# Is my blue roan really blue?



## EmsTNWalkers (Mar 10, 2013)

My blue roan gelding is almost 3 years old now. I absolutely love him to pieces! Anyways, I need some educated input on his coloring. I bought him from a guy who got him out of a show barn, he is registered and would have been an excellent show prospect, but he has a scar on his back right pastern. So, automatic dq in the big shows. (Which is fine by me because this is how I was able to get my boy) In the transition of ownership, they were unwilling to release his papers. He was owned by a partnership with three individuals, and one of them did not agree with him being sold and would not sign off. 

What do you think about his color? Right now he looks black in his winter coat. These pictures were taken last summer when I got him, he was so lanky and a bit underweight then. He's filled out nicely now.


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## texasgal (Jul 25, 2008)

Looks like it to me...


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## EmsTNWalkers (Mar 10, 2013)

Here he is this winter


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

He looks blue roan from those photos. One from the side would help more. Roans always get dark in the winter, many blue roans turn almost completely black and then shed out to their normal roan color.


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## texasgal (Jul 25, 2008)

There are plenty of "shades" of roan also ... I'll use some photos from a friend's site:


















Double has (what I consider) minimum expression .. as does this red stallion below:











Deuce (who is younger) has (what I call) a more classic expression:










Then there is THIS guy ... Roan much??


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

Is it possible he's actually rabicano? I know it has a tendency to show clustere and on the sides/hindquarters like that. Unfortunately its hard to tell from the pics.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

MacabreMikolaj said:


> Is it possible he's actually rabicano? I know it has a tendency to show clustere and on the sides/hindquarters like that. Unfortunately its hard to tell from the pics.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I thought that at first too, which is why I asked for a different picture, but I don't think so with the way the roaning goes down the back legs. Rabicano can stretch way up to the chest, but usually stays off the legs.


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## texasgal (Jul 25, 2008)

Does he have a roan parent?


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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

Have you got any really clear photos of his face? I am beginning to wonder if he is grey - I can see a lot of lighter hairs in his tail, a good calling card of grey as opposed to roan, which does not lighten the tail.


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## Ponies (Aug 18, 2012)

I was thinking Rabicano, wouldnt that also lighten the tail? 
But just ignore me, just thinking outloud.


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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

Ponies said:


> I was thinking Rabicano, wouldnt that also lighten the tail?
> But just ignore me, just thinking outloud.


It tends to lighten the tail head more than the rest of the tail. Even extreme cases tend to have a fairly solid colour to the tail before you get very far down:


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## EmsTNWalkers (Mar 10, 2013)

He has Silver Design on his top side, so yes he has roan in his lines. I'll see if I can find a better pic of his face. I also wondered about grey because of his tail. Is it possible he is a blue roan with an expressed grey gene? I am completely color/genetics ignorant.


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## EmsTNWalkers (Mar 10, 2013)

I don't think he's rabicano, the white flecks are all over his body typical of a roan


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## EmsTNWalkers (Mar 10, 2013)

Hmmm...could the tail be because he's a splash?


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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

EmsTNWalkers said:


> Hmmm...could the tail be because he's a splash?


Doubtful.

Have you got any clearer shots of his head? Shots of his tail could be helpful too. And his legs. I don't ask for much lol.


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## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

I'm kinda leaning more towards grey myself. Does he have a grey parent?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## EmsTNWalkers (Mar 10, 2013)

Here's a couple more I found, not sure if they're any help though..

The brown spots in the second picture are just from him laying, he doesn't have strange brown spots lol


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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

Does he have white hair on his face aside from his blaze?


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## EmsTNWalkers (Mar 10, 2013)

Yes he does


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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

Then I would be fairly confident that he is indeed grey


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## EmsTNWalkers (Mar 10, 2013)

Grey is ok too 

I still haven't picked a real name for him yet. I've just always called him "The Big" lol because he's such a big boy. He should finish out at 17 h! 

Any name suggestions?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

wth. I went back and read the OP. Instead of 3, I read it as him being almost 6.  I don't even know how, but I completely discounted gray because of it. Deeeerrrp. :lol: Moar caffeine for Po.


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## Blue Smoke (Dec 22, 2012)

This is a pic of Silver Design, who is clearly grey and not roan.










I would say there is a good chance he is actually grey as well, as roans will not have white hair on their faces or below the knees/hocks typically (other than markings.) And it does not affect their manes or tails either.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

You have a really pretty BLUE roan. It doesn't matter if there are some brown spots. =D


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## Remali (Jul 22, 2008)

He looks blue roan to me. Some roans can indeed have white hairs in the mane and tail. 

What color are the sire and dam?


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