Results in 3-4 Weeks
Once your horse's blood sample is delivered to us, the DNA will first be isolated from it. This DNA is then sequenced. If you're unfamiliar with the word, remember that sequencing means reading. We will simply read your horse's entire DNA and then look for important information in it - we will analyze individual markers.
A genetic marker is a specific region in the horse's genome that is responsible for something. It can be, for example, a mutation in a specific gene, basically a defect, or, on the contrary, information that the given animal is healthy, is or is not a carrier of any mutation, or perhaps a positive performance characteristic.
An indicative list of the markers currently analyzed by us can be found in our sample report or you can request it. If you are interested in a specific marker, specific property, etc., and it is not listed in the report, do not hesitate to write to us too. The advantage of whole-genome sequencing is that we have all the data, only we do not analyze it all for certain reasons, for example because there is no clear scientific consensus regarding the given marker. As you can see, our knowledge is constantly developing and you can help paving the way to knowing more!
The entire process of EquineTest is time-consuming. It does require meticulous attitude and includes not only the own laboratory processing of the sample, but also the bioinformatic analysis of the obtained data and the creation of a report for each sequenced horse that you receive from us. Therefore, typically expect the results within about four weeks after the sample is delivered to our laboratory.
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.