What color are my mares?

The girls

(The paint filly has a dorsal stripe down her back that is very prominent. I will post a pic of that later)

I'm not a big help with colour sorry but I just want to say they are both gorgeous and I love the blue eyes!!

Fiona looks buckskin or yellow dun to me. I can't remember if Buckskin had a dorsal stripe or not -- I'm thinking that was just dun.
Not sure about Misty. I almost wanna say Grulla, but don't quote me on it.

Do either of them have barring on their legs? For Dun there is typically webbing on the forehead as well as a very distinct dorsal stripe. I can see where one might think Misty is a Grulla, but I am not so sure. The lighter coloring on her face gives me pause.

If Fiona has a dorsal stripe she is dun, otherwise buckskin pinto. (LOVE the white "knee pads" she is wearing)
I would call Misty a smutty buckskin. Unless she is young and greying out from buckskin then she is a grey.

Edit to say: Other pictures of the paint show her dorsal stripe, I would consider her a dun.

What lovely mares :)

Misty looks like a beautiful example of a smokey brown to me. This is similar to a buckskin, but instead of cream acting on a bay coat, it is acting on a brown coat.

Fiona is a bay based dun if you ask me. If she does indeed have a dorsal stripe, she has the face darkening, the stripes on her legs and the barring on her shoulders/withers. Classic example :)

The thing is, a dorsal stripe doesn't automatically mean they're dun. True, to my knowledge ALL duns have a dorsal stripe, but they don't have to be dun to have one. Jack is bay as can be and gets a "counter shading" dorsal stripe, as does the silver bay I show and she has been tested.

I'm not a big help with colour sorry but I just want to say they are both gorgeous and I love the blue eyes!!

Thank you! I am partial to those eyes as well. 


Fiona looks buckskin or yellow dun to me. I can't remember if Buckskin had a dorsal stripe or not -- I'm thinking that was just dun.
Not sure about Misty. I almost wanna say Grulla, but don't quote me on it.

I’ve been told that she is a dun overo, and nobody knows what color Misty is. Although we do know she is an appaloosa horse. 



Do either of them have barring on their legs? For Dun there is typically webbing on the forehead as well as a very distinct dorsal stripe. I can see where one might think Misty is a Grulla, but I am not so sure. The lighter coloring on her face gives me pause.

I haven’t really been able to tell with the winter coat in the way on those fuzzy legs. I will have an answer for that when they are sleek and shiny I suppose  . We’ve always called her a buckskin .

If Fiona has a dorsal stripe she is dun, otherwise buckskin pinto. (LOVE the white "knee pads" she is wearing)
I would call Misty a smutty buckskin. Unless she is young and greying out from buckskin then she is a grey.

Edit to say: Other pictures of the paint show her dorsal stripe, I would consider her a dun.

Her knee pads are adorable to me too! She def. Has a dorsal stripe that is very dark, however the farrier mentioned that it may fade with age. I’ve never heard of a smutty buckskin! I will google it.


What lovely mares :)

Misty looks like a beautiful example of a smokey brown to me. This is similar to a buckskin, but instead of cream acting on a bay coat, it is acting on a brown coat.

Fiona is a bay based dun if you ask me. If she does indeed have a dorsal stripe, she has the face darkening, the stripes on her legs and the barring on her shoulders/withers. Classic example :)

Thank you! I will google smokey brown too!  Both of my girls seem pretty unique then I suppose! 


The thing is, a dorsal stripe doesn't automatically mean they're dun. True, to my knowledge ALL duns have a dorsal stripe, but they don't have to be dun to have one. Jack is bay as can be and gets a "counter shading" dorsal stripe, as does the silver bay I show and she has been tested.

Good to know! Thanks! Im hoping to take everyones advice and make a round about decision on what color she is.

That's true. Dio's dam was buckskin, but she had a dorsal stripe. I think, Dio (a bay) has a bit of one, too.

I looked this up out of curiosity. Pretty informational if you're interested in the genetic side, but basically it boils down to AQHA saying dorsal stripe = dun, no dorsal stripe = buckskin. Dun vs. Buckskin

The dun mare shows other Dun Factor markings - she has the cobwebbing on her face, the darkening on her shoulders and the barring on her legs. If she has a dorsal stripe, that rounds out everything she needs. Countershading usually only gives a few characteristics, she has all of them.