The term "rabicano" is Spanish in origin; "rabo" meaning tail, "cano" meaning white. This name was given because of the characteristic "skunk tail" that many rabicano colored horses have.
Rabicano horses have white hairs intermingled with their base coat in the tail, flank, and belly. Minimal expression of the gene may only have a few white hairs in those areas, while a horse with extensive expression may have white hairs on their ribs, giving them a striped appearance. Rabicano can exist with any base color and alongside other white patterns, such as pinto or grey. The gene is present in many breeds, even those that do not have roan, and is most commonly known in Arabian horses.
Rabicano horses have white hairs intermingled with their base coat in the tail, flank, and belly. Minimal expression of the gene may only have a few white hairs in those areas, while a horse with extensive expression may have white hairs on their ribs, giving them a striped appearance. Rabicano can exist with any base color and alongside other white patterns, such as pinto or grey. The gene is present in many breeds, even those that do not have roan, and is most commonly known in Arabian horses.
Genes that are in bold are active on the coat. Genes that are underlined are genes that the horse may carry, but will have no visible effect on the coat.
Gene Sequence
ee · aa · gg · crcr · dd · chch · F_ · zz · stysty · RB_ · rnrn · sb1+sb1+ · w+w+ · to+to+ · oo · splspl · lplp · patn1patn1 · patn2patn2
Gene Sequence
ee · aa · gg · crcr · dd · chch · F_ · zz · stysty · RB_ · rnrn · sb1+sb1+ · w+w+ · to+to+ · oo · splspl · lplp · patn1patn1 · patn2patn2