One thing we get asked alot about is the infamous Donkey cross pattern down its back.

Can a donkey have a dorsal stripe WITHOUT an accompanying shoulder stripe all at the same time?

Do Poitous have the cross on their their backs? how bout Mammoths?

Nearly 99.9% of all donkeys having a dorsal also have an accompanying shoulder stripe. On a very few examples, the cross-bar (shoulder stripe) is so short to as be under 1" long. I have seen ONLY 1 donkey that looked as if it had no shoulder stripe at all.

Poitous should NEVER have a dorsal and cross. This is a sign of outcrossing, and they are not considered to be purebreds if they have a dorsal or shoulder stripe. Jacks with a stripe will never be approved for breeding. (Nor should a Poitou ever have a black muzzle or No Light Points. They must have a clear white muzzle, eyerings, and may have white bellies, with a distinct red ring between the white muzzle/ eyering and the black coat.)

Mammoths may have a cross, but it is NOT favored. Of course, slate Mammoths (the least popular color) will have a cross. Black, brown, red, and the roan variations are preferred to have no visible cross at all. Many dark browns, some sorrels and the roans over these base colors may have faint crosses. The fainter, the better. Some saddle mule breeders will still go ahead and use a jack with a cross (since it puts flashy stripes on the mules) but Draft Mule breeders will avoid the cross (or even deny the faint ones).

(This Page last updated: February 15, 2002)