How to Test Horse Hair

Testing horse hair is an important step if you are breeding horses. By testing the hair, you can establish parentage or know what color genetics your horse is carrying. Color testing is hugely important as some genetics should never be bred to each other. This includes horses carrying the Lethal White Overo gene. Breeding a Lethal White-positive horse to another Lethal White carrier can result in a foal that dies shortly after birth.

Things You'll Need

  • Equine submission form
  • Small plastic baggie
  • Envelope
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Instructions

    • 1

      Print and fill out the equine submission form for the equine genetic testing facility you choose to use to test your horse hair.

    • 2

      Tie your horse to a tie stand or have a helper hold the horse in place.

    • 3

      Wrap at least 40 hairs from the top of the horses' tail around your index finger, and pull very quickly. Examine the horse hair sample to be sure you have an adequate amount of root balls showing on the ends of the hair.

    • 4

      Insert the horse hair into a dry plastic baggie and close the bag.

    • 5

      Label the front of the zip lock baggie with your horse's name.

    • 6

      Insert the plastic bag, your submission form and payment into one envelope, and mail to the address given for your testing center.