2009 National Reserve Champion Multi-Color Stallion & Gelding 34″ Under
2009 National 4th Place Stallion Foal 30″ & Under
Area 6 All Star Champion Stallion Foal — Area 6 All-Star Champion Multi-Color Stallion & Gelding
5x First Multi-Color Stallion — 3x Second — 2x First Stallion Foal — 10x Second
Splash was bred and shown by George and Mary Ronek of GMR Acres, Maquoketa, Iowa. Splash comes from the world-class-famous great-grandsire LTD’s Magic Man who is in the Hall of Fame! His maternal grandmother, LTD’s Nacho Plano Red, is a National Grand Champion! His paternal great-grandsire is L&D Scout, who produced 19 National titles.
I purchased Splash as the premier stallion for my breeding program and had him trained to drive the following year. He is a wonderfully talented, spirited, bright, and easy-to-train horse. It takes very little pressure to receive a response and he caught on to verbal commands and hand signals very quickly. He loves attention, and really knows how to “step it up” when it comes to showing. His trot is precise, sharp, and snappy. He is a fluid mover and can really turn heads. His first offspring, two fillies, also exhibit those same characteristics. Studies are now showing that the DNA contribution by the stallion is far more reaching than previous thought. Having a good, solid, sound brood mare is a must, but the stallion also plays an essential role in the breeding process. If you are interested in any of my stallions or mares, please feel free to study their bloodlines. I have attached a multi-generational lineage chart at the end of each horse’s section. I will be happy to provide references from those who have purchased their offspring. Splash’s DNA tests reveal the following:
Disease Profile
Splash tests negative for HYPP and HERDA.
ACAN Dwarfism Mutations in the Miniature Horse
Splash has one copy of the D2 mutation in the ACAN gene, which means he is Heterozygous for the ACAN D2 mutation; however, he exhibits the normal phenotype. He does not possess any of the other recognized ACAN mutations for dwarfism (D1, D3, and D4). This mutation will cause dwarfism in combination with the D2, D3, or D4 ACAN mutations, and is lethal in combination with the D1 mutation. Therefore Splash should only be bred to horses who do not possess any of the other ACAN mutations. Such breedings will produce 50% carriers for the D2 mutation and 50% horses that do not have the D2 mutation.Anyone interested in obtaining dwarfism testing should contact the University of Kentucky. Here is a link to their website:
http://www2.ca.uky.edu/gluck/AGTRL.asp#Dwarfism
Base Color — Splash is Black Based but carries a recessive copy of the Red gene; therefore he is Heterozygous
Every horse has a base color, which can be black, bay, or red. This is controlled by the Extension (Red/Black Factor) and Agouti genes. The Extension gene controls the production of black or red pigment throughout the coat. The allele for black color (E) is dominant over the red allele (e), so a horse only needs one copy of the black allele to appear black-based.
The Agouti gene can then modify black pigment by pushing it the points of the horse, creating a bay. The Agouti gene is dominant, so a black pigmented horse only needs one copy of the Agouti gene (A) to appear bay. Agouti does not have any effect on red pigment. Splash is a bay horse that carries both copies of the Agouti gene (A/A) which means that he is a Homozygous (AA) horse and will have a 100% chance of passing on the gene to his offspring. He is also Heterozygous for the *Red/Black Factor. (E/e).
*Horses that are bay, black, grullo, buckskin, black/blue roan, etc. are black-pigmented horses that carry at least one copy of the Black Factor (E) allele. The black (E) allele of the Extension gene is dominant and causes a black pigmented base both in the Heterozygous (Ee) and Homozygous (EE) state. Because Splash is Heterozygous for the Red/Black Factor, it means that it carries one copy of the black allele (E) and one copy of the red allele (e). Since he is Heterozygous for the red/black factor, he can pass on either red or black pigment to his foals. The basic color of the horse will be black, bay, or brown, unless modified by other color-modifying genes.
Dilutions
The rest of the color genes act as modifiers on the base coat of the horse. There are several genes that dilute the color of the horse, including Cream, Pearl, Champagne, Silver, and Dun. While these genes all function to dilute pigment, they are not all expressed in the same manner. The Dun and Champagne genes are dominant, as is Silver, although Silver does not affected red pigment. Splash also carries one copy of the SilverH gene. Silver Dilution is a dominant trait, so in order to inherit the trait, a horse requires only one parent to carry and pass on the gene. Somewhat similar to the agouti gene, the silver dilution gene will only alter black pigmented horses (Ee or EE) and has no effect on red pigmented horses (ee). The agouti gene alters the coat by controlling distribution of the black pigment whereas the silver dilution gene does so by diluting areas of black pigment.
The effects of the silver dilution gene can vary greatly. Dilution by the silver gene on a horse with a uniform black base typically involves lightening of the mane and tail and a dilution of the body to a chocolate color, often dappled as well. A Bay horse carrying the Silver gene will usually have a lightened mane and tail, as well as lightened lower legs. It is important to know that although a red horse will not be diluted by the silver gene, it can be a carrier of the gene and thus potentially pass the gene on to its offspring.
Patterns and Depigmentations
He is LWO (Lethal White Overo) = N/L (One normal gene and one lethal white gene). Therefore, Splash is Heterozygous which means he carries just a single copy of frame Overo, and therefore exhibits the desirable frame Overo markings. Since frame Overo is a dominant gene, the coat pattern should be present in all horses with a single copy of the mutated gene.All Frame Overo horses carry a single inherited copy of the Ile118Lys EDNRB mutation. This mutation causes pigment loss, producing white markings on certain areas of the horse. While the mutation produces visually desirable horses, it is also linked to a fatal condition known as Lethal White Overo or (LWO), whereby a foal is born almost pure white in appearance, and dies within its first few days of life. Correct breeding can avoid this occurrence. Frame Overo horses which carry just a single copy of the gene, will pass one copy of it to their foals approximately 50% of the time when bred. Therefore, when breeding an Overo horse to a solid non-Overo horse, the foal can only inherit one copy. However, if two Overo horses are bred together they could potentially BOTH pass the Overo gene to the foal, meaning it inherits two copies. Horses which inherit two copies of Frame Overo will suffer the Lethal White condition. Proper mating must be carried out to ensure that two frame Overo horses do not breed. This will prevent any risk of the foal inheriting two copies of the mutated gene.
Splash carries the Sabino (nSb1) gene, therefor, he is Heterozygous which means he carries a single inherited copy of Sabino (white coat pattern present). that means a horse’s base color may be modified to varying degrees by the Sabino markings. In the Heterozygous state, the Sabino coat pattern usually involves a horse having two or more white feet or legs. The white color will often extend up the legs of the horse to the belly in irregular or fragmented patches. These jagged white patches are commonly referred to as barrel spots or belly spots. The head of a Sabino horse is moderately white and commonly has a blaze or white patch that expands the length of the face. The white areas of a Sabino horse lack pigment, both in the hair and skin.
Whereas other white genes cause more defined and uniform patterns which are easily recognizable, Sabino is a term often put to use for more minimal white areas of a horse which can occur in a wider variety of areas. One common defining feature of Sabino markings tends to be the “roaning” around the edges of the white markings. This is where the “border” of the white markings intermix with the horse’s base color, and where white hairs start to blend with the darker surrounding coat. This is separate to the roaning gene, which has a similar effect and is often associated with Sabino.
Similarly to frame Overo, Sabino seems to work in a dosage effect. Horses which carry a single inherited copy of the gene will display the broken Sabino markings and possibly only a small amount of white. A horse that carries two inherited copies of the Sabino gene (homozygous) will be almost pure white in appearance. Unlike frame Overo, there is no life-threatening condition attached to the pattern.
He does not carry the appaloosa gene pattern of PATN1 (leopard complex spotting [LP]), which produces a highly variable group of white spotting or depigmentation patterns in the horse.
He also does not carry the SW1, SW2, and SW3 mutations (Splashed White Overo). Many splashed white horses are characterized by a large blaze, extended white markings on legs, variable white spotting on belly, pink skin and often blue eyes. In other cases, the unpigmented areas are quite small and cannot be distinguished from horses with other more subtle depigmentation phenotypes. Typically though most splashed white horses look as though they where dipped in white paint feet first. The head, legs and belly may be white, sometimes connected to a patch running up either side of the thorax. The margins of the white markings are crisp, and well-defined.
It is also speculated that as in LWO, SW-2 and SW-3 may be homozygous lethal (foal dies if it inherits two copies of the mutation). It is therefore not advisable to breed two horses that carry SW-2 or SW-3 as the risk of a lethal foal could be 25% and should be avoided.
He also does not carry the following genes: Dun (d/d); Silver (n/n); Champagne (n/n); Pearl (n/n); and Tobiano (n/n).
If you are interested in testing any of your horses for color, coat pattern, and depigmentations, I suggest contacting Animal Genetics. Their fees are reasonable and they have a very quick turnaround time. Their website is: http://www.animalgenetics.us/Equine/Equine_Index.asp
I realize there is a lot of “technical” DNA information provided, but I want any potential owners of mares to understand what Splash is capable of genetically. My hopes are to eventually collect and ship semen to mare owners who would like to breed to Splash without the need of physical transportation. I also would like to stress that if there is any possibility of a Lethal White outcome that the mare be DNA tested to ensure this grave situation does not occur.