Though commonly associated with the Native American for its legendary magical qualities in battle, the Pinto horse was actually introduced to North America by European explorers, chiefly those from Spain, bringing their Barb stock that had been crossed with native European stock years before.

Native Americans commonly used these horses in their everyday routines, including for work and war. Additionally, throughout history and in the present day Pintos are used in parades and other large spectator events.

Spain

A pinto horse has a coat color that consists of large patches of white and any other color. The distinction between “pinto” and “solid” can be tenuous, as so-called “solid” horses frequently have areas of white hair. Various cultures throughout history appear to have selectively bred for pinto patterns.

Grulla or grullo, also called blue dun, gray dun or mouse dun, is a color of horses in the dun family, characterized by tan-gray or mouse-colored hairs on the body, often with shoulder and dorsal stripes and black barring on the lower legs.

Body color reddish or copper-red; mane and tail usually same color as body, but may be flaxen. The most common color of American Quarter Horses…

To be a grulla, the horse must carry the basic body color of a/a, then carry at least one dun gene. Because the modifier dillutes the basic black body and puts the dun markings on the black body, the resulting color is grulla. Dun is a dominant dulution gene, so even with one D, the horse is grulla.

A sorrel horse that receives the dun modifier is called a red dun. This horse will appear in shades from pale red to light tan, but never has black points. Its mane and tail can range from cream to dark red. It will show some or all of the dun characteristics.

A DUN color is usually a brown gray or a gray mixed with a blue. A weird thing is one of the most popular DUN patterns is the PALE MORNING DUN which is typically a yellow and white. In fly tying the term DUN hackle is sometimes used to indicate the wrapping forming the body of a fly.

Soft-hackle 0 Blue dun is a medium shade of gray, so medium blue dun hackle is pretty much what is meant by “Blue Dun”. A blue dun which has a creamy look to it might be called Honey dun, and is quite prized, today. Fly dressings usually distinguish whether to use dk. blue dun, light blue dun, or just blue dun.

The Story. The Blue Dun is another classic trout dry fly pattern that was originated to imitate the early mayfly hatches. These dry flies work for a number of hatches including the Blue Winged Olives, Hendricksons, Blue Quills and Quill Gordons. These are all great midday banker’s hours hatches.