Genetic diseases can cause significant emotional and financial stress, and the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) is committed to educating owners and breeders about inherited conditions so they can make informed breeding decisions. The American Quarter Horse Foundation (AQHF) provides funding for a wide range of research projects, having granted more than $12 million in support of equine research to date. Genetics research accounts for 20 percent of that total, with 53 projects funded at 12 universities.

1. DNA is found in the nucleus of cells. Samples submitted for genetic testing are usually hair, blood, or tissue. Hair samples must contain the “bulb,” which looks like a tiny ball at the root of the hair. This is where the DNA is located. When submitting hair samples, make sure to pull, not cut, the hairs so the bulb is present. Blood and tissue samples require additional steps, such as an anticoagulant (for blood) or freezing (for tissues). Always follow the testing laboratory’s instructions for sample submission and contact them with questions.

Receiving a diagnosis of the condition behind your horse’s health or performance problem is usually a relief, but the satisfaction of getting the diagnosis can be quickly replaced by fear and uncertainty regarding what to do about it. Questions around both the long-term prospects for your horse and the costs involved to support the horse with such a condition can be daunting. Owners of horses diagnosed with special nutritional needs often feel bewildered and frustrated as they attempt to put together an appropriate management protocol.

Protecting Horses and Humans - The COVID-19 pandemic showed how alarmingly quickly a virus can spread across countries and continents and created an understandable reaction to protect against infection from any and all viruses and pathogens. By extension, it is also essential that there is a level of biosecurity on your farm or acreage to protect horses against agents of disease.