> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://equinecolors.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Smoky dun
- URL: https://equinecolors.com/smoky-dun/
- Published: 2025-12-02T11:55:31.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-10T10:44:40.000Z
- Description: Smoky dun, or smoky black dun, is a horse coat color caused by one copy of cream and one copy of dun on a black base. It looks the same as black dun: the coat is diluted, and primitive markings are present.
- Author: Hannelore Roodhooft
- Tags: Colors, Dilutions, MATP, #Import 2026-08-12 09:42

## Appearance

| Foals | ![Dunalino](https://equinecolors.com/content/images/2025/12/smokydunfoal.png) | Smoky dun foals look the same asblack dun foals. They have a **mousy** greyish coat color and [**primitive markings**.](https://equinecolors.com/dictionary/#:~:text=a%20bay%20horse.-,Primitive%20markings,-Primitive%20markings%20may) |
| ----- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

| Like [black dun](https://equinecolors.com/black-dun/), smoky dun dilutesa **[black](https://equinecolors.com/black/) base** coat to a **blueish grey**color with **primitive markings**. | ![Smoky dun horse](https://equinecolors.com/content/images/2025/12/smokydun.png) | Adults |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------ |

### Mimics

Smoky dun looks basically identical to black dun, so genetic testing (or pedigree) is needed to tell the difference.

## Genetics

Smoky dun is the result of a **black base** diluted by **one copy of cream** and **one copy of dun**.

The cream (CR) dilution is an allele of the [**MATP**](https://equinecolors.com/matp-gene/) gene. The dun (D) dilution is an allele of the [**TBX3**](https://equinecolors.com/tbx3-gene/) gene.

![CTA Image](https://equinecolors.com/content/images/2025/12/Equinecolors_Icon_DNA1-31.png) 

Smoky Dun:  
Black (E/\_) + CR/n + D/\_

Although one copy of cream has no visible effect on a black coat, the allele can, of course, still be passed on to offspring.  

**Read more:**  
[Black](https://equinecolors.com/black/) | [Smoky black](https://equinecolors.com/smoky-black/) | [Black dun](https://equinecolors.com/black-dun/) | [Dunalino](https://equinecolors.com/palomino-2/) | [Dunskin](https://equinecolors.com/dunskin/)

[Back to Cream](https://equinecolors.com/dilutions/)

## Articles

1. Imsland, F., McGowan, K., Rubin, C. J., Henegar, C., Sundstrom, E., Berglund, J., Schwochow, D., Gustafson, U., Imsland, P., Lindblad-Toh, K., Lindgren, G., Mikko, S., Millon, L., Wade, C., Schubert, M., Orlando, L., Penedo, M. C., Barsh, G. S., & Andersson, L.; **Regulatory mutations in TBX3 disrupt asymmetric hair pigmentation that underlies Dun camouflage color in horses**; Nature Genetics (2015)*;* Doi: [10.1038/ng.3475](https://doi.org/10.1038/ng.3475?ref=equinecolors.com)
2. Locke, M. M., Ruth, L. S., Millon, L .V., Penedo, M. C. T., Murray, J. D., & Bowling, A. T.; ***The cream dilution gene, responsible for the palomino and buckskin coat colours, maps to horse chromosome 21***. Animal Genetics (2001); doi: [10.1046/j.1365-2052.2001.00806.x](https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2052.2001.00806.x?ref=equinecolors.com)
3. Mariat, D., Taourit, S., & Guérin, G.; ***A mutation in the MATP gene causes the cream coat colour in the horse.*** Genetics Selection Evolution (2003); doi: [10.1051/gse:2002039](https://doi.org/10.1051/gse:2002039?ref=equinecolors.com)

---

[![CTA Image](https://equinecolors.com/content/images/2025/10/Image-5.png)](https://www.horsereality.com/?ref=equinecolors.com) 

Learn while playing! Discover how genes shape colors and patterns in our realistic horse breeding game, Horse Reality

[Play now ](https://www.horsereality.com/?ref=equinecolors.com)