Grullo and Grulla horses have very distinct appearances. Many times, they have primitive markings like stripes, barring, or shadowing, with grey, tan, or mouse-colored hairs. You’ll often hear them called by other names, such as blue dun, mouse dun, or gray dun, but they’re all referring to the same thing. Let’s take a closer look at these horses, their appearances, and some interesting facts about them.
Pronunciation The first thing that most people get wrong regarding Grullo or Grulla horses is how to pronounce the name. They’re Spanish words, so they’re not pronounced the phonetic way that most people try to say them. Grullo is pronounced like grew-yo. Grew-ya is how you would pronounce Grulla. What is Grulla/Grullo? Now you know how to properly pronounce these words, but what do they actually mean? Are they particular breeds of horses? Grulla and Grullo just refer to the color of the horse, and they’re both correct ways of describing it; though the AQHA recognizes Grullo as the proper term. In Spanish, Grulla means gray crane, which is similar to the color of a Grullo horse. Image Credit: HTurner, Shutterstock
Grullo/Grulla Colorations Horses with a Grullo or Grulla color are actually black, though the black is diluted and modified by a dun gene. To be a true Grullo, the horse must be smoke or mouse-colored.
Primitive Markings Grullo horses also have primitive markings on their bodies, like stripes and barring. You can see these types of markings on all duns to some extent. Ear Tips The tips of the ears will often be the horse’s darker base color, as well as an outline around the ear. You might also see dark horizontal bars that go across the back of the ear.
Shoulder or Transverse Stripe Commonly, a shoulder stripe or transverse stripe will start at the withers and run horizontally down the horse’s body.
Shadowing Image Credit: Olga_i, Shutterstock You’ll often see neck shadowing on a Grullo, which looks like dark areas that cover much of the neck and extend to the shoulder.
Leg Barring Often referred to as tiger striping, leg barring appears as bars of the horse’s darker base color running up the legs.
Face Mask The face of a Grullo will often be partially or entirely covered in its darker base color, which is referred to as a face mask.
Dorsal Stripe This stripe runs down the backbone of the horse, starting at the withers and often reaching quite a way into the tail. These stripes can be any width, and you’ll often find transverse stripes running off the main dorsal stripe.
Mottling Image Credit: HTurner, Shutterstock Mottling appears as circular patterns of the darker base color on the chest, shoulders, underbelly, forearms, shoulders, and gaskins.
Cobwebbing Cobwebbing is lines of dark coloration that tendril off from the horse’s masking. They’re usually concentrated around the eyes and forehead and can be various lengths.
Guard Hairs These guard hairs appear in the horse’s mane and tail. They’re white or crème-colored, spread throughout the mane, or mainly focused around the base of the neck. They show up similarly in the tail as well, with light-colored hairs either sticking near the base of the tail or spreading through it.
Conclusion Grullo horses aren’t a particular breed; they’re just black horses with a dun gene that causes the black to become diluted. They often have primitive markings that give them away, and you can tell them by their gray or mouse coloration. Grullo and Grulla are two words referring to the same horses, so you can use them interchangeably, though most people pronounce them wrong since they’re Spanish words. You May Like: How to Teach a Horse to Lunge
Featured Image Credit: Olga_i, Shutterstock
Grullo and Grulla horses have very distinct appearances. Many times, they have primitive markings like stripes, barring, or shadowing, with grey, tan, or mouse-colored hairs. You’ll often hear them called by other names, such as blue dun, mouse dun, or gray dun, but they’re all referring to the same thing. Let’s take a closer look at these horses, their appearances, and some interesting facts about them.
Pronunciation
The first thing that most people get wrong regarding Grullo or Grulla horses is how to pronounce the name. They’re Spanish words, so they’re not pronounced the phonetic way that most people try to say them.
Grullo is pronounced like grew-yo. Grew-ya is how you would pronounce Grulla.
What is Grulla/Grullo?
Now you know how to properly pronounce these words, but what do they actually mean? Are they particular breeds of horses?
Grulla and Grullo just refer to the color of the horse, and they’re both correct ways of describing it; though the AQHA recognizes Grullo as the proper term. In Spanish, Grulla means gray crane, which is similar to the color of a Grullo horse.
Grullo/Grulla Colorations
Horses with a Grullo or Grulla color are actually black, though the black is diluted and modified by a dun gene. To be a true Grullo, the horse must be smoke or mouse-colored.
Primitive Markings
Grullo horses also have primitive markings on their bodies, like stripes and barring. You can see these types of markings on all duns to some extent.
Ear Tips
The tips of the ears will often be the horse’s darker base color, as well as an outline around the ear. You might also see dark horizontal bars that go across the back of the ear.
Shoulder or Transverse Stripe
Commonly, a shoulder stripe or transverse stripe will start at the withers and run horizontally down the horse’s body.
Shadowing
You’ll often see neck shadowing on a Grullo, which looks like dark areas that cover much of the neck and extend to the shoulder.
Leg Barring
Often referred to as tiger striping, leg barring appears as bars of the horse’s darker base color running up the legs.
Face Mask
The face of a Grullo will often be partially or entirely covered in its darker base color, which is referred to as a face mask.
Dorsal Stripe
This stripe runs down the backbone of the horse, starting at the withers and often reaching quite a way into the tail. These stripes can be any width, and you’ll often find transverse stripes running off the main dorsal stripe.
Mottling
Mottling appears as circular patterns of the darker base color on the chest, shoulders, underbelly, forearms, shoulders, and gaskins.
Cobwebbing
Cobwebbing is lines of dark coloration that tendril off from the horse’s masking. They’re usually concentrated around the eyes and forehead and can be various lengths.
Guard Hairs
These guard hairs appear in the horse’s mane and tail. They’re white or crème-colored, spread throughout the mane, or mainly focused around the base of the neck. They show up similarly in the tail as well, with light-colored hairs either sticking near the base of the tail or spreading through it.
Conclusion
Grullo horses aren’t a particular breed; they’re just black horses with a dun gene that causes the black to become diluted. They often have primitive markings that give them away, and you can tell them by their gray or mouse coloration. Grullo and Grulla are two words referring to the same horses, so you can use them interchangeably, though most people pronounce them wrong since they’re Spanish words.
You May Like: How to Teach a Horse to Lunge
Featured Image Credit: Olga_i, Shutterstock
