What is a roman nose?

[equine.trailrider]

Does anyone have a picture of a good example of a roman nose? I have been hearing this term lately and am quite curious.

[horseloverinVA]

This pic doesn't show his Roman nose very well but it's the only one I have. This is Bailey my Appendix QH, he has a roman nose. Oh and he looks like a deer in the headlight in this pic

[dreamcleaner]

A Roman nose not sure if this explains it will, kinda goes up and down. Like if you saw someone whose nose was broken and not fixed properly. I had a dog with one. It is considered a defect I believe.

[yellowhorsesinc]

Here is a Roman nose illustration.

[yellowhorsesinc]

A Roman nose is not just confined to horses, here is a man on a horse with one. The horse's nose is normal but look at the guy's! It is a statue in Rome of all places!

[equine.trailrider]

I see now. Am I crazy? I don't think roman noses are ugly. Your gelding is really cute!

[cloudyandcallie]

I always thought my wb had a roman nose but people tell me that it is convex, bows out much higher than the roman nose (between his eyes) and then is straight where the roman nose is convex.
and I didn't know that STBs have roman noses, one at our barn has the straight area between the eyes, and then a small roman nose below.

[yellowhorsesinc]

A convex nose is a Roman nose, that is just another name for it. There are only straight profiles, convex profiles and a concave profiles to the face.

[Iwasbornonahorse]

Originally Posted by dreamcleaner

A Roman nose not sure if this explains it will, kinda goes up and down. Like if you saw someone whose nose was broken and not fixed properly. I had a dog with one. It is considered a defect I believe.

They are absolutely NOT a defect under any circumstances. It's just a word used to describe a nose that rounds out.

I think they are beautiful...If I had two horses to buy, both equal, and one had a roman nose, that's the one I'd pick

Think of it this way, saying a roman nose is a defect is like saying a person is defective if they aren't a certain height, or if their eyes aren't a certain color, or if they don't have the right length of hair...it's a physical feature, nothing more and not a defect.

[strayacres]

Major my percheron has a roman nose - I think he's BEAUTIFUL even though his head is almost as large as my body. He's my DREAM

[EquineAlberta]

It is thought that Roman noses help to warm the air as it is breathed in, which is why a roman nose is more common among breeds that developed in colder areas of Europe. Dished faces are thought to help keep the breathed in air moist, which is why that style of head is more common in breeds developed in hot/dry regions.

A roman nose is considered a flaw for some breeds, and desirable for others. I like them; I think they look noble!

Karen

[arabiancowgirl]

That's right EquineAlberta

[Kingpin]

Originally Posted by EquineAlberta

It is thought that Roman noses help to warm the air as it is breathed in, which is why a roman nose is more common among breeds that developed in colder areas of Europe. Dished faces are thought to help keep the breathed in air moist, which is why that style of head is more common in breeds developed in hot/dry regions.

A roman nose is considered a flaw for some breeds, and desirable for others. I like them; I think they look noble!

Karen

Learn something new here everyday! I knew it was a genetic thing but did not know the purpose. Thanks.

[Iwasbornonahorse]

I love it in draft breeds especially.

[TikiGator]

Originally Posted by dreamcleaner

A Roman nose not sure if this explains it will, kinda goes up and down. Like if you saw someone whose nose was broken and not fixed properly. I had a dog with one. It is considered a defect I believe.

OMG it is not a defect! That's like saying people with big italian noses are defective!! I LOOOOOVE horses with Roman noses! Horses, just like people have different features. Arabians have dish faces (which I personally do not prefer) where their foreheads protrude and then comes way narrow for the muzzle. There are horses with convex faces with moose noses (where the nose is sort of larger than the muzzle part) and there are horses with narrow faces. It's not a defect, it's a character trait! I think an arabian would look a little silly with a roman nose, don't you think? And if you put a dish-face on my stallion no one would ever breed to him!

Linda Tellington Jones has an awesome book that describes all of these with photos and tells how each reflects horse personalities. It's all a preference thing. I prefer horses with roman noses, they are usually kind and quiet with great work ethics and a mellow attitude. My stallion has a roman nose and I get compliments on how handsome his face is all the time. Then again, some people don't like it. It's just personal preference but certainly not a defect!

[dreamcleaner]

Just saw the responses to what I said. I don't mean a defect as it was interperted, I meant like a "conformation flaw" would that be better?

I had a purebred collie who had a Roman nose. I got her cheap, because of the Roman nose she was not considered "show" quality. I didn't mean it as an 'insult'. I guess I worded it wrong.

[DriftwoodAcres]

Haha, I think roman noses are rather cute
My first mare had a baby doll head/dished face, so I considered anything more a roman nose