Lovestruck aka Violet Joy

[JB]

@Didi

I didn’t know that you could find out if a mare has the chestnut gene, etc.

Horses are black-based, or red-based, depending on the state of the Extension genes. To simplify it, E is black, e is red.

E is dominant over e, so if a horse is EE or Ee, then he is black-based (black, bay, brown, buckskin, etc).

But if he’s ee, then he’s red-based, so chestnut, palomino, cremello, etc.

So it’s not a “chestnut gene”, exactly it’s whether or not a horse can produce a chestnut. Because Juliet is black-based, we know she’s either EE or Ee. If she’s EE, then she cannot produce a chestnut foal, even if the stallion is chestnut (ee). She can only pass E, he can only pass e, so the foal would be Ee - black-based.

But if she is Ee, then there’s a 50/50 chance of her passing either E or e. If she passes e to meet the stallion’s e, then you get an ee chestnut foal. If the stallion is EE, no chestnut foal. If he’s Ee, then each horse has a 50/50 chance of passing their e, which brings the chance of chestnut down to 25%.

[Didi]

That is very interesting. I crossed a dark bay mare with a dark bay stallion known to produce chestnuts. I got a blood bay and his two half siblings (same mare) were dark bay, even though both were bred to grays. If I understand what you are saying, without definitive testing, I can maybe assume that both mare and stallion were Ee? That is me assuming that blood bays are red based. I love all this genetics stuff, even though I am woefully under informed. Thanks!

[vxf111]

@Didi

That is very interesting. I crossed a dark bay mare with a dark bay stallion known to produce chestnuts. I got a blood bay and his two half siblings (same mare) were dark bay, even though both were bred to grays. If I understand what you are saying, without definitive testing, I can maybe assume that both mare and stallion were Ee? That is me assuming that blood bays are red based. I love all this genetics stuff, even though I am woefully under informed. Thanks!

Blood bays are not “red based.” A bay is either: 2 black “genes” plus agouti; or a black and a red plus agouti. A chestnut is 2 red genes. With or without agouti. The only way to know whether a bay has a red to throw is by genetic testing or through its offspring, you cannot tell by looking at the parent.

[vxf111]

Didi, if the stallion has thrown a chestnut then he must have one red and one black. If your mare had two blacks however, it doesn’t matter because the offspring can’t get the two reds necessary to be chestnut.

[Didi]

Very interesting. That’s why I love reading these forums - I learn so much!

[JB]

All bays, no matter the shade, from 'black bay" to blood bay to mahogany bay, are black-based. The black/blood/mahogany are just terms to describe the shade of bay. It’s just like “liver chestnut” is still chestnut, still red-based, no black gene, no matter how dark and black they might look.

[Laurierace]

@CanteringCarrot

I hope things are going as well as possible for you and your family Laurierace.

This just seemed suitable for the thread:

Thanks! If all goes well we are heading home to Maryland on Saturday. My dad is in this odd period where he is critically ill according to his multiple diagnosises but well enough that he really doesn’t need any help at the moment. Not sure when or if that will change but for now I am needed more at home than here. One day at a time I guess.

[Didi]

Hang in there, @Laurierace, and jingles for safe travels home.

[Laurierace]

Juliet is Ee and Aa. She is thankfully not a WFFS carrier.

[Edre]

@Laurierace

Juliet is Ee and Aa. She is thankfully not a WFFS carrier.

so many colour options to get out of her then! And all of them I’m sure would be as lovely as she is. I ended up with a black horse out of a chestnut and a bay… the world works in very strange ways.

Love Lordanos. There was one by him several years ago that I am still kicking myself for not making an offer on. Just a stellar producer. What an exciting choice for you!

[Laurierace]

Almost 15 hours to the minute later we are home. Going to go ride my horse for the first time since January tomorrow so life is good at the moment. Debating whether I want to breed this cycle or not. I don’t necessarily want a March foal but who knows if this is going to try a few cycles to get right. I am afraid if I wait until May it could be too late.

[JB]

Has she already had a culture and cytology done to make sure she’s clean?

[Laurierace]

She has not seen the repro vet yet but when I started the process this fall SBS said she would not need a breeding soundness exam including a culture. They may change their mind about that when they meet her in the next week or so.

[JB]

I personally think you should get one done. It’s cheaper than a “wasted” breeding cycle. Odds are she’s clean, but not all maidens are.

[Laurierace]

They have free rein to do any and every thing they want to do. They said they don’t normally do that since they are only pregnant for 7 days.

[Where_sMyWhite]

Laurierace, glad to read that, for the moment, things are looking up, that you’re back at home with your family and back to activities that put a smile on your face! <3

[Laurierace]

Juliet is turning 8 years old on Friday but I am not real sure she will like her gift! We scheduled her breeding soundness exam for Friday afternoon! We should have an idea shortly where she is in her cycle so we can figure out when she needs to ship to the clinic. Hopefully she isn’t real close to ovulating because she has an event the weekend after next.

[skydy]

You decided on Lordanos, yes?

[Laurierace]

@skydy

You decided on Lordanos, yes?

Yes

[skydy]

Keep us posted!