Many consider horses the most beautiful and noble of animals. Human interaction with them has been known since time immemorial. Horses of unusual colors have always been highly regarded among experts and ordinary amateurs. One of the rather unusual and vivid representatives of the species can be called horses of the Bulan suit. The main gene that gives a similar color is the Cremello gene, or Crr.
origin of name
In Russian, there is a consonant word "damask", often associated with this breed. The resemblance to the name of the suit draws in the imagination of warlike horses, which are identified with damask steel. Nevertheless, the real roots of the origin of the appellation are completely different. In particular, “Bulan” or “Bolan” translates as deer or elk. A similar name was given to the suit because of its rather similar color. In addition, there is another opinion that the dark leggings of the horses of this breed without visible “apples” on the body became the reason for choosing the name. In the latter case, the origin comes from the verb "bolanmak", which bears the meaning "darken" or "cloudy".
Lovers call this suit sunny or golden. Staticity and harmony of horses is especially emphasized due to the contrast between the color of the legs and mane. The breeds of the bulan suit of horses are mostly riding. These include Karabakh, Don, Budyon and Akhal-Teke. The constitution of horses is almost always easy.
History of occurrence
Such horses have always been considered "noble" regardless of the time period. On the head, neck, shoulders, back and croup, as if there is a special pattern of coal rash on a light yellow background. The appearance of animals of this color was especially noble and appreciated in higher circles. The first references can be traced back to the preserved documents about the city of Nis, which was the capital of Parthia. It says that "all the horses were yellow."
European notes and descriptions of the bulan suit of horses in history should be attributed to the period from the 15th to the 18th centuries. In particular, in the Baroque era, noble people preferred to ride such horses on a par with solo suits. Subsequently, rich people turned their attention to darker breeds, because the latter were considered the most strong and hardy.
In various records of many nations, it was mentioned that the color of the horses directly influenced their temperament and disposition. So, the lighter breeds were peaceful, the redheads were distinguished by nervousness and ardor, and the black horses had a restive and evil character. The Indians of the ancient tribes at one moment began to call all the horses in general the word "Bulan".
Main varieties
The overall color of animals may vary. In total, for the bulky suit of horses, five main options stand out, presented in the list below.
- Dark color. Usually combined with apples randomly scattered around the body, that is, spots of light tones. The main color can be from dark sand to tan, and some horses have a dark mantle.
- Light color. Here, the range of acceptable tones varies from pale yellow to light sand. In some cases, the head is noticeably darker than the rest of the body. A contrasting light coat may be present on the mane and tail. The legs are mostly dark shades.
- In the apples. The general nature of the color is light, but the body is often replete with black ornate patterns, which creates a unique combination of colors for each horse. The hock in this case is not the limit at which the black color of the legs ends. The head and lower limbs often have fair hair.
- Silvery. The mantle is most often made in dark colors. It is worth noting that the silver-bulan suit of the horse is not always easy to recognize for the reason that the silver color can appear only over the years. Even experts almost never can identify stallions of this color.
- Bulanas in gold. This name is given to horses with a bright yellow eye-catching color. The golden ebb looks very impressive, so the horses wearing it are not used in normal work or at races. As a rule, such horses are exhibition and cost a lot of money. Very popular and in demand in the Middle East.
Professional Description
An interesting fact is that this suit is not the main one and has not been officially included in the corresponding list. The modern classification considers bulan horses as one of the branches of the bay. The main distinguishing feature in this case is the even sand color throughout the body and head. The description of the horse of the Bulan color also indicates that the acceptable range of colors varies from saturated cognac to golden or earthy.
At the same time, there are other characteristic features of such horses. In particular, the fore and hind legs should be black. The same color prevails on the tail and mane of the horse. It is important to note that for the forelimbs, the black color, as a rule, continues right up to the carpal joints, and for the hind limbs, to the hocks. The option is continued with the continuation to the forearms and legs, respectively. If dark pigmentation predominates in the skin, then the eyes can be completely different - from bright amber to deep hazel. It is separately mentioned that dark core hair is not considered a defect.
Other salient features
In other descriptions of this suit, a number of additional indicators are sometimes found indicating that the horse belongs to the Bulan. For example, there is such a thing as a belt that runs in horses along the entire ridge. This horse breed has a black and brown color. In addition, there are other characteristics and descriptions of the horses of the Bulan suit. Some horses have very prominent wings, presented in the form of blurry transverse stripes of a dark shade. You can find these elements on the shoulders of the animal.
Experts advise a closer look at the horse’s ears. This part of the body must have a clear black color. Certain varieties of the suit have the so-called hoarfrost, that is, white or whitish locks of hair in the tail and mane. The yellow-golden horses most valued by collectors can shine to some extent, as well as have very bright amber eyes. All listed features of the Bulan suit owe to the general genotype with horses of the kaur suit.
Horse in culture
The nobility and stateness of this species could not go unnoticed, and therefore firmly took their place first in folk traditions and tales, and then in animation. Disney Studios, for example, filmed a series in which a horse of a bulan suit named Spirit was featured.
Also, this breed often appeared on large and small screens in cowboy films, where whole herds of horses, which the Indians of North America considered their faithful companions and called mustangs, galloped along the prairies.
Confusion with other suits
Such cases are not uncommon, because even seasoned professionals can attribute a horse to the wrong suit. A certain admixture of wild genes may be present in the breed genotype itself. This fact is usually indicated by the presence of a zebra-colored limb in combination with a clear dark strap on the back. The bands on the legs go all the way to the hock or carpal joint. The correct name for this seemingly mulled suit of horses is Savras.
In the past, the teachings from Russia have carried out a number of studies that have proved that many peoples have a persistent erroneous opinion about the breed of some horses. An example is the eternal confusion between the Bulan and Isabella suits. This happens only due to the fact that both breeds are related to crows and have a special Cremello gene.
Current situation
Today, such horses are highly regarded among professionals and amateurs. Description and features of the horses of the Bulan suit delight experienced collectors, and the most worthy and beautiful specimens are no less than an expensive sports car.