# DNA Breed Test



## JumpAnOxer (Feb 10, 2011)

What is up with not having a DNA test to tell us the breed(s) of our horses? 

Tests for dogs are all over the place!

I would definitely be willing to spend a couple hundred bucks to find out exactly what breed my unpapered horses are. Guessing is fun, but only if you can eventually find out the truth.


Would any of you pay to test your horses if one became available?


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## NdAppy (Apr 8, 2009)

The tests for dogs is notoriously useless and a waste of money. I don't foresee one ever being available for horses that would be worth contemplating spending the money on...

Simplest thing... Either love your grade horse for what it is, our buy a papered horse to know for sure.


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## JumpAnOxer (Feb 10, 2011)

NdAppy said:


> The tests for dogs is notoriously useless and a waste of money. I don't foresee one ever being available for horses that would be worth contemplating spending the money on...
> 
> Simplest thing... Either love your grade horse for what it is, our buy a papered horse to know for sure.


 
I disagree that the tests for dogs are useless. I had one of my rescue dogs tested and he turned out to be a purebreed that I had never heard of before. The breed has some health issues and we were able to manage them from an early age with him.

I know that is a one in a million case. But dog behaviors are sometimes very closely linked to their breed or type, so knowing can help you understand some of your dog's weird behaviors.

It's not that I don't love my unpapered horse. If I cared about papers, I'd buy a papered horse. He definitely wasn't any cheaper than one with papers. And he goes nicer and wins more than my registered horses. It's just a curiosity thing. 
If he was a grade QH or paint, I don't think I would be so curious. But he is a blue roan (which narrows down his possible breeds), pony sized, and horse shaped, and is super athletic. I would buy a million more of whatever mix he is!


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## NdAppy (Apr 8, 2009)

I am sorry to disagree with you, but IMPO the dog tests _are_ worthless. Purebred dogs have tested as mixed breeds of breeds they are not.


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## cmarie (Dec 19, 2011)

I'm not sure if the dog test is worthless female dogs can breed to more than one male and have puppies in the litter from different males.


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## Faceman (Nov 29, 2007)

I did a lot of research when this subject came up on another forum a few months ago. 

The experts say that the tests are accurate on pure breds, but the greater the number of breeds mixed in, the less accurate the tests become.

So for a dog with 4 or 5 breeds in it's relatively close ancestry, the tests are of little value, and if a dog is obviously a purebred, a test is not needed to begin with.

IMO until they become perfected and can provide a complete and accurate analysis, these tests are just a gimmick to separate a sucker from his/her money, although they may be of value if your dog is just a mixture of 2 breeds...


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## GreySorrel (Mar 5, 2012)

No I personally would not pay to find out what my grade horse is. I have a grade mare, we know she is a Percheron and I knew her dam, who was also sold grade. I have 3 that are papered and that was good for me personally only because many of the draft shows I participated in required your animal to be registered. Does it matter to me if they have papers or not? Not in the least, doesn't change them to me and I can't ride papers...


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

I think that the test would be useless also.
The QH and paint breeds are farely new. The QH registry started in the 40's and the APHA in the 60's. A lot of breeds were used to develope them before the registry was started. No telling what might pop up.
QH and paints can be pony sized. Shalom


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## nrhareiner (Jan 11, 2009)

I agree that the dog tests are worthless. I have a foster dog here who is a return and the person who had originally addopted her did the test to see what breed the dog was. Not sure why she bothered as the dogs looks like a Great Swiss mounten dog. I am sure she is not 100% but she sure looks it.

Anyway the test said she was a mix of Brittany, Am Staff, Greyhound, Papillon and Rhodesian.

She looks like NON of these breeds and Really a Pappy??


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## MelissaAnn (Aug 26, 2011)

hm, I was hoping I could do the Doggie DNA test for my mutt. His mom was a cattle dog but who knows about his dad. I was thinking the same thing, I'd like to have a million more of whatever he is! But based on others experience with the test I will probably find something better to spend my money on.


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

I would question the ability of a DNA test to definitively pinpoint any but a very few, very distinct breeds. Most breeds we have commonly today are based on mixing specific other breeds. Even older breeds have sometimes had to allow approved cross-breeding into their registries after catastrophic events (such as epidemic or war) severely cut down the number of purebreds.


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## imagaitin (Apr 27, 2012)

Well Jump, I agree with you. Especially now days, when many of these horse registries are simply registries; not actual breeds. You run into this often in the gaited world. A Spotted Saddle Horse is any gaited horse of color. A Kentucky Mountain Horse (like mine) is usually a Walker, although some come from Trotters. My horse actually has 3 registries. I was told he was a Walker, but he fox trots and racks, and is not registered as a Walker, but as a Mountain Horse. (I have been told that Rocky Mountain Horses and Kentucky Mountain Horses are the same except for color... at least that was 1 opinion!) I was fortunate, did extensive tracking and got lucky; found the original breeder, who was "up in years" and no longer in the business.

It didn't matter to me his breed. Like you, I love my horse no matter what. But my findings help me understand what I could and could not expect from him in the way of gaits. Now that I know what I am working with, we are doing better on and off the trail! Good luck.


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## Tryst (Feb 8, 2012)

I agree the dog tests are garbage... I work as a dog groomer and at least a dozen of my customers have tested their mutts and the results that come back are ridiculous!! Often a mix of huge and tiny dogs and very rare breeds, which look nothing like the dog at hand. If it looks like a lab x German shepard mix most likey that is what it is...not a pug, pharaoh hound, newfoundland like the results came back. I too have heard of people sending in their known purebred dogs (in some cases show champions) and results coming back as mixes.


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## Boots4ACowGirl (Apr 28, 2012)

Hello, new to the horse forum. I love my unpapered horses, I queried because it is a shame in one case of a paint I own. He is so naturally athletic looking and nimble and smart, I wondered if it was possible to pinpoint what breed(s) he may be. I'm sure if his original owner had known how great he would turn out to be, award winning reining, cutting and Western Pleasure, they may have kept him a stud to pass down some of the natural abilities and adaptability he has.


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## hthoele (Aug 11, 2014)

JumpAnOxer said:


> I disagree that the tests for dogs are useless. I had one of my rescue dogs tested and he turned out to be a purebreed that I had never heard of before. The breed has some health issues and we were able to manage them from an early age with him.
> 
> I know that is a one in a million case. But dog behaviors are sometimes very closely linked to their breed or type, so knowing can help you understand some of your dog's weird behaviors.
> 
> ...


I couldn't help but notice that you're also in Minnesota. In looking at the picture of your horse on your profile and your description above, I may know some history on your horse!


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