 

* The head and, often, the upper neck remain very dark, whilst the body is diluted to a colour which varies according to the individual from rich chocolate, through various shades of lighter chocolates and light golds, to a pale silver (this shade not seen in PRE so far)

 

* The legs usually, but not always, show horizontal and/or diagonal stripes above the solid point colour. The leg stripes in different individuals vary from minimal or non-existent, through to almost enough stripes to satisfy a zebra in some breeds !

 

* Other Dun gene markings are forehead cobwebbing/lacing with dark colour, transverse stripes all along the spine, shoulders mottled with darker colour, horizontal ear bars.

 

MILL MITICA's coat demonstrates a number of the typical markings for the DUN gene:-

 

1. Dorsal Stripe    (see Photo on Mares Page)

2. Seven Stripes across Withers/Shoulders at rightangles to dorsal stripe

3. Three Front Leg Stripes or Bars

4. Hind Leg Stripes or Bars

5. Shoulder Mottling or Marbling (Rather Rare!)

6. Head significantly darker than the rest of the body  (see Photo on Mares Page)

 

                                               

Left: Mitica - Multiple Stripes across her withers - either 7 or 8 !                                         Right: Mitica - Shoulder Mottling or Marbling.                        

                                                           

                 

 

Left: Mitica - Three clearly defined Front Leg Stripes or Bars.      Middle & Right: Mitica - Hind Leg Stripes. Less regular than her front leg strips and are only on the  insides of the hock joints.

 

 

 

Born in 2006, this PRE filly shows every evidence of being a RED DUN.

She has been genetically tested and shown to be Chestnut based (Aa ee), but has been born with typical Dun markings and body dilution, quite unlike the normal Chestnut foal..

 

                      

 

                                       

 

 

 

MARYSS ROXANA

Half Sister to MILL MITICA