Spots 'N Stripes Ranch
Zorse and Zonkey Color Information
Zebra Bred To Solid Colored Horse or Donkey
The offspring will have the color of the mare, or jennet or the dominant gene color carried by the mare or jennet, and striping that can be a deeper color of the base color and/or black striping. Some colors make more profound striping than others. Duns, buckskins, light sorrels, and light bays make excellent colored dams for zorse babies. However, sometimes the dilute colors, such as the duns, buckskins, palominos and cremellos don't always put on great body striping, but almost always awesome leg striping.
Photo Album Zorses Page 4 Photo Album Zorses Page 5 Photo Album Zorses Page 6 Photo Album Zonkeys Page 7 Photo Album Zonkeys Page 8 However, if you do produce a zorse baby from one of the dilutes that does have full body striping, it is awesome. Darker colors, such as black, dark bay, and dark brown will not show the striping as profoundly, for the obvious reason, that of little or no contrast in the base color from the darker or black striping. Black zorses and zonkeys will have black striping which can be seen in discriminating light, making a real conversation piece! Grulla horses may produce black, grulla, or bay.Some zorses and zonkeys will be more profoundly striped than others. Some will have more or less body striping, and/or head and neck striping than others. Most will have excellent leg striping from ankle to the top of the leg. The zebra stallion used must have excellent striping, such as full leg striping and full circumference of leg striping, belly striping, chest striping, and full body striping, in order for the offspring to be striped in those places. Some zebra species, and subspecies do not naturally have full striping in some areas, so one would not necessarily expect the offspring to be striped in those areas either.
Zorse With Gray Dam This zorse showing the white background was bred to a mare with the dominant gray gene. At three years old, this zorse still had all his black striping. Sadly, this beautiful boy went to Rainbow Bridge before his time, so his owner could not ascertain whether the striping would gray out in his later years. However, if the animal inherited the gray gene from its horse parent, then it would seem probable or certainly possible that the gray would gradually overtake the striping.One of the best zebras to use for zorse or zonkey breeding is the Grant's zebra,
Grant's Zebra as it is known to have full striping everywhere on its body. As well, the individual stallion must be chosen carefully, since they will differ in striping profundity. However, some well striped zonkeys and zorses have come from Chapman's and Grevy's zebras as well.The Grevy's zebra will generally make a larger eared, larger headed zorse or zonkey, and will also usually give you a taller animal, as the Grevy is the tallest known zebra, obtaining heights of 15 hands plus. The striping will be narrower in width and more simetrical, as this is how the Grevy's presents itself. See our Grevy Stallion, Bubba.
Grevy's ZebraZebra Bred To A Paint or Appaloosa Colored Horse or Spotted Donkey
The offspring may have paint or appy coloring, and, in addition, will have the zebra striping pattern everywhere there is solid color, as opposed to the appy or pinto white color patterning, which will remain white. Many appaloosas gray or white out as they age. You may expect this same graying to overtake the striping as your appaloosa ages if it is in the color history of the appy sire or appy dam of your zorse to white or gray out. See our Paint Zorse Mare, ZipperBred to a homyzogous pinto/paint mare, you are generally assured of some additional white patterning with the striping, which results in an extrememly rare and uniquely colored zorse. The zonkey, if bred from a spotted donkey, may also have white legs and/or spots.
Back to Zorse and Zonkey Discovery Zebra Discovery If you would like us to put photos of your zonkey, zorse, or zebra on our site, please e-mail us below and send your photo. All photos will be considered, but photos will be put on site at webmaster's discretion.