# Blue Roan colour change?



## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I'd say that she's actually a brown roan instead of a blue roan. The brown base coat would explain the color difference because they often change colors or shades depending on time of year and their diet.


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## RunSlideStop (Apr 21, 2012)

How can a person tell if a horse is a genuine blue roan? She is reg AQHA blue roan (foaled April 2002), as well as American Ranch Horse Assoc. blue roan. Both papers also note that she has blue eyes, which she does not... which I found very bizarre.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I know that many AQHA horses are registered when they are very young, newborns or weanlings. We all know how much a horse's color can change as they mature.

Also, not everyone is up to date on the proper colors...or they just don't care. For some folks, all dark colored horses with roan are blue roan, regardless of what their actual genetics state...so it may be a blue roan or a brown roan or maybe even a bay roan that's registered as "blue".

Also, there are a lot of registries that don't stay updated on the color genetics so they sometimes don't even have an option for the correct horse the color is.

A genuine blue roan is a black based horse (E/E or E/e) with _no_ Agouti (a/a) and is carrying roan (R/R or R/r).

Just judging from the look of your girl, I'd say that she's carrying the brown version of Agouti (At), but the only way to know for certain, 100%, would be to have her tested.


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## RunSlideStop (Apr 21, 2012)

That is very interesting.

Here's another question that I've been wondering for a while: I have heard that having brown/orange tips on otherwise black tips (mane, tail, nose) indicates a copper deficiency. I know the grass she was on before was very short and growing out of the reddest clay I have ever seen. Think this could have anything to do with her colour change?

Also, who would I contact to have her tested?


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

No, her color changes is because she is a brown roan not a blue roan. If you would like her tested to be sure, contact PetDNA out of Arizona; they are the only lab that had an At test.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## RunSlideStop (Apr 21, 2012)

What would happen if she tests blue roan? What would be the cause of the red/brown?


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

In the mane & tail it's likely sunfading.

Copper deficiency can emphasize sunfading, but many horses will sunfade even with the correct amount of copper in their diet (in which case trying to supplement copper would do nothing). Either way, it's not generally recommended to supplement individual minerals like that unless under a vet's advice.


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## RunSlideStop (Apr 21, 2012)

Interesting, verona. 

Just to note, we haven't supplemented anything but giving her a salt/mineral lick free choice 24/7, which she loves. Otherwise her diet change has strictly been the change from grass to this stuff that has a lot of clover and seems a lot more sugary.


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## Bridgertrot (Dec 2, 2011)

As for the eyes, a lot of foals are initially born with fairly blue eyes (obvious difference though if they were _actually_ blue) and darken as they age.

The breeder might not have known the difference and just registered her with blue eyes. Could always get it changed.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

If she were to test as a non-agouti black base, I'd then likely say that the brown appearance of her coat was due to her fading, which some black horses do and I'm unsure of the cause.

But, with the particular areas where she's lighter (around her eyes and on her muzzle especially), that makes me think that she's carrying At.


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## Blue Smoke (Dec 22, 2012)

I have a blue roan Hancock bred gelding who has a tendancy to fade in the sun and when winter hair is dying off it turns a dull orange-y color before turning dark again. However, I think your mare looks brown roan, and there's nothing wrong with that! Even though my gelding "changes color" he never has a brown nose or soft areas. 

Pics of my gelding to compare difference between a faded black (blue roan), and your mare:
Winter









spring









Summer (yesterday)









Last August when he was faded


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## kerigillis (Jun 13, 2013)

I know my mares sire is registered as a red roan and he is definitely bay roan.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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