The Drabardi Donkey

Facial markings

Here you will see descriptions and diagrams of the white facial markings and their ranges that a Drabardi can have.

Most Drabardi donkeys don't have any white facial markings unless they carry the spotted gene. The rare markings which do appear on non-spotted donkeys are usually small, e.g. a small snip, a star (from small to medium), a small stripe on the bridge of their nose, or even just a few white hairs.

A combination of small star+snip, etc. are also allowed. It's more likely that the white markings on a non-spotted donkey will be centred on the face, but it's still possible for them to be slightly skewed, i.e. tilted towards one side of the head, but this is usually more prevalent and dramatic in spotted donkeys.

If the donkey carries the spotted gene the white on the head spreads out further, often extending past the eyes, and in extreme cases completely enclosing both eyes and chin. A huge star or a broad blaze is the "minimum" for a spotted donkey, as they will almost always show loud white on their head as well as on their legs. Skewed/off-centred markings are also common for spotted donkeys.

| [N] Normal | [S] Spotted gene |

0) No Markings (Not pictured) - "No markings" - Most Drabardi donkeys don't have any facial markings unless they are spotted.
1) Flame [N] - Small collection of white hairs in the center of the forehead. Common normal marking.
2) Star (small) [N] - Common normal marking. Can come in any shape: round, oval, crescent, half-moon, 'heart', or in any variety of irregular shapes.
3) Star (medium) [N] - Common normal marking.
4) Star (large) [S] - Only for donkeys with the spotted gene
5) Snip [N] [S] - Common normal marking. Comes in different sizes, but will be minimal in non-spotted donkeys. The snip can be either a white or flesh-colored marking as the pink skin between the nostrils is easily seen through the fine fur.
6) Stripe (small) [N] - Common normal marking. Very narrow compared to a blaze. Can also be crooked or wavy.
7) Stripe (large) [N] [S] - Uncommon normal marking. Can also be combined with either star OR strip, but NOT both unless the donkey is spotted.
8) Blaze [S] - Only for donkeys with the spotted gene. A merged combination of star, stripe and snip. Blazes are usually even in width, or close to it, from top to bottom. If a blaze is oddly shaped it may be called an "irregular" blaze.
9) Bold [S] - Only for donkeys with the spotted gene. This is a very broad blaze that extends to or past the inside corner of the eyes and often covers the nostrils. An especially wide bald face is sometimes called an apron face (see below).
10) Apron [S] - Only for donkeys with the spotted gene. Covers both eyes and can reach down the cheeks of the donkey.

Ermine spot (Not pictured) - Ermine markings are splotches of color in an otherwise white marking, such as a blaze, star or leg socks. They can be of any size or shape and can occur on all donkeys.