The science behind
equus genetics
the basics
what is genetics?
Genetics is the study of how traits are passed or inherited from parents to children. Genetics begins with DNA. DNA is what contains all animals’ genetic codes. DNA is made up of four building blocks: adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T). The arrangement and rearrangement of these four building blocks make us and our horses who we are. DNA makes up our genes, and our genes make up our chromosomes. All of someone’s genes together make up a genome.
the horse's genome
The horse’s scientific name is Equus ferus caballus, which inspired the name of our company. The first equine genome reference was published in 2009, sequenced from the Thoroughbred mare, Twilight. Half of a horse’s autosomal chromosomes are inherited from its sire and the other half from its dam. All horses have nearly identical genomes, but the small differences at a genetic level make the variations in breed, color, height, and health come to life. Even two horses with the same parents can have different traits like coat color, preference for racing distance, height, and more.
analyzing DNA of horses
DNA is responsible for the differences between our performance horses. These differences can more obvious, like color, or more subtle, like distance preference or recessive inherited genetic diseases. This is why analyzing your performance horse’s DNA can give you a look inside your performance horse that you otherwise would have to guess about or never know.
Much like in humans, DNA for horses can be collected through the hair, blood, and saliva. Equus Genetics collects samples through saliva as it is non-invasive and convenient. DNA is extracted from the sample in a lab. That extracted DNA is then processed with our cutting-edge technology developed with a top veterinarian university to give us raw genetic information. Using scientific research from universities and veterinarians, that raw genetic information is analyzed and developed into a custom report for our clients.