From A to Z

The International Association of Future Horse Breeding, IAFH for short, is currently home to five breeding associations: the Oldenburg Horse Breeders' Association, the Oldenburg-International Show Jumping Breeders' Association, the Trakehner and Holsteiner Associations and the Westphalian Horse Stud Book. They rely on joint research and development work, through which they develop valuable knowledge and methods for their breeders. A prime example of this is the switch to a pedigree testing method that is new in the horse sector and opens up a whole bouquet of new possibilities for breeders.

"I think it is very positive that we are working together across associations in the IAFH. The larger our base of data, the more information we can give breeders. Predicting size and color are added benefits. But more importantly, we will gain knowledge as far as the health and longevity of our horses are concerned and also be able to counter hereditary diseases much better," says Bernhard Thoben, the breeding director of the Oldenburg associations.

Until now, the individual breeder had little to do with the pedigree check: it was just done, hopefully confirmed the stallion noted on the stud certificate, and perhaps rarely required a follow-up sampling if something went wrong during the first hair sampling. But this check was virtually only a compulsory program without any additional benefit - which is due to the fact that genetic markers were used in the laboratory, which only allow statements about the pedigree. The situation is quite different for the type of genetic markers that have been routinely tested in the laboratory within IAFH since the start of the 2021 season: SNPs is the magic word. These markers are the starting point for a wide range of applications. Their one-time examination, for example for the purpose of parentage verification, enables - with a suitable choice of test system (SNP chip), as is ensured within the IAFH - among other things, the determination of coat color, testing for the presence of lightening factors and variants that control the white distribution on the body. But of course, the spectrum of possibilities is not exhausted with these "sideshows" of riding horse breeding, but also includes hereditary diseases, disease dispositions and other hereditary traits associated with limitations of use, such as PSSM2. And through the interposition of modern computational methods that help interpret the individual SNP patterns of horses, genetic body size (height at withers) and inheritance in relation to linear traits will also be available as genomically supported values in the future - earlier, individually validated and for more horses than before.

All SNP data are stored in the common horse genome database, which is located at IAFH shareholder vit in Verden and is the basis for the multitude of further application possibilities. These are now gradually becoming available to breeders. The start will be made by genetic traits, such as the coat color already mentioned and individual hereditary diseases. What then follows means for the German horse breeding industry the entry into the range of products for genomic selection: An example: Which breeder would not like to know what size to expect from a horse from a certain mating? The body size (height at withers) of a horse is undoubtedly determined on the one hand by many environmental factors and the course of the rearing phase - but to a relevant extent also by genetic factors, which can be read out by means of SNPs, calculated and combined into an estimated value that reflects the genetic size. A high value indicates that the stallion or the mare will on average produce rather large offspring, a low value suggests offspring with predominantly rather small stock size.

According to the same principle, genomically supported estimated values are also determined for all linear traits currently found in the stallions' heredity profiles. Now that the IAFH's development work has been successfully completed, enabling vit to provide a routine system, the prerequisite is the SNP genotyping of a horse. This shows how groundbreaking the switch to the new SNP-based parentage verification has been: for the more than 11,000 foals from this year that have already gone through the new system, as soon as this area of genomic services is armed, the genomic-supported inheritance profiles can be unlocked. And what breeder wouldn't be curious to know how genomics and breeder's eye agree on what genetic potential lies in their offspring, and what career paths in breeding and sport this may set out?

"Of course, we will not leave our breeders alone with the innovations, but will also accompany this added value that the IAFH now provides them with more information and advice," promises Bernard Thoben.

Statements of the breeding directors of the member associations:

Thomas Münch, Westphalian Horse Stud Book:
"Breeding know-how is certainly irreplaceable in the future. But with the data we obtain, we are able to offer breeders additional information on the basis of which they can breed even healthier and even better-performing horses. And the more data we collect, the more accurately it can be used to make predictions."

Lars Gehrmann, Trakehner Verband:
"It is undisputed that the collection of genetic information is an important prerequisite for selecting for certain traits. These include conformation traits, as we record them by means of linear description, but also traits that affect health. It is very welcome that we can thus gain important knowledge about hereditary diseases, for example, which can be incorporated into breeding decisions and thus have a positive influence on the health of our horses. This development is basically a necessary step in the right direction - forward."

Stephan Haarhoff, Holsteiner Verband:
"In the future use of performance traits, I see a huge advantage for breeders. Especially in Holsteiner breeding, characteristics such as jumping disposition and willingness to perform are of great importance. I also think the issue of health, and ultimately longevity, is very important. After all, we want riders and breeders to enjoy healthy, high-performance horses for as long as possible."