 The quagga is believed to have been 257 cm ( 8 ft 5 in ) long and 125 – 135 cm ( 4 ft 1 in – 4 ft 5 in ) tall at the shoulder . Its coat pattern was unique among equids : zebra @-@ like in the front but more like a horse in the rear . It had brown and white stripes on the head and neck , brown upper parts and a white belly , tail and legs . The stripes were boldest on the head and neck and became gradually fainter further down the body , blending with the reddish brown of the back and flanks , until disappearing along the back . It appears to have had a high degree of polymorphism , with some individuals having almost no stripes and others having patterns similar to the extinct southern population of Burchell 's zebra , where the stripes covered most of the body except for the hind parts , legs and belly . It also had a broad dark dorsal stripe on its back . It had a standing mane with brown and white stripes . 
