Bay Dun (Classic Dun)
Bay dun, also called classic dun or zebra dun, is a bay base coat lightened by the dun gene. It gives the horse a golden or sandy body with dark points and clear primitive markings.
Looks Like (Phenotype)
A bay dun horse has a light golden or tan body with a black mane, tail, and lower legs. You can also see a dark stripe along the back called a dorsal stripe, and sometimes faint zebra-like stripes on the legs. Some horses show shoulder stripes or a bit of shading near the neck and withers.
These markings, along with the lighter body, help tell bay duns apart from buckskins, which may look similar but lack the primitive markings.
If you are not sure whether your horse is a bay dun or a buckskin, look for the dorsal stripe. Duns always have one, and it usually runs through the mane and tail as well. Buckskins do not.
Keep in mind that there are also non-dun1 horses, which can show a dorsal stripe without the lighter body colour. The difference is that true duns often have extra markings, such as leg stripes or shoulder shading, while non-dun1 horses only have the stripe along the back.
Variations
Bay duns can range from pale gold to rich caramel, depending on the horse’s breed and amount of black pigment. Some have strong, dark markings, while others show lighter stripes or less contrast. Foals are usually born with very visible stripes that stay as they grow.
Behind the Colour (Genotype)
The dun gene lightens the body while keeping the mane, tail, and markings dark. Only one copy (D) is needed for the effect to appear.
Once you know what to look for, bay duns become easy to spot. In Horse Reality, you can find many examples across different breeds and see how the same gene creates slightly different shades and markings.
Related Colours
Chestnut Dun | Brown Dun | Black Dun | Dunskin | Buckskin