Brindle horses
27 12 2006 
FRS Reckless Dan, 1997 AQHA stallion
Some horses eschew spots and go straight for the striped look instead. According to Sharon Batteate, The Brindle pattern consists of a watery or drippy looking striping (sometimes just partial striping) over the body of an animal. It is more commonly seen in dogs or cattle. In horses, the pattern is extremely rare. Brindle has occurred in such diverse breeds as Arabians, Thoroughbreds, Mustangs, Quarter Horses, Tennessee Walking Horses, German and Bavarian Warmbloods, Russian Horses, Spanish Horses, and also in Donkeys and Mules.
Regardless of where it comes from, it’s unique and gorgeous.
Dunbar’s Gold, 1996 AQHA stallion
Further reading
Sharon Batteate’s Brindle Horses website got the ball rolling several years ago, and still contains the most up-to-date information; lots of great photos too.
Brindle and Striped Equine International is a registry aiming to protect and promote these horses.
Article by Don Blazer at Equiworld.
Article by Jayne Pedigo at Equisearch.
wow, I have never laid eyes on a horses this patterned in my life. How cool!
Brindle has always been my favorite colouration on dogs, but I had no idea there were brindle horses. How do the breed associations handle it? In my experience, anything they’ve not specifically included is out. I knew a gorgeous Thoroughbred mare who was tossed out, although there was zero question she was purebred. Still, she made a great Pinto.
Wow, me either. I had never heard of such a thing, how amazing.
I just learned something new!!! Thanks for stopping by my blog, Mustang ‘n’ Cowboys. I look forward to the ALL THINGS EQUINE CARNIVAL over at MiKael’s!!
Well I have seen everything now. That is incredable. We breed paints and pintos and did not even know about brindles. Will definatly be reading more about them.
Don–I haven’t heard of it cropping up in ponies, but you never know.
Rain–I’d imagine it would get entered on the registration certificate under the markings section. As for the spotty TBs, they’re becoming more common and well-known. Must do a post on that soon…
[...] ongoing Aussie drought for the horses’ condition. Apparently she was trying to breed for the brindle pattern using progeny of the unusual Thoroughbred stallion Catch A Bird. Although she will likely lose her [...]
I have never seen a horse of this colour and particularly like the first one.
I have recently been reading a horse book, The Nature of Horses, which includes a section on colour genetics. I am still trying to understand some of the different variations including some I’d not heard of before. This did not mention brindle!
This has obviously raised my interest in horse colours as I noticed an article on the UK’s first coloured thoroughbred foal. See the following website Horsetalk.
[...] Brindle horses [...]
Reckless Dan’s shoulder and front pasterns look a little too upright to me, but maybe it’s just the photo.
Karen, is that the Budiansky book? It’s fantastic but his colour genetics are a bit out of date; there’s no “dominant white” gene, at least not the way he describes it. The most up-to-date info is actually online, as there have been a lot of research breakthroughs recently and publishing has such a long turnaround time that it doesn’t necessarily reflect current thinking. Even Sponenberg’s latest is a bit behind the times.
Yes - I have been reading the Budiansky book but have found some different info on the web as you advised. It’s all pretty complicated.
I agree with your comments about Reckless Dan’s conformation but really liked his unusual colouring.
[...] Brindle horses [...]
I want one
[...] I noticed this stripey girl at Heaven Can Wait equine rescue. Not much is known about her except that she’s a Standardbred cross, 1.5 years old and in need of some TLC. (”But Defrost, what’s a brindle horse?”
[...]
I have not read the books but the grey horse at the op of the page is GORGEOUS!