Roan is a lightening of the coat visible on the horse's barrel.
It may cause a light, grayish appearance compared to the base color or turn the coat nearly white.
"Corn Marks" may form in places where the horse's skin was damaged and healed with the base coat color showing through.
Roan should fade gradually into the base color at its edges.

Genotype: Rn_
Locus:  Roan is a KIT gene mutation, along with Tobiano, Sabino, and Dominant White. A horse may carry only two KIT gene mutations.

• Coat: Roan is a white marking.
• Mane and Tail: Not affected.
• Skin: Not affected.
• Eyes: Not affected.
• Hooves: Not affected.

Range:

• Minimum: Visible lightening of base coat on top of the hindquarters.
• Maximum: Near-white lightening of the barrel and neck, with the base coat color visible above the horse's jaw and below the knees/hocks.

Interactions:

• Blanched: When Blanched and Roan are both present, Roan may be hidden.
• Filigree: Filigree and Roan do not interact.
• Chestnut: When Roan is on a Chestnut base coat, the phenotype will read "Red Roan."
• Black: When Roan is on a Black base coat, the phenotype will read "Blue Roan."

Example art by neb!

Varnish Roan is a white marking that covers the body in irregular, speckled white.
Unlike Roan, Varnish can appear anywhere on the horse and is irregular in density, often with patches of base coat showing through on the neck, cheeks, shoulders, and hindquarters.
Spots of base color can show through Varnish Roan in a pattern that resembles Blanket or Leopard.

Genotype: LpLp
Locus:  Varnish Roan is part of the Leopard Complex group of patterns, along with Snowflake, Snowcap, Blanket, Leopard and Fewspot.

• Coat: Varnish Roan is a white marking.
• Mane and Tail: Not affected, mostly. White roots are acceptable.
• Skin: May cause pink speckled skin.
• Eyes: Not affected.
• Hooves: May cause tan-striped hooves.

Range:

• Minimum: A speckled white patch that covers the hindquarters and barrel, with irregular lightening and texture that differentiates it from Snowcap or Blanket.
• Maximum: A white "varnish" over the body that is patchy/speckled at the tops of the legs, the neck, the cheeks, and the top of the muzzle.  Speckles or spots of base coat may show through.