# Red Roan? Appaloosa? What kind of coloring do you think?



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Welcome to the Horse Forum 

Palomino varnish roan. Varnish roan is different than regular roan. Overtime she will progressively get more roan hairs but the hard areas on her face and joints will remain darker colored. 

She has the classic appy spotting around the eyes and muzzle, this same gene is what is causing the varnish roan. 

By the way, when an appy is crossed with a quarter horse, the resulting foal is also an appy. The ApHC registry books allows crossing their registered horses to registered quarter horses, registered thoroughbreds and registered Arabians for purebred ApHC foals. Those foals are considered pure Appy's, doesn't matter how much or little of their bloodline comes from foundation Appy stock ;-)


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## SummerBliss (Jan 7, 2017)

Thanks^^ 

And that's great to know! I didn't know there was such a thing as varnish roan but it's cool to think that she'll get even more so since since I love the red look. Also had no idea about how the breed papers worked either. Unfortunately, I'll never be able to get her papered since I have no idea who her parents are. And the guy I got her from had her since she was a foal so he doesn't remember who he got her from either.


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## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

At the end of the varnish roan process, she will almost look like a light grey except for those boney areas where her color will remain ;-)


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Since your question has been answered:
She's lovely 
Congratulations on your new addition!


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## RedDunPaint (Aug 23, 2015)

Gorgeous little lady you have there! What's her name? 

And also thought I'd share something...never hurts haha. So when I was younger I played a lot of horse games, one of them being Horse Isle. And they have so many colors on there, that's where I learned a lot about horse colors haha. They probably aren't entirely accurate but you at least hear the names circulating. I definitely had some palomino varnish roan Nez Perce horses. Oh, and Eqcetera has a lot as well. They even include all the genes that go into the color and if they're recessive or dominant. Again, not sure how accurate they are but it's interesting to play at least.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Breed is irrelevant, but for questioning Appy coloration you need to look at the characteristics of the gene first and foremost not just the color- the mottled skin, white around her eyes and striped hooves are a give away. The horse can have that gene (and the horse does not NEED to be an Appy to have it, why I said breed is irrelevant, other breeds have that gene as well and there are solid appy's) and still be solid colored.

Now your mare clearly has that gene from what can be seen of the details of her face (can't see her hooves well but don't need to). So assuming she is varnish roan as opposed to something else (say regular roan) is a good starting point, now looking at the details of varnish roan she definitely matches and the spots are just confirmation of her genes. I agree she is palomino based.

And a lot of vets don't know coat colors .

Here is a very classic varnish roan







. See how it's different from regular roan and you can see the traits of an Appaloosa? Now this horses base colors is darker than your mares but it can give you a guess as to what she may look like someday.

Oh and the manes/tails being short is a common trait, they simply don't grow as much hair, but there are plenty that prove that wrong as well.

She is cute and from those pictures I wouldn't be surprised if she is full Appy.


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## SummerBliss (Jan 7, 2017)

RedDunPain said:


> Gorgeous little lady you have there! What's her name?
> 
> And also thought I'd share something...never hurts haha. So when I was younger I played a lot of horse games, one of them being Horse Isle. And they have so many colors on there, that's where I learned a lot about horse colors haha. They probably aren't entirely accurate but you at least hear the names circulating. I definitely had some palomino varnish roan Nez Perce horses. Oh, and Eqcetera has a lot as well. They even include all the genes that go into the color and if they're recessive or dominant. Again, not sure how accurate they are but it's interesting to play at least.


Her name's Echo  
And sounds like it's a good way to learn horse colors since it makes it fun to do so ^^ 



Zexious said:


> Since your question has been answered:
> She's lovely
> Congratulations on your new addition!


Thanks^^ 



Yogiwick said:


> Now your mare clearly has that gene from what can be seen of the details of her face (can't see her hooves well but don't need to). So assuming she is varnish roan as opposed to something else (say regular roan) is a good starting point, now looking at the details of varnish roan she definitely matches and the spots are just confirmation of her genes. I agree she is palomino based.
> 
> Oh and the manes/tails being short is a common trait, they simply don't grow as much hair, but there are plenty that prove that wrong as well.
> 
> She is cute and from those pictures I wouldn't be surprised if she is full Appy.


Interesting stuff to know! And it'd be kinda funny if she really was full Appy since there's a stud across from her in the isle at the stables. He's full Appy and quite the champ for being only 3 or so years old. And she's the only mare he ever pays attention to lol


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

I would just call her pali roan. You could send off to UC davis if you really want to know, they have a lot of DNA test. it would be interesting to see her summer coat.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Nice mare!!!


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