Entertaining a whim

I can't remember when I heard about ancestral DNA testing for horses, but the idea was instantly appealing. Mustangs can be a mishmash of genetics; Lance's Kiger sire should contribute a recognizable dollop of Spanish blood, but what else is in my big red goober?

One of my fellow dressage chapter members and a friend both had their horses tested and were less than pleased or convinced by the results, so I was prepared to be 'whelmed' rather than wowed. Still, I thought it would be interesting, so I finally got around to pulling the requisite hair samples and mailed them off with my $35 a few weeks ago. The results back today, and I eagerly tore open the envelope.

Ready?

Set?

Are you sure? ;-)





Of the 50 breeds in the reference panel, the breed with the highest probability of being in Lance's ancestry is . . .

Lipizzaner! (Second is Welsh Pony, and third is Mountain Pleasure Horse – I had to look that one up.) Reading Texas A&M's explanatory website was enlightening, and explains how much stock one can put in the results. It was certainly worth $35 to me!

Now, if you'll please excuse me; I'm off to channel the spirit of the Spanish Riding School as I dance with my Lance. :-)

By Machoxx, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4530613