Cross Breeds

Can Arabian Horses be Red Roans?

Can arabian horses be colored red roans or do they have to be bred with other breds to get the color? if they have to be bred with other breds what breds can they be?

Public Comments

1. yea, they can be red roan, just not that common. if you really want one, try a thouroughbred or quarter horse. both of these breeds came from the arabian, so they have similarities.
2. yep pictured examples here
3. Actually no the Roan Gene has never been found via DNA testing on an Arabian nor on a TB.Though a very few Arabs are registered as "roan" when tested they were found to have some roan-like characteristics due to either the Sabino or Rabicano modifier gene -- a whiteing gene. Also a Grey horse still in the process of going white will occasionaly look roan but geneticly it is grey and just at a roan-like stage.. It's like white Arabians --- many look white in color but are actually the result of the Grey gene. They were born a solid color (chestnut, bay, or black) but due to the Greying gene get progressively lighter each year until they "look" white. Geneticly they are still their solid base color but "look" different due to the Grey gene causing white hairs. I'm not sure what breeds are predominate for Roan other than many AQHA or APHA carry the roan gene. The QH and Paints of Hancock or Valentine bloodlines are very well known for it. EDITED TO ADD LINK: Roan color: Encyclopedia II - Roan color - Roan in Horses (Actual info needed is second paragraph down beneath ad) http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Roan_color_-_Roan_in_Horses/id/4713414
4. not if its a pure bred arab, but you could breed it with a stud of roan color to produce a roan colt, possibly just depends on the genetics.