This talk will provide an overview of commercially available genetic tests for diseases in horses, the breeds that are affected, and information on their scientific validation.

This Webcast is the fifth in a series offered with the University of Minnesota titled "Equine Genetics: A New Diagnostic Resource for Horse Owners,” and is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Research Initiative.

A mare's fertility can be influenced by a variety of factors including her health, age, and reproductive anatomy. In addition, stallion fertility and technician skills all play an important role in successfully breeding the mare. In this presentation, Dr. Anderson will discuss common problems that arise in the breeding barn and offer solutions to help get your mare pregnant.

This webcast will cover detailed information regarding equine genetic testing including where genetic diseases come from and how genetic tests work. In addition, specific information on genetic tests for Quarter Horse related breeds will be discussed as well as strategies for incorporating genetic testing in breeding operations.

Recent advances in genetic technology, starting with the sequencing of the human genome in 2001, have lead to a much greater understanding of genetics in all species. Now more than ever before, scientists and physicians are recognizing the important role of genetics not only in visible traits, but most importantly in invisible traits that have a great influence on health and disease.

So your mare is going to have a foal this Spring! What an exciting time and mare owners certainly want everything to go perfectly! Mare owners can be very anxious as foaling time approaches and the more prepared they are, the less stressful having a foal can be. It is important to understand and recognize the signs of a mare getting close to foaling. Decisions also need to be made on where she will foal!

Weaning a foal is an important milestone for the young growing horse. Preparing the foal prior to weaning and then ensuring that the weaning process poses as little stress as possible, will provide the young horse a definite advantage from both a health and psychological standpoint.

Once your mare is pregnant, what do you do next? Most novice breeders have a great deal of concern about the nutritional program that the mare requires to deliver a healthy foal. In this web presentation, we will show you that it is not as difficult as you might guess.