Horse of a Different Color

This blue roan is definitely a horse of a different color. I was struck by the intense blue color of this draft cross horse in a herd of about 40 horses, being the only blue roan in the herd.

A blue roan horse is a rare color, and is said to be quite difficult to breed for, as the conditions must be in perfect alignment in regards to the parents coloring.

So, it makes sense that in order to have a roan, the roan must have black legs, a genetically black body, and “roaning”.

It is the black body that gives the darkness to the horse, while the roan gene gives the “ticking” of white hairs throughout the body, giving the illusion of the horse being a “blue roan.”