Roan Genetics

[Indigo213]

I was wondering does anyone know how roan genes are created and expressed? I would like to put some true roan coats in my bloodline. I am afraid to breed my mares with roan stallions, if the mares genes will not allow the roan to be expressed.

[Nazarach]

I was wondering does anyone know how roan genes are created and expressed? I would like to put some true roan coats in my bloodline. I am afraid to breed my mares with roan stallions, if the mares genes will not allow the roan to be expressed.

Hi there, if a horse is a roan carrier it will definitly express it, as roan is a dominant gene, which means the horse only needs one for it to show.

Other genes could cover it up but in most cases you will still see it to a point.
If you want to be sure not to have any cases of Roan being covered you should try to avoid
- grey horses (all horses that were born with their adult coat and grey rings that beginn to creep out with age, beginning to fade the original color);
- Lp as it often varnishes the coat until roan will be mostly invisible;
- as well as to much cumulative dillutions like creme, champagne and pearl because together they will lighten the coat until it's white and the roan will be invisible as well.

For examples,

a Black Roan horse



Black Roan with Lp
at 1 year (roan still visible)

at 9 Years (roan nearly invisible under varnish)


Grey Red Roan
at 1 year (roan still visible)

at 13 Years (roan invisible under grey - click on the picture to see the fully faded coat)



Does this help somewhat or are there any questions you still have?

[Indigo213]

Thank you this helps a lot! Most of my mares have dilutions, I will probably buy some solid foundation colored mares to start with!

[Nazarach]

Thank you this helps a lot! Most of my mares have dilutions, I will probably buy some solid foundation colored mares to start with!

Thank you If it's just one of them, like only champagne or only cream then you don't necessarily have to buy new ones, just take care when pairing them up that there aren't too many of them together. Buckskin Roans or Palominos and the champagne shades can also be very pretty paired with roan. It just depends what you prefere really ^^