A Roan Horse Has White Hairs Mixed Through Its Coat
Roan is a coat colour of mixed white and coloured hairs. It is not the same as grey.
Roan describes an animal coat in which white hairs are evenly mixed through a coloured base. It is often confused with grey, but the two behave oppositely: a roan is born roan and stays the same shade for life, while a grey horse is born dark and lightens year after year until it may be nearly white. A roan's head and legs also stay dark while the body is flecked. The word came through French from a Spanish word, *roano*, of uncertain earlier origin.
- A mixed coat colour. *A blue roan.*
- Strawberry roan. *A strawberry roan.*
- A roan animal. *A roan.*
- Grey — a different pattern. *A grey.*
- Spanish — *roano*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Adjective | roan | Roan. |
| Noun | roan | A roan. |
| Compound | blue roan | A blue roan. |
| Compound | strawberry roan | A strawberry roan. |
| Spanish | roano | Roan. |
- She rode a blue roan.Horse.
- A roan stays the same shade.Colour.
- Greys lighten with age.Contrast.
Roan colours
- Blue roan — white hairs through a black coat
- Strawberry or red roan — white through chestnut
- Bay roan — white through a bay coat
- The head and legs remain the solid base colour
- Roan is present from birth and does not progress
Old French *roan*, from Spanish *roano*, of uncertain earlier origin.
What is the difference between roan and grey?
A roan is born roan and keeps the same shade; a grey is born dark and lightens progressively with age.
Why is it called a blue roan?
Because white hairs mixed through a black coat give a bluish appearance at a distance.