Equine researchers around the world are gearing up for the sixth International Equine Genome Workshop, to be held in Dublin, Ireland, this summer. The meeting will allow participating scientists to move one step closer to achieving their collective goal: Cracking the equine genetic code.

The Workshop is coordinated by Ernest Bailey, PhD, a geneticist and professor of veterinary science at the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center. For nearly a decade, Bailey has organized the collaborative efforts of more than 100 animal researchers representing 25 laboratories in 15 countries. When they meet this year, the group will add pieces to a genetic puzzle that, when completed, promises to unlock many mysteries of the horse.

The first meeting of the International Equine Genome Workshop was held in Lexington, Ky., in 1995. “The original goal of the Workshop,” says Bailey, “was to develop a gene map that would be useful for identifying genes that cause hereditary diseases in horses.” Toward that end, significant progress has been made. Researchers have successfully pinpointed the genetic glitches responsible for several deadly equine diseases, such as severe combined immunodeficiency disorder (SCID) in Arabian horses and hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HYPP) in Quarter Horses.

A simple DNA blood test now makes it possible for horse owners and veterinarians to detect illnesses, including SCID in Arabians and HYPP in Quarter Horses. DNA testing in overo Paint horses can help breeders avoid the tragedy of producing a foal with lethal white foal syndrome, a genetic disorder associated with fatal flaws of the gastrointestinal tract.
 
As a bonus, the scientists have gained a better understanding of the genetics of coat color. A single hair plucked from a mare’s mane can—in some breeds—help predict the color and markings of the foals she’ll produce. Tests for coat color genetics are currently available to horse owners for around $25