Current Recommended Testing Labs
Please note that we have no partnership with either of these labs at this time and are only listing them as reference labs. 
DNA & Color Testing FAQs
Can I Test for My Pony's Parents?
At this time we do not have the capability to do any parentage testing for ponies that came off of Assateague as foals. Sometimes color testing can help narrow down the sire of the pony but please contact us before you run any tests so we can make sure that they will be helpful. 
Are there any health Concerns that I should Test my pony for?
At this time we have not found any major health concerns within the breed and don't recommend testing for any. We have found some genetic disorders but most are no longer testable with the current available labs. Please visit the Colorful Chincoteague for more information on recorded genetic disorders within the breed.  
Why Should I color Test?
Color testing can offer several benefits
  1. It can help us discover additional color patterns present within the breed
  2. In some cases it can help us confirm a foal's sire
  3. If you plan to breed your pony it can give you an idea of what color foal your pony may produce
Not all color testing is valuable, if you have questions as to whether color testing your pony will provide you with any information, feel free to reach out to us!
My Lab offers a breed test, is it accurate?
At this time we do not accept any breed testing, the current available labs do not offer reliable breed testing. This may change in the future but at this time we will not recognize any breed tests with the exception of past ancestry testing from Etalon Equine Genetics.
How do I test my pony?
DNA and color testing is done with hair follicles from your pony. A sample must be collected by pulling, NOT cutting, anywhere from 30-40 individual strands of hair from your pony's mane or tail (usually the tail for pony's less than one year old). This hair is then sent to the lab for evaluation by the lab's provided form. Make sure that you read all of the submission requirements for your lab as each lab may have different requirements. 

Please DO NOT touch the roots of the hair that you pull or this can contaminate the sample. Once the lab receives and processes the sample they will send you the results.
If you need help reading these results, feel free to reach out to us!

UC Davis Sample Collection Information: horse
Animal Genetics Sample Collection Information: equine-sample-collection
how do I read my results?
Color test results can be very confusing if you don't know how to read them! Feel free to reach out to us or our friends at The Colorful Chincoteague for help in reading your test results. 
Do you have questions or need help ordering your test?