Data Reanalysis Once a Year
It can be said that sequencing is done in a few days, but data analysis is never completely finished.
As we all know, every horse, like every person, is different. But all horses have - speaking roughly - "the same amount of same DNA". Yet still all the observed variability of individual animals is encoded in it. Of course, there are differences between them due to e.g. training etc., but the inherent variability is given at the DNA level.
As progress in the knowledge of the equine genome is rapid, but for obvious reasons not as rapid as for example in humans, it is quite clear that it will be a long time before the equine genome is truly well understood and described, with fine details and nuances not definitively known probably never. This is due to the fact that all living organisms are constantly evolving, adapting to environmental changes, and selection is taking place among them, as a result of which even their DNA changes from generation to generation in the long term.
From the perspective of an owner who is interested in the genetic background of a particular horse or horses, it is a great advantage to have a whole genome sequence available. Of course, you can have a single genetic marker examined that you need to know at the moment, but we are quite sure that next month or year you may be interested in a completely different marker. This means another sampling and another examination.
Once fully sequenced by Equinetest, the DNA sequence can be saved and returned to at any time. If you have your entire genome sequenced once, you will no longer need any further examination at the DNA level. We will simply take your horse's genome sequence anytime in the future and find in it anything new that you will be interested in, or that the experts will discover by then.
Ready to explore your horse’s DNA?
Start with a sample DNA report or order a whole genome DNA test for your horse.
Blog
Leopard Complex and Eye Health Issues
The leopard complex is a group of white spotting patterns, including the leopard, few-spot leopard, snowcap blanket, lace blanket, spotted blanket, varnish roan, snowflake, and frosted, speckled, and mottled patterns.
The Speed Gene
Horses are an exceptionally athletic species, and even though many of their traditional purposes have faded away over time, some reasons why we, humans, keep them remain. In the past, horses were generally kept for reasons different from today’s. While the number of horses kept solely for sport and status used to be low, today, sport horses, along with leisure horses, represent the majority of the population.
When the Test Results are Negative but the Symptoms are Present
It may have happened to you, your friend, a family member, your dog or your horse. A genetic test was run in the hope of finding a reason behind your or their health problems, but the test results were negative. No questions were answered, and the patient was left undiagnosed. For now.
Genetics in the Face of Doping
At the beginning of the year, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) announced that racehorses in Britain would undergo testing for gene doping with immediate effect. Gene doping has been banned since 2004 by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) both in humans and animals, and so far, there is no evidence that gene doping is actually taking place in horses.