Due to decreasing use over the years, I have decided to disable the forum functionality of the site.

Forums will still be available to view but new posts are no longer allowed.

Dun in Akhal Tekes

JNFerrigno March 24, 2011 March 24, 2011

Forums

And other Central Asian horses. I'm curious, I've found many sources that say that Arabians, Tekes, and Throughbreds do not carry Dun. However I have often wondered if that is really the case, and if people are looking at Dun as just one allele (?). For instance, the Iberian Duns have said to test for something entirely different then what is seen in the Quarter Horse. Could it be that what we see in the 'line back' akhal tekes actually a version of dun, and not just sooty? Could sooty be a variation of a dun causing gene? I mean, it's only of the oldest genes there, so it's been given ample time to mutate. So could it be possible there are different mutations on the 'Dun Locus'? Thank you for listening to my 1am ramble.

JNFerrigno Fri, 03/25/2011 - 10:54

Sorry, you lost me with brindle LOL. What don't I know now?

Threnody Fri, 03/25/2011 - 12:46

I don't really think it's a form of dun. Dun is a dilution that causes concentrated primitive markings while lineback sooty doesn't dilute and just activates eumelanin production in the affected hair shafts.

I guess sooty and dun could be subset as primitive marking genes. But then sooty is polygenic and does not automatically equal primitive markings being present. I think it's just a case of primitive markings in horses being favored through natural selection regardless of what genetics cause them which is why we see it in horses today.