[Dawn]

This seems to have been a fairly popular point of discussion lately. Mainly in part to the fact that it is so misunderstood. I just thought I'd pull up some nice, easy to understand websites for anyone interested in learning more...
http://www.hullhorsehaven.com/greyroan.html

roan horses are born roan and stay the same color throughout their lives (although they may appear lighter or darker in their winter coats). Also, the head, legs, mane and tail of a roan horse are solid-colored and do not display "roaning."

http://www.equinecolor.com/roan.html

Roan is not progressive - a horse will be born Roan (although it is usually not visible until the foal is a few months old) and will be Roan until it dies...On Roan horses the head, legs, mane & tail will be a solid color with maybe only a few white hairs present, any white markings on the head or legs may have roan edges but this is due to the white marking, not the Roan.

Some Roans are very subtle but generally there is no mistaking the horse is Roan. This type of roaning should not be confused with the roaning that occurs with the Leopard Complex (Appaloosa), Rabicano or Sabino patterns. Those types of roaning are genetically separate from this pattern of Roaning and have very different physical characteristics.

Again, these are just simple, easy to understand sites and quotes. You can of course get much more indepth with the actual genetics of it all.

Now for some explinations of the colours that often confuse people....
http://www.sabinohorseregistry.com/

True roan should not be confused with Sabino roaning. To be a true roan one parent must be a true roan. To distinguish by appearance, True Roans have dark faces and legs and manes and tails

http://www.sahr.homestead.com/rulesregs.html

The Sabino gene is not to be confused with the Roaning gene or Rabicano gene. They are completely different genes that can sometimes occur together but are not necessarily indicative of the Sabino gene.

http://menomin.homestead.com/sabinoVersion2.html

http://www.equinecolor.com/sabino.html

In the United States it is a term used for this particular pattern and although it may resemble Roan or Grey at times, it should not be confused with either as it is totally separate.

Another common characteristic of Sabino is roaning, this is the most minimal expression of Sabino. This can vary from a small amount of roanin concentrated in an one area of the horse to roaning that covers the entire body. It's also common for roaning to be found on the head and legs, especially if a white marking is present. This roaning will vary in extent from very minimal to very extreme and occurs to some extent in all breeds which have Sabino.

Sabino can also cause roaned areas that may not be present at birth and grow with age.

http://www.equinecolor.com/rabicano.html

Rabicano can resemble Sabino as that pattern also causes a similar roaning. But Sabino does not involve the base of the tail and is also usually accompanied by a white marking on the face, a chinspot and white legs.

http://greenfield.fortunecity.com/dr...c/rabicano.htm

Rabicano is a pattern of white hairs that's similar to roan

I hope someone can learn something from this! If not from the descriptions then by the pictures. These sites have some truely great examples of the various colours on them.

[Dawn]

Sorry! That last bit is not supposed to be in bold, but it is showing that way.

[Friesiangirl]

thanks so much!

[BestofPrincess]

On the winter time thing---- there are plenty of people who have roans that are never the same shade of roan season to season, year to year

[Dawn]

It's actually unusual for a roan not to change shades with the seasons. Even going so far as to looking like a completely different horse. But winter by winter and summer by summer, they will return to the same colour.

[Xiphias]

I had a red bay roan pony, and she was a completly different color from winter to summer, much lighter in winter and darker in the summer, black mane and tail with black legs, If I ever get to replace my scanner I will post some picts of her, she was about 12 hands, and a real looker...thanks for the lesson...CAthy

[aBreeze]

ok Iv posted this before but noone could agree WTH color he is... neither of his parents were roans. I read your info[THANKS FOR POSTING!!!] and it says he's not a true roan... his mane/tail are flaxen... sooo what is he? His dad was a dark bay, his mom was a chestnut, he has alwys been his red roan like color.

6 months ->
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...Buck/bucky.jpg

2 years ->
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...uckrearing.gif
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...uck/DaBoys.gif

bad shave at 3 years ->
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../Buck/buki.gif

late 3 year old winter coat ->
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y21...ster/bucky.jpg

summer coat as 4 year old ->
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y21...ster/fatty.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y21...ster/jump3.jpg

[bay_blnd jmpr07]

From the 6th month pic I'd consider him a strawberry roan. And then he turns into more of a chestnut roan.

[Dawn]

He looks interesting. He's not a roan. Obviously because neither parent was. But also the 'roaning' is on his face as well.

What do his stockings do? Iow, when it meets his coloured parts, what do they look like? Smooth, jagged, really heavy roaning?

You don't happen to have pics of mommy and daddy do you?

I'd venture to guess a sabino. But there's no good pics of his face or legs with a nice short coat. So it's hard to tell.

[Dawn]

He can't be though as she knows neither parent was roan, and his face.

Originally Posted by bay_blnd jmpr07

From the 6th month pic I'd consider him a strawberry roan. And then he turns into more of a chestnut roan.