If you’re interested in a horse with a unique coloring, you may want to consider roan horses. These horses have an intermixture of white hairs with their base coat color. This coloring is typically more distinct on the head and points (mane tail and lower legs) than it is on the body. A roan horse’s color pattern will also usually have an inverted V shape on the knees of the front legs. Other patterns that can be confused with a roan include palomino, buckskin and cream.
The color of a roan horse is determined by the genes passed down from both parents. The roan gene can combine with any base coat color, including black, chestnut, and bay. It can even combine with diluted colors such as dun or silver.
Blue roans are the most common roan color. This type of roan results from a black gene with a recessive white gene. This combination produces a horse with a blueish tinge to its skin and coat. It can also include a red or flaxen mane and tail. A blue roan can have an inverted V on the knees of the front legs which is typical of Classic roans.
Other types of roans include red, chestnut, and bay roans. These roans are colored with the same base coat color as the parent, but they contain a mixture of red and white hairs in their bodies. A red roan can have a reddish-chestnut face, head, and legs, as well as a red or flaxen main and tail.
Chestnut roans are colored with the same genetics as sorrel horses. This type of roan is often mistaken for a strawberry roan due to their similar appearances. A strawberry roan is a reddish-chestnut roan that used to be called a red roan until the American Roan Horse Association changed the name in 1999.
A bay roan is born with a bay color and keeps this color through their life. This is the most common roan color that can be seen in other breeds as well.
These roans are a bit more difficult to identify than their brethren. The roaning can be very subtle and is not always easily seen until the horses’ first coat sheds. A roan can also have reversed dapples, which are darker than the surrounding areas on a normal dappled horse.
The roan color is most commonly seen in horses of the American Quarter Horse breed. This is because this breed was bred for cow-herding and ranch work in the west for a century before being formalized as the American Quarter Horse in 1940. However, the roan color has also been incorporated into other breeds of horses including Thoroughbreds, Morgans, and Hackneys. These horses are typically used for harness racing and have good athletic ability and endurance. They are also known for their calm nature. If you’re looking for a horse to buy, be sure to check the roan history of its parents. This will help you determine whether the roan color is consistent throughout its bloodline and is likely to pass on to any offspring it produces.