How to Test for Horse DNA

Testing your horse’s DNA has become an accessible way to learn more about your equine friend – from uncovering its breed makeup to verifying its parentage or screening for genetic health conditions. In this post, we’ll break down how to test for horse DNA and explore the different types of horse DNA tests available. We’ll cover everything from breed ancestry tests to parentage verification, genetic disease panels, and coat color analysis, explaining what each test can tell you.

Most horse DNA tests follow a simple process. In general:

1. Choose the right test: Decide which type of DNA test fits your needs (breed ancestry, parentage, health, color, etc.). We’ll discuss these in detail below.

2. Collect a DNA sample: Typically, you’ll need to pull a small sample of your horse’s hair (about 20-30 mane or tail hairs with roots attached). This is painless and easy.

3. Send the sample to the lab: Mail the hair to the testing company or laboratory with the required forms. The lab will extract the DNA and perform the analysis.

4. Receive your results: After a few days or weeks (depending on the test), you’ll get the results – often via email, mailed, or an online portal. The report will explain the findings (e.g. your horse’s breed composition, confirmed parentage, genetic health status, etc.).

Now, let’s explore the different types of horse DNA tests out there and what each can tell you.

Horse Breed Ancestry DNA Tests

One of the most exciting developments for horse owners is the availability of breed ancestry DNA tests. Similar to dog DNA tests that reveal breed mix, these tests analyze your horse’s genetics to identify which breeds make up its heritage. If you have a grade horse, a rescue with unknown background, or a horse with lost papers, a breed DNA test can provide valuable insights into its breed composition.

DNA My Horse is currently a dedicated service for horse breed DNA testing and it makes discovering your horse’s ancestry easy with one of the best horse DNA tests on the market. All it takes is about 30 strands of mane or tail hair (pulled with the roots) to get started. Simply mail in the hair sample, and within approximately two weeks you’ll receive a detailed report by email. The report will outline the different breeds detected in your horse’s DNA and even provide breed-specific information. For example, you’ll learn about each identified breed’s history, characteristics, and any relevant genetic traits or health concerns associated with those breeds.

The example above is a Horse Breed Composition Certificate, which lists the breeds (e.g. Arabian and Thoroughbred) that make up the horse’s genetic background. DNA My Horse provides such a certificate with your horse’s photo (optional) and a comprehensive report explaining each breed’s traits and history – a fun keepsake and a handy summary of your horse’s heritage.

The breed DNA test is primarily for curiosity and educational value. Owners are often thrilled to “finally get the answer to your horse’s breed(s)” as DNA My Horse says, especially in cases of mystery horses or crossbreds. Knowing your horse’s genetic breed makeup can also inform your decisions on training or care – for instance, if the test finds draft breed influence, you might adjust feeding or conditioning programs suited for that build. Keep in mind that this type of test does not provide exact breed percentages and is not used for official breed registration purposes; it’s an ancestry analysis meant to give you a better picture of your horse’s background. 

Parentage Verification (Horse DNA Parentage Tests)

Another major category of horse DNA testing is parentage verification – essentially, a paternity/maternity test for horses. Parentage DNA tests are used to confirm a foal’s sire and dam by comparing genetic markers. This is extremely valuable for breeders and breed registries. In fact, many breed associations (like the Jockey Club for Thoroughbreds or AQHA for Quarter Horses) require DNA parentage testing to register foals, ensuring accurate pedigrees.

So how does a horse parentage test work? It relies on the principle of genetic exclusion. A lab will create a DNA profile for the foal and compare it to profiles of the suspected sire and dam. At a series of specific DNA markers, the foal’s alleles must match those that could be inherited from the sire and the dam. If at any marker the foal has a genetic allele that neither parent has, that parent is excluded as a match. If all markers are compatible with both tested parents, then the parentage is considered verified. The result is typically reported as either the parent “qualifies” as the sire/dam or is excluded. Thanks to advances in DNA profiling, these tests are extremely accurate for verifying lineage – often with greater than 99.9% certainty when the purported parents are tested.

Several laboratories offer equine parentage testing directly to horse owners. For example, Animal Genetics, Inc. and the UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (VGL) both provide DNA parentage services. The process is straightforward: you send hair samples from the foal, the dam, and the potential sire(s) to the lab. The lab will extract DNA and genotype each sample at a standard panel of genetic markers (often microsatellites or SNPs). Within days or a couple of weeks, you’ll receive a report confirming which tested sire is the match or excluding a non-matching stallion. (Important note: a parentage test will not tell you your horse’s breed or color, etc. – it is only for identifying genetic parent relationships)

Horse parentage tests are incredibly useful if you’re uncertain about a foal’s father, dealing with potential switched identities, or verifying pedigrees for sale or registry. They have become routine in the breeding industry because of how accurate and cost-effective they are (usually around $40–$100 per horse through various services). With a DNA profile on file, you also get a unique genetic ID for your horse, which can be handy for identification throughout its life.

Tip: If you plan to register a horse with an official breed registry, check which lab they recognize for parentage. Many registries have preferred labs or require the testing to be done through their process. But for personal knowledge or informal use, you can choose any reputable lab like Animal Genetics or the UC Davis VGL for parentage testing.

Genetic Health Screening (Disease DNA Tests)

Beyond ancestry and parentage, DNA testing is a powerful tool for identifying genetic health conditions in horses. These tests look for specific gene mutations that are known to cause hereditary diseases or disorders. As a horse owner or breeder, doing genetic health screening can help you make informed decisions – such as choosing mating pairs that won’t produce affected foals, or managing your horse’s diet and care if it has a certain condition.

A well-known example is the AQHA five-panel test required for Quarter Horse breeding stallions. This panel includes five genetic diseases that occur in Quarter Horses and related breeds: HYPP (Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis), PSSM1 (Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy type1), GBED (Glycogen Branching Enzyme Deficiency), HERDA (Hereditary Equine Regional Dermal Asthenia), and MH (Malignant Hyperthermia). These are serious conditions ranging from muscle disorders to skin and metabolic issues. By testing for them, breeders can avoid pairing two carriers or take precautions with affected horses. For instance, if a stallion is positive for HYPP (a dominant muscle disorder), owners will know to manage his diet carefully to prevent symptoms and likely not use him for breeding, since he has a 50% chance of passing HYPP to each foal.

Genetic disease tests exist for many breeds and conditions. Some other examples include SCID in Arabian horses (Severe Combined Immunodeficiency), OLWS in Paint horses (Overo Lethal White Syndrome associated with Frame overo coat pattern), Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa (JEB) in Draft breeds, and Cerebellar Abiotrophy in Arabians. Most of these conditions are caused by specific recessive mutations – so a horse can carry the gene without being affected. DNA testing lets you identify carriers and avoid breeding carrier-to-carrier (which could produce an affected foal with two copies of the bad gene). For dominant conditions like HYPP, testing ensures you know if a horse is affected or not before breeding or implementing management changes.

How do you get a horse genetic health test? Typically, labs offer individual tests for each disease or bundle them into panels. You use the same hair (or blood) sampling method to send DNA to the lab. Leading genetic testing companies like Animal Genetics, Inc. or university labs like UC Davis VGL have a catalog of tests covering dozens of conditions. The costs per test might range from ~$30 to $50 each, or you can purchase a panel of multiple tests for a package price.

Many responsible breeders now test their breeding mares and stallions for relevant genetic disorders before mating. By avoiding breeding known carriers of deadly recessive diseases, they greatly reduce the risk of producing foals with serious health issues. Even if you’re not a breeder, knowing your horse’s genetic health status can be important. If your horse tests positive for something like PSSM1, you can take preventive measures with its diet and exercise to minimize symptoms. If it’s a carrier of a gene like HERDA (which doesn’t affect the horse unless two copies are present), you simply know not to breed it to another carrier. Genetic screening gives you peace of mind and a proactive health plan for your horse.

Some popular genetic disease tests (and the conditions they detect) include:

• HYPP (Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis): Muscle tremor disease in Quarter Horse lineage (linked to the stallion Impressive). Dominant mutation – affected horses require low-potassium diets.

• PSSM1 (Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy): Tying-up muscular disorder common in stock breeds, drafts, and warmbloods. Dominant mutation – affected horses benefit from high-fat, low-starch diets and regular exercise.

• HERDA (Hereditary Equine Regional Dermal Asthenia): Skin fragility disorder in cutting-bred Quarter Horses. Recessive mutation – carriers show no symptoms, but an affected foal (two copies) has very fragile skin.

• GBED (Glycogen Branching Enzyme Deficiency): Fatal foal condition in Quarter Horses (foals can’t store sugar properly). Recessive – carriers are healthy; foals with two copies die early.

• OLWS (Overo Lethal White Syndrome): Fatal intestinal condition in foals born with two copies of the Frame overo gene (often completely white foals). Recessive – avoid breeding two frame-pattern horses together.

(The above is just a sample – there are many other tests available, depending on breed.) When ordering tests, pick those relevant to your horse’s breed or background. Animal Genetics, for example, offers an easy online menu where you can select tests, and they even have breed-specific panels that bundle recommended tests for, say, Quarter Horses or Appaloosas, at a discount. Genetic screening is a fantastic tool to ensure your horse’s well-being and to “make informed breeding decisions” that improve health in the next generation.

Coat Color and Pattern Testing

Ever wonder what color genes your horse carries, or what color foals it might produce? Coat color DNA tests can answer these questions. A horse’s coat color and patterns are determined by multiple genes, and nowadays you can test for almost all of the major color genes with a simple DNA sample. These tests are popular among breeders who want to predict foal colors or confirm hidden coat traits, as well as curious owners interested in the genetics behind their horse’s beautiful coat.

Common coat color tests include:

• Base colors (Red/Black factor and Agouti): These two genes control the fundamental coat colors. The Extension gene (MC1R) determines if a horse can produce black pigment or is limited to red pigment. The test for this gene (often called “Red Factor”) tells you if your horse is genetically chestnut (two copies of recessive e) or if it has the dominant E allele allowing black pigment. The Agouti gene (ASIP) affects where black color appears – the dominant form (A) restricts black to points (resulting in bay if the horse has black ability), while the recessive (a) allows a solid black coat. Testing Agouti and Red Factor together lets you know if your horse is genetically bay, black, or chestnut (for example, a black horse might carry a hidden chestnut gene, etc.).

• Dilution genes: These are genes that lighten the coat. The Cream gene (Cr) is famous for turning chestnut into palomino or bay into buckskin with one copy, or cremello/perlino with two copies. Dun is another dilution that gives the classic dun stripe and primitive markings. There are also Silver (affects black hair to make it chocolate or flaxen) and Champagne genes. You can test for each to see if your horse carries these. For instance, a horse that looks like a dark buckskin might be tested to confirm if it has a Cream gene or a Silver gene or both.

• Gray: The Gray gene causes a horse to progressively gray out with age. It’s a dominant gene, so a single copy will make a horse turn gray over time. A DNA test for gray can tell you if a young horse that hasn’t grayed yet will eventually do so (useful if you’re buying a colored horse and want to know if it’ll stay that color or turn gray).

• White spotting and patterns: There are DNA tests for many white patterns such as Tobiano (the gene that gives distinct large patches of color and white, common in paints), Frame Overo (which, as mentioned, is linked to Lethal White Syndrome if homozygous), Sabino (one version, SB1, has a test – causes high white markings), Splash White, and the Leopard Complex gene (LP) responsible for Appaloosa spotting patterns. By testing, you can learn if your horse carries these pattern genes, which is especially handy for breeders aiming for certain color patterns or avoiding lethal combinations (like two frame overos).

• Roan: A gene for roaning (white hairs mixed in coat) has been identified and a test is available now for the true roan trait. This can differentiate a true genetic roan from a similar-looking rabicano or varnish roan pattern.

• Silver and Pearl, etc.: There are also tests for less common genes like Silver (Z) which dilutes black manes/tails, and Pearl (the Barlink factor) which is a recessive dilution mainly in stock breeds.

Coat color testing can be done through the same labs that do other genetic tests. Companies like Animal Genetics and UC Davis VGL offer comprehensive color panels – you can test for a single gene or a whole bundle of color genes. For example, Animal Genetics has a “Full Color Panel” that includes the key coat color loci in one package. With one hair sample, they can tell you your horse’s complete color genotype. This is particularly useful if you plan to breed and want to know all the colors your horse can produce, or if you’re just curious if your bay horse carries a hidden recessive chestnut or not.

From a practical standpoint, knowing the color genetics can help in predicting foal colors. Breeders often enjoy using the results along with a Punnett square (or even online foal color calculators) to figure out the probability of getting a palomino foal, a roan foal, etc., from a given mating. It’s also helpful for identifying horses – for instance, if a registry has two horses with the same name, knowing one is ee (chestnut) and another is Ee (bay or black potential) can distinguish them. For the average horse owner, these tests are more “just for fun” and curiosity, but they definitely add to your understanding of your horse’s background. And because coat color genes often have known linkages to health or traits (like Overo linked to LWS, or gray linked to melanoma risk), the information can have practical health implications too.

Other Equine DNA Tests and Future Developments

In addition to the main categories above, there are a few other DNA tests for horses worth mentioning:

• Performance and Trait Tests: Some labs offer DNA tests aimed at performance traits. For example, a “speed gene” test in Thoroughbreds looks at a myostatin gene variant linked to sprinting vs distance racing ability. There’s also a test for the “gaited” trait (DMRT3 gene), which can tell if a horse has the genetic mutation that enables ambling gaits (found in breeds like Tennessee Walking Horses, Paso Finos, etc.). These tests can give insights into a horse’s innate abilities or style. While they are somewhat niche, serious competitors and breeders might use them to inform training or breeding decisions.

• Identity Verification: A DNA profile (like the one obtained during parentage testing) can serve as a permanent ID for a horse. Some owners of valuable horses will bank a DNA profile so that if the horse is ever lost, stolen, or disputed, they can genetically prove identity. While microchips and brands are the primary ID methods, DNA is the ultimate identifier since it’s unique to each horse. In some cases (like legal disputes or insurance), DNA identity testing might be used.

• New Trait Discoveries: The field of genetics is always evolving. Scientists continue to discover new genetic markers for traits – whether it’s a gene influencing horse height, muscle fiber type, or even behavioral tendencies. As research is published, expect new commercial tests to spring up. For example, if a gene for horse longevity or disease resistance were found, those could become available tests in the future.

Cost and Convenience: Most horse DNA tests are relatively affordable and user-friendly today. You don’t need to involve a veterinarian or draw blood in most cases – you can do it yourself at home by plucking a few hairs and mailing them in. Prices vary, but many tests range from $30 to $60 for individual traits, and combo packages or breed tests can be around $100-$150. Companies often provide clear instructions and quick turnaround times. From determining if your mare is homozygous black, to confirming a foal’s parentage, to checking if your stallion carries any genetic disorders – DNA testing brings certainty to what used to involve a lot of guesswork.

Wrapping Up

Horse DNA testing can answer questions that once seemed almost impossible to figure out. Whether you’re curious about your horse’s breed mix, verifying bloodlines, or screening for health issues, there’s likely a DNA test that fits your needs. The technology has become accessible to the everyday horse owner – often only a mail-in hair sample away – and the insights gained can be both fascinating and practical.

In this post, we covered the main types of horse DNA tests: breed ancestry tests (like DNA My Horse’s service for uncovering breed composition), parentage tests to confirm lineage, genetic disease panels to ensure healthy breeding and management, and coat color/trait tests to decode the genes behind your horse’s appearance and abilities. Each of these tests opens a window into your horse’s biology, helping you understand your equine companion on a deeper level.

As with any tool, it’s important to use DNA testing as a complement to, not a replacement for, good old-fashioned horsemanship and record-keeping. DNA results are incredibly informative, but they should be combined with knowledge of your horse’s observable traits, pedigree (if known), and advice from veterinarians or breed experts when making decisions. For example, discovering your horse has a genetic risk for a disease means you can work with your vet on a proactive health plan. Learning your rescue gelding has some draft breed in him might prompt you to adjust his feed or exercise routine to suit a heavier build. Confirming a foal’s parentage ensures the pedigree is accurate and valuable for its future owners.

And let’s not forget – part of this is just plain fun and fascinating. Many horse owners simply enjoy the surprise of DNA results (you might uncover a breed in your pony that you never guessed!) and the connection it gives them to their horse’s heritage. The science of equine genetics is continually advancing, so we can expect even more interesting tests to become available.

If you’ve been wondering how to test for your horse’s DNA, hopefully this guide gave you a clear roadmap. It’s as easy as pluck, mail, and wait. With trusted companies like DNA My Horse for breed analysis, and reputable labs like Animal Genetics, Gluck Equine Research Center at University of Kentucky, or UC Davis VGL for health, color, trait, and parentage tests, you have reliable options to choose from. So go ahead – uncover what secrets might be hiding in your horse’s DNA. You may gain knowledge that enriches your horse’s care, improves your breeding program, or simply satisfies your curiosity about your equine friend’s identity. Happy testing and riding!