Beginning with the 2002 foal crop, DNA testing using hair roots will replace blood type testing as the method of parentage verification of purebred Arabian foals as a requirement for registration. DNA has an efficacy rate of 99.99%, compared to 98% for blood typing.

There are numerous advantages associated with DNA testing. The most import advantage is the lack of stress for both the owner and the horse being tested. No more having to stick the horse with a needle - all a person has to do is pull approximately 25-50 hairs from the mane (ensuring that they get the hair follicle). Most horses do not even flinch when this is done. Also, owners do not have to worry about when the hair sample is pulled and mailed because, unlike a blood sample, it will not go bad. A person no longer has to make sure the veterinarian is scheduled for Monday or Tuesday and does not have to be concerned about long weekends. Also, no more rushing into town to courier the blood samples. Instead, all one has to do is put a regular stamp on the envelope supplied and put it in the mailbox. It’s that easy!

By switching to DNA testing, owners will see cost savings. Because blood typing is becoming less and less common, finding a laboratory that will still do the testing has become a challenge. By switching to DNA testing registration fees do not have to be increased. As well, a person will no longer have to pay veterinarian or courier costs. Even if a person draws their own blood, they will save between $20.00 and $40.00 on courier costs alone. Also, no more extra costs will be incurred if a sample is unsuitable for testing (i.e. no hair follicles attached or mixed hair samples). Before, if blood samples were unsuitable for testing, a person had to go to the expense of redrawing blood samples. Now, all they do is pull new hair samples and mail them by regular post.

As with any major change, there are associated conversion costs. A blood type test cannot be used to parentage verify a horse that has been DNA tested. For this reason, it is necessary to have the DNA types of all mares and stallions that are used for breeding, placed on permanent record. Geldings that are already registered do not have to be tested unless they produced any unregistered offspring prior to castration or if their semen has been stored for future use.

The fee to DNA test can be found on the Fees page. To request a DNA kit complete the enclosed order form and mail it to the CAHR along with the required fees. Payment can be made by CERTIFIED cheque, money order, VISA or MasterCard.  **As of JANUARY 1, 2001 we are no longer accepting personal/company cheques.

To ensure the integrity of the breed during the conversion period, the CAHR will be instituting a random sampling program. Horses will be chosen at random and the owner will be required to submit a blood sample. The blood type will be compared to the one already on file and if there are no discrepancies, a DNA type will be derived from the sample and placed on permanent record.