I asked my son to come out and help me (well, take pictures!) so that I could get the hair samples sent in. They need 25-50 hairs pulled from the mane. They suggested wrapping a few strands around your fingers and yanking because the root must be enclosed. As you can see, my horses' hair samples aren't as long as the form allows. There is a box to place the roots and then stretch the hairs along the form, taping down the middle and other end. I hope I got enough hairs there. Yalla was easy to halter and I didn't have any problem pulling hairs from her at all. Matter of fact, just look at her mane and forelock! I think she has the longest forelock of all my horses!! Isn't that crazy?
In fact, she was very curious about the entire process!
Annie was easy too. I didn't even bother to halter her. I just figured I'd leave Yalla haltered a little bit longer than I needed, as a little lesson. She loves to be with me so it sure wasn't to keep her around. Here I am trying to sort out Annie's mane. I have way too much hair in this first photo.
I'm not sure what this picture is all about. I'm holding the pulled lock of hair but I must have gotten a hair in my mouth?? I think Annie looks cute, kind of quarter horsey with all that winter fuzz, don't ya think?
The really good thing about Annie and Yalla being different colors is that I had no problems keeping the hair samples separated and, with my son's help, we affixed the samples right then and there.
The letters state that they do not send results of the DNA testing back to me. Isn't that unfair? I paid $65.00 for each sample test! I'm going to submit a stamped, self addressed envelope back with each sample, requesting a copy of the results. I would love to see them, wouldn't you?These are the photos I took the other day, before Yalla's leg stretch. She looks fat there, doesn't she?
Annie looked really cute with her head tucked under but when she saw me she lifted her head. It's crazy, I'm standng several hundred yards away from her, at my back porch!
Scout was still asleep here. He lifted his head and then it began dropping again by degrees. He doesn't pay as much attention to his surroundings as do Annie and, especially, Yalla. Yalla will neigh to me every time I step outside of my house, even when I drive up. Just like a kid, she sees all!
I didn't take a photo of Nadia because she was the only one standing, I guess. So here's a picture I took of her a few mornings ago.
keeps all your dead hair - song: Jean Genie, artist: David Bowie, album: Aladdin Sane
11 comments:
I love your Nadia. She reminds me of my ol'Naigen, body and soul. Shes such a kind old mare.
Yes, Nadia is all sweetness! And she has such tiny little ears that are always pricked forward when we ride!
They all look great!
I wonder if they were related somehow? Naigen was arab/qh though but the exact same size, conformation, colour hehe. What would we do without good little horses in our life like them?
nadia is gorgeous, i agree.
my man and i just enjoyed your post together over breakfast, and we are curious how will AHA know that the mane sampe from annie is actually annie's? they can prove mother+daughter, but how to prove annie herself?
it was great to read and watch the whole process, thanks for documenting that! i am wondering what the world is coming to that we have to dna test babies, but i am glad they are taking precautions (especially after that pinto "purebred" arabian thing).
aren't you scared they're gonna make clones of your horses though? ok, i watch too much startrek.
~lytha
I hope they send you the report back on the samples. You paid your money and did all the work it's only fair.
Your horses are adorable and I love that little girl.
The AHA amazes me. I remember joining one year and not getting anything out of it other than a piece of paper, so I chose not to join the next year. Next thing I knew I was being publicly humiliated for being delinquent. Who says I have to be a member my entire life? If I don't show or breed horses, it doesn't make sense to dole out all those registration fees for nothing. At least now they send the magazine, though I vaguely remember reading something about that being discontinued sometime soon. There's no law that says I have to be a member if I own a purebred Arabian horse. The one time that someone coached me on showing my horses, I was floored by the amount of money one has to put out just to participate. All you win are ribbons on the lower levels, so there is no justification to part with all that money unless you breed and you know that everything you put into it will come back to you in the form of sales. I'm actually surprised that DNA testing doesn't cost more, though. I think of all the rape test kits that are sitting in storage untested, because the human DNA testing costs so much.
Once upon a time, I boarded a dinky little Arab mare. Loved her but she was not mine, alas. She would wait until I walked in the barn every morning to release the beasts for the day. As soon as I walked up to her gate, she streeeeeetched like a dog. First front legs out with her butt in the air, then the hind. Shook herself and walked out her gate. Every morning. Did I mention I loved her?
Nice pictures. I hope you get the DNA results. It seems like a lot of money to have to pay to not get anything back.
Dan
I can't believe that the AHA doesn't send you the DNA results! You pay for the testing because you have too, but you don't get the results? Strange. I hope they send them to you.
The horses all look good! Yalla! is the cutest thing!
Val, this was so interesting!
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