Roan is not a color. It modifies any coat color with a mixture of white hairs, intermingled from birth with the darker hairs of the coat color leaving the base color on face, mane, tail and lower legs. Use the combination of base coat color, such as "black," and the term "roan" to describe a "black roan." The true Roan pattern isn't always apparent until it sheds its foal coat to the color that it will be throughout the horse's life. At least one parent must be a roan.



Grey is a color modifier and no horse is born grey. Grey begins to modify the birth coat color sometimes months or even years later. They will begin showing signs of grey around the eyes, flank and below the elbow. Grey patches occasionally will develop on the body, croup, or thigh before they are visible around the eyes. Grey is progressive and aging causes the coat colors of grey horses to progressively lighten to almost white. Dappling is common and often, older grey horses show speckles of their original coat color hair and are called "flea-bitten." A grey horse must have at least one grey parent. Ideally to preserve the true color of the horse "Grey" should be added to the birth color black/grey, chestnut/grey, palomino/grey etc.



Colors & Markings Guide (PDF)


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