Brooks Equine Genetics Lab

Size Study: FAQ

1. What breeds of horse are you looking for? Do you accept crosses?
   We need all breeds and all sizes! Crosses are also acceptable. It is very important that we have a pedigree for your horse. We need to determine the relatedness of individual horses as well as any breed crosses. We will also accept an unregistered horse if both the sire and dam are registered and both of their pedigrees are available.
2. My horse has a few years on him; do you have an age limit?
   Every horse in our study has to be at least 4 years old, but there is no maximum age limit.
3. What will I find out about my horse?
   There won’t be any specific results for an individual horse. Your horse will be a representative of his or her breed and body type. The unique genetic information from each horse will be combined with similar horses to help tell us exactly how that particular breed or body type came to be. We need the whole range of sizes and types within a breed and each horse is a valuable addition to the study.
4. What kinds of measurements do I have to take? What kind of measuring tape do I use?
   We will include a measuring tape with your kit to measure your horses with. To see how to take all 35 measurements, please see Horse Measurement Instructions.
5. My horse has a few old injuries, can he still be used?
   It is important to note if your horse has any diseases and/or injuries. All of the measurements are taken on the horse’s left side, so it is especially important to know about any injuries on that side. You may take a measurement on the horse’s right side if the injury to the left side has caused a structural abnormality.
6. What costs are associated with this study?
   This study needs mostly your time and effort. There is a small postage fee to return completed kits with the average being $2-$3 to return up to 10 kits.
7. How long is the hair sample good for? Will I have to keep pulling fresh hair samples for the study?
   Hair samples, if kept in a cool, dry place, will last for years. We keep all submitted hair samples in manila envelopes and store them out of direct sunlight. We do not recommend storing hair samples in plastic baggies for long term storage, as any trapped moisture will damage the sample. The 20-30 hairs that you originally pull for the kit will last us through the duration of the study. It is best to pull hair instead of taking samples from a brush. Hair found on brushes tends to be broken and missing the hair bulb and there is also concern about contamination from other horses.
8. Will I have to draw blood from my horse?
   Blood draws are not necessary for this study. The hair that you pull from your horse’s mane or tail is sufficient for what we need. However, blood does yield more DNA with higher purity than hair, so we would certainly accept blood samples if you would like to send them. Please e-mail or call the Sutter Lab at sutterlab@cornell.edu or 607-253-3592 to receive blood tubes and specific instructions.
9. Can you accept samples and measurements from other countries?
   Yes! We can import hair and blood samples from many other countries. Please contact the Brooks Lab for more information.

Return to Brooks Equine Genetics Research Lab Home Page

Error processing SSI file