Horse

Find out more about pedigree checks and why they are needed

Pedigree check/DNA profile

• 850 SEK per sample (incl. VAT)

Copies, complements, incorrectly mounted samples etc

• 250 SEK (incl. VAT)

Ordering sampling material

Instructions

Ordering sampling material

Instructions

We perform genetic tests for the following diseases:

All prices incl. VAT

WFFS  (Warmblood Fragile Foal Syndrome) - 825 SEK

Skeletal Atavism™ (Crooked test) - 1500 SEK

Skeletal Atavism™ (Crooked test), combined with pedigree control - 2000 SEK

SCID-test  - 825 SEK

CA-test - 825 SEK

SCID- och CA-test, combined with pedigree control- 1125 SEK

OLWS (OveroLethal White Syndrome) - 825 SEK

Myotoni - 825 SEK

HWSD (Hoof wall separation disease) - 825 SEK

PSSM 1 (Polysaccharide storage myopathy) - 825 SEK

MCOA (Multiple Congenital Ocular Anomalies) - 825 SEK

The following tests include a referral fee

HYPP (Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis) - 1125 SEK - Quarter/Quarter-mix

LFS (Lavender Foal Syndrome ) - 1125 SEK - Arabian horse/Arabian horse-mix

Copies, complements, mismatched samples - 250 SEK 

SCID and CA tests are only performed together with identity or pedigree checks.
Contact the laboratory if unlisted tests are required.

WFFS (Warmblood Fragile Foal Syndrome)

WFFS is an autosomal recessive disease. To be affected by the disease, the horse must have a double set of the gene. Carriers show no symptoms.

Foals with WFFS show clinical signs such as extremely fragile skin that cracks, hyperextended joints and edema. Foals with WFFS die or are euthanized shortly after birth. There is also a suspicion that affected fetuses are resorbed or discarded before they are full-term. The WFFS mutation is widespread in most warmblood breeds and has also been reported in other breeds such as English Thoroughbreds and Knabstrups. Similar symptoms have also been recorded in cold-blooded, Arabian and Quarter horses but are probably due to mutations in other genes that affect the formation of connective tissue.

Skeletal Atavism™ – Crooked foal

Shetland ponies can sometimes be born with deformed legs, known as 'Croocked foals’. The name “Crooked foal” comes from the fact that the disease leads to an abnormal bending of the legs of the foals. Affected foals often develop such severe leg deformities that they have to be euthanized.

Researchers at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Uppsala University, together with three foreign research groups, have developed a genetic test that can help breeders identify carriers and thus prevent the birth of deformed foals. This DNA test is now available for those who want to test their horses. To be affected by the disease, a horse must have a double set of the gene. Carriers show no symptoms of the disease.

SCID (Severe Combined Immunodeficiency)

SCID is an autosomal recessive disease affecting Arabian thoroughbreds (and Arabian crosses). Affected foals are born with no immune system and die at a young age from infections, usually within 4-6 months.

To be affected by the disease, the horse must have a double set of the gene. Carriers show no symptoms.

CA (Equine Cerebellar Abiotrophy)

CA is an autosomal recessive disease that mainly affects Arab fullbod. It is a neurological disease that causes the death of neurons in the cerebellum. The foals appear normal at birth, but develop early symptoms such as head shaking and balance disorders. There is currently no cure for the disease.

To be affected by the disease, the horse must have a double set of the gene. Carriers show no symptoms.

OLWS (Overo Lethal White Syndrome)

OLWS is an autosomal recessive genetic defect associated with the color frame-overo but has also been found in tobiano/overo colts and full-color horses. Affected foals are born apparently normal, but with a white or almost white hairline and blue eyes. However, they have a dysfunctional large intestine and show signs of colic within hours of birth. The foals die on their own within 24 hours, but as the disease is very painful, they are euthanized as soon as they are diagnosed.

To be affected by the disease, the horse must have a double set of the gene. Carriers show no symptoms.

Myotoni (Kongenital myotoni)

Congenital myotonia is an autosomal recessive disease affecting the New Forest. The disease causes the muscles to relax more slowly than normal and become stiff when exerted after rest.

To be affected by the disease, the horse must have a double set of the gene. Carriers show no symptoms.

HWSD (Hoof Wall Separation Disease)

HWSD is an autosomal recessive disease affecting Connemara. Affected foals are born with a weakened hoof wall leading to hoof wall detachment. The disease causes severe pain and as there is no cure, it usually leads to euthanasia. To be affected by the disease, the horse must have a double set of the gene. Carriers show no symptoms.

PSSM1 (Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy)

PSSM1 is an autosomal dominant muscle disease that affects several breeds. Due to abnormal glycogen storage in the muscles, affected horses exhibit symptoms such as lameness, movement disorders, muscle stiffness and sweating. When the trait is dominant, only one trait is needed for the horse to show symptoms.

MCOA (Multiple Congenital Ocular Anomalies)/Silveranlag

The eye disease MCOA and the color silver are caused by the same genetic mutation. This gene causes several different types of eye malformations. The degree of change is affected by whether the horse is heterozygous (one gene) or homozygous (two genes). Those heterozygous for the mutation almost always have a milder form of the disease, while those homozygous for the silver gene are more severely affected with severe visual impairment or blindness. Some colors (e.g. chestnut) do not reveal whether a horse is a carrier of the silver gene, as the silver color is only expressed on black pigment.

HYPP (Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis)

Hypp is a muscle disease with dominant inheritance that affects Quarter horses. Horses with HYPP are hypersensitive to potassium. If the potassium levels in the blood become too high, the horse may show symptoms such as seizures and paralysis, which can lead to cardiac arrest. As the trait is dominant, one trait is enough for the horse to show symptoms.

LFS (Lavender Foal Syndrome)

LFS is an autosomal recessive disease affecting Arabian fullbodies (and Arabian crosses). Foals with LFS are born weak, with difficulty standing up, and exhibit convulsive seizures in which the legs, neck and back are stretched. They typically have a diluted coat color. Foals die or are euthanized soon after birth as there is no cure.

To be affected by the disease, the horse must have a double set of the gene. Carriers show no symptoms.

Horse colors are influenced by several hereditary factors. Genetically, all horses are basically black or red (fux). The brown color is created when a genetic modifier, the agouti gene, acts on the black color. All other colors are created by additional genes acting on these basic colors. The majority of horse colors can be determined by the phenotype (appearance), but sometimes genetic tests can help to define difficult-to-interpret colors or to find out possible colors of the horse's offspring.

We perform the following tests:

All prices including VAT

Instructions

Ordering sampling material

Chestnut/black - 575 SEK

Agouti - 575 SEK

Yellow - 575 SEK

Combined color test horse; Agouti, Chestnut and Yellow - 1150 SEK

Champagne - 575 SEK

Black - 575 SEK

Silver - see MCOA under disease tests.

Roan - 825 SEK - several breeds.

The following tests include a referral fee.

Tobiano - 825 SEK - several breeds

Splashed white - 825 SEK - several breeds  

Roan - 1125 SEK - several breeds. Marker test. NOTE for roan test required:
- Hair sample from the horse and hair sample from at least one parent
- Color photo of the horse
- Pedigree in three generations with color and characters indicated

Mushroom – 825 SEK - Shetland pony 

Chestnut/black (E)

The chestnut color is characterized by the total absence of black hairs and only red pigment can be formed. The trait is recessive and the horse must carry two alleles (ee) of the gene to become fux (red foundation color). Black horses must carry at least one copy of the dominant E allele. A horse carrying two copies of the E allele can never produce fux offspring, regardless of the color of the partner. However, a horse that is heterozygous (Ee) can produce chestnut offspring. Two chestnuts (ee) mated together will always produce chestnut-colored offspring.

Agouti (A)

The Agouti gene controls the distribution of black pigment. The dominant allele A restricts the black pigment to the mane, tail, lower legs and ear tips. This causes the underlying red pigment to appear on the bocy and creates the color brown. The recessive allele a distributes the black color evenly over the horse's top of the head. For a horse to be black, it must be homozygous for both the a allele and a carrier of the E allele (see chestnut/black).

Yellow (Cr)

The yellow trait bleaches red pigment, while it has less effect on black pigment. The “bleaching” is more visible on the mane and tail. Therefore, one copy of the allele, Cr, bleaches a chestnut horse to sable, a brown horse to bay and a black horse to yellow-black. Two copies of the allele (Cr/Cr) bleach both red and black pigment and the horse becomes blue-eyed cream (BEC). These horses pass on the yellow trait to all their offspring.

Silver (Z)

The silver trait is dominant and bleaches black pigment, but has no effect on red pigment. A chestnut horse can therefore carry the silver trait without it being visible. A silver-black horse will be chocolate-colored, often apple-caste, with a white mane and tail. A silver-brown horse will be reddish chestnut and have gray legs with a grayish colored mane and tail. Silver-brown horses are sometimes mistaken for dark chestnuts and were called leather chestnuts. The color can also be combined with any other color, but the horse will usually have a silver mane and tail. The silver trait is linked to the hereditary eye disease MCOA (Multiple Congenital Ocular Anomalies). Horses homozygous for the trait are at risk of severe visual impairment or blindness.

Tobiano

The pinto color is determined by mutations in a number of genes and results in coat varieties such as tobiano, overo, sabino, belly coat and large white markings. The tobiano pinto (To) is dominant and is characterized by clearly defined large white or coloured fields and white legs. The skin is pink under the white coat. As the trait is dominant, a homozygous tobiano coat colored horse (To/To) will always produce tobiano coat colored offspring.

Splashed white

The pinto color is determined by mutations in a number of genes and results in coat varieties such as tobiano, overo, sabino, belly coat and large white markings. Splashed white is a dominant trait that is often characterized by closed, high socks, belly patch and in some cases blue eyes. However, phenotypic expression varies greatly as different combinations of peritoneal genes and other genes give different degrees of “whiteness”. Some gene combinations can be lethal and horses with splashed white are sometimes deaf.

Roan

A roan is spiky-haired but retains most of its primary color on its head, legs and tail. As the color changes in appearance between winter and summer, they are sometimes called color changers. The trait follows dominant inheritance but the causative mutation has not yet been found and the test is a marker test.

NOTE: Required for a roan test:
- Hair sample from the horse and hair sample from at least one parent
- Color photo of the horse
- Pedigree in three generations with color and characters indicated

Grey (G)

The gray (G) trait is dominant and causes progressive depigmentation of the hairline. Horses carrying the gene are usually completely white by the age of 6-8 years. The trait acts on all colors and horses homozygous for the gene will only be able to produce grey offspring. A horse that is heterozygous for the gene is grey but does not always produce grey offspring. A grey horse always has at least one parent with the same color. Alleles: G1 - not grey, G2 -gene duplication, two tandem copies of the duplicated sequence that causes grey. The G2 allele is associated with slow fading and low incidence of melanoma, G3 - gene triplication, three tandem copies of the sequence that causes grey. The G3 allele is associated with rapid fading and high incidence of melanoma.
In some cases, it is not possible to distinguish between horses with genotype G2/G2 and G1/G3, these are reported as “G2/G2 or G1/G3 (= grey. Not possible to distinguish genotype).” If only one parent is a grey, only the G1/G3 genotype is possible.

Read more (sv): 

https://hastsverige.se/news/forskning-genvariant-forklarar-hur-snabbt-en-skimmel-ljusnar-om-hasten-riskerar-att-utveckla-melanom/


Referenser:
Rosengren-Pielberg G, et al. En cis-verkande reglerande mutation orsakar för tidig hårgråning och mottaglighet för melanom hos häst. Nat Genet. 2008 40(8): 1004-9
Rubin, CJ., Hodge, M., Naboulsi, R. et al. An intronic copy number variation in Syntaxin 17 determines speed of greying and melanoma incidence in Grey horses. Nat Commun. 2024 15, 7510

Champagne (Ch)

The champagne trait is dominant and bleaches both black and red pigment, even with just one copy of the trait. A brown horse will bleach to amber champagne, a black horse to classic champagne and a chestnut to gold champagne.

A horse with a double champagne pedigree passes on the color to all its offspring.
Champagne is found in the Quarter horse, Tenessee Walking horse, American Saddlebred, Missouri Fox Trotter, American Miniature horse and others.

Reference:
Cook, D., Brooks, S., Bellone, R., & Bailey, E. (2008). Missense Mutation in Exon 2 of SLC36A1 Responsible for Champagne Dilution in Horses. PLoS Genetics, 4(9):e1000195. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1000195

The SynchroGait DNA test is based on a scientific study in which researchers from SLU and Uppsala University, among others, have identified a gene variant that has a major impact on horses' movement patterns and coordination ability. The test can be used to predict the conditions for fast trotting in warmblood and coldblood trotters. The same test can also be used in Icelandic horses, where it provides information on whether the horse has the genetic potential to become a four- or five-walker.

Genotype trotting horses
AA – Optimal conditions for synchronized trotting at high speed. Natural talent and early horses.
CA – Not optimal conditions. Gives 50% AA offspring if crossed with AA.
CC – Not optimal conditions. Can never produce an AA offspring.

Genotype Icelandic horses
AA – Five-walker. Has the potential for a flying pass. Only produces quintuplets when crossed with an AA.
CA – Probably quadrupeds. Can produce both quadruped and pentapod offspring.
CC – Quadrupeds/Trebuchers. Most difficult to put in tölt.

As a member of ASVT or Sleipner you get a 5% discount on the test. To get the discount, write your membership number in the “other” box on the order form.

Test Synchrogait ®

• 3625 SEK (incl. VAT)
• Incl identity check

Instructions

Ordering sampling material