SynchroGait® Test for more precise Breeding and Training Decisions: Now available in the Store

It offers horse owners and breeders the opportunity to analyze a horse's genetic potential in terms of limb coordination and gaits. The test is based on a mutation in the DMRT3 gene and helps predict performance in areas such as harness racing and gaited horse disciplines. However, in sport horse breeds like the Deutsches Reitpony, this gene can also lead to significant problems.

Benefits of the Test:

For Harness Racing:
The test identifies the genetic potential for a fast, clean trot in breeds such as Standardbreds and Trotteur Français.

For Gaited Horses:
Breeders can assess the likelihood of alternative gaits such as pace or tölt in Icelandic horses and other gaited breeds.

For Sport Horse Breeds like Deutsches Reitpony:
Deutsche Reitponies are bred primarily for dressage, show jumping, and eventing – disciplines that demand precise movements, impulsion, and a powerful canter. The DMRT3 mutation can negatively impact these abilities:

• Weak canter: The mutation disrupts the natural coordination of the three-beat canter, leading to irregular movement or difficulty maintaining the gait.
• Reduced impulsion and suspension: Ponies with this mutation often struggle to develop the impulsion required for expressive trot and canter work – a crucial disadvantage in dressage.
• Undesired gait tendencies: Some ponies with this gene show pacing or lateral movement tendencies, which are undesirable in sport horses.

Genetic Insights:

The test distinguishes between different genotypes that directly affect a horse's gait potential:

• CC (classically three-gaited horse): Particularly suited for disciplines like show jumping or galloping, but with less talent for alternative gaits.
• CA (potential four-gaited horse): Often shows a tendency toward a fourth gait even before training, increasing potential for gaited horse breeds.
• AA (potential five-gaited horse): Typically light-footed and naturally talented in pacing, with high potential for alternative gaits such as racing pace.

Practical Use in Breeding and Training

Breeders can use the SynchroGait® test to selectively pair horses that will pass on desired gait types and performance traits. Trainers can also tailor their training plans based on the horse's genetic potential. Horses with a CA or CC genotype that may not be suitable for demanding gaits like pace can be spared from intensive training in that area.

While the DMRT3 mutation may benefit gaited horses, it can be a disadvantage in disciplines requiring well-coordinated and powerful basic gaits. Choosing ponies without the mutation can lead to better performance in sport disciplines.

Success Stories & Scientific Studies

The effectiveness of the test has been confirmed in several studies. A blind study involving 61 horses showed that horses with the AA genotype performed significantly better in harness racing and had higher breeding values. This underscores the importance of the test for successful breeding and performance prediction.

Plan your breeding and training with precision – order the SynchroGait® Test now!