Miniature Horse dwarfism - Test Now Available!

[ohmt]

I'm guessing the percentage of carriers will be much higher in AMHA. Buckeroo was a carrier, so anyone with Buckeroo in the pedigree, get your horses tested before breeding.

Even with people not wanting to share their results (at least not just yet, and that's ok), I think there are a lot that are testing, which is wonderful. Some are sharing and they're being so helpful. It gets more people to test if there is a shared bloodline and helps keep it from being a taboo subject when we talk about it and know how to use the results responsibly.

ETA: Not trying to throw Buckeroo under the bus. He was just a carrier and with the testing we can breed his bloodline responsibly. With his name being so prevalent in miniature horse pedigrees, and still close up, it's good to know who carriers were so we know to test

 

[MiniNHF]

I am not looking to breed until the distant future and at this point I would just get the test out of curiosity. If my boy tested positive for any I wouldnt breed him, but that would not make me get rid of him over that, that is not my main point of having him. If he is a good solid show horse there is no reason to sell him in my eyes.

 

[Scottishlass]

We got the results on our boys back.

HHH Little Champagne Gold Bullion

aka Cody (profile pic)

panel test N/N

CN Champagne High

aka Gizmo

panel test N/N

 

[horsehug]

Just thought I'd resurrect this topic now that it has been exactly three months (It was April 10, 2014) since the University of Kentucky started testing minis for recessive dwarfism mutations and see if many people have had their horses tested, or have any input they'd like to share at this point about this topic.

Susan O.

 

[Silver City Heritage Farmstead]

I am interested in the results as well and check this thread frequently. Only results I've seen shared are the N/N.

Does anyone know where/how/if one could a breakdown of number of tests run and the results by group? I'm very curious to see what it looks like here in the early days.

Also, I neglected to follow up on my question re: AMHA and not accepting registration applications for animals that showed observable dwarf characteristics. Did I understand that correctly? Does AMHR have this as well? I'm *guessing* not, as going to not requiring photos to register would be too easy an out for unscrupulous people.

I've been checking the registry websites looking for informational links, downloadable brochures and the like. Either I'm not seeing it or it's not there...if someone knows where to find please post. I try to stay as current as possible on educational materials.

I got to talking to someone at work today who was quite surprised to find out the special needs of a dwarf mini. I referred her here to research what the seller was telling her compared to what I was telling her. When someone makes something you are excited about seem desireable, having a different person "rain on your parade" so to speak can be very disappointing. I hope she takes the time to become a little more informed before she buys a dwarf as her first experience with miniatures. Staying a "cute little micro mini" all it's life isn't all there is to owning one of these special minis!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I had someone--a vet assistant, no less, at an equine hospital--tell me she wanted one of those "pygmy horses". You can imagine my shock and disgust. I told her they were dwarves and had lots of health problems and were not desirable. Yes, I "rained on her parade".

 

[horsehug]

It has been over 7 months since this test came out. I just thought I'd ask how many of you decided to take advantage of it and test your horses. I know I was so excited to have this tool and had waited for it for years and years. But after all these months it seems to me kind of like the stigma of dwarfism remains and very very few people are willing to talk about it, other than to share which of their horses are dwarf gene free (N/N).

I had my whole herd tested and had about a 61% dwarf gene non carriers (N/N) and 39 percent carriers (N/D2). I had some of my stallions who were carriers, gelded........and donated them to an up and coming miniature horses 4H club in a neighboring state. I even delivered them and it was sooo wonderful to see the kids' faces as they got their new little geldings. One little girl is even in a wheel chair and it just did my heart so much good to see how happy she was. I did keep one of my carrier stallions who I love so much and is very correct and I might still want to breed him to some of my non carrier mares as time goes by. I also sold two of my carrier mares, to people who plan to only breed them to non carrier stallions. I did keep 4 of my favorite carrier mares. So as of now, I have a herd I love very much and know about each one for sure genetically so as to avoid ever again producing a dwarf. I have 11 non carrier (N/N) mares/fillies, and 5 non carrier (N/N) stallions and colt, and only the one carrier stallion (N/D2) and the 4 carrier mares (N/D2).

It has been an interesting year, figuring all of this out and making decisions......... and I am soo grateful for the test so I can finally make SURE decisions.

Susan O.

 

[Silver City Heritage Farmstead]

Thanks for the bump Susan.

I'd still like to know if there is an overview report of the results available. What I'm interested in is:

Number of samples submitted.

Number of N/N results.

Number of N/D1, 2, 3, 4 results.

Number of D/D results.

Would be even better if they were further broken down by sex. By registry would be too much to ask for at this point. LOL

Does anyone know if the test results will eventually be handled like CA is in Arabians? The results of all tested animals are posted and available to the public?

ETA: Oh, since I mentioned CA....it HAS been found in miniatures (as per the CA website)...concrete evidence of Arabian blood back there somewhere. ;-)

 

[Margo_C-T]

Susan, I admire you!

 

[horsehug]

Thanks Margo.

And Dragons Wish Farm, I think if you wrote to Dr. Graves who is head of the lab, she probably would answer some of your questions. Her email is on the Gluck site.

A few weeks ago they discontinued temporarily the D3 test because they had yet to have any of the samples submitted prove to carry that one, and they were running out of control DNA to test for it accurately. With it as rare as it is, people can have a pretty good chance that their horses are free of the ACAN dwarf gene now if they only test for the other three. And it also makes the full panel (three tests) less expensive than when it was all 4.

I did ask Dr. Graves a few month ago if they planned to ever share the percentage of carriers so that we'd have a better idea just how prevalent it is, and she replied. " We are collecting data and will hopefully have some idea of the frequency of these Dwarf alleles by the end of the year. " So I am hopeful they will share some info with us soon.

I have no idea about your Arabian questions. But if you write her, ask her all your questions.

She has been very nice and helpful with her answers the few times I had a question.

Susan O.