Horse News

Domestic Horse Genome Sequenced

ScienceDaily (Nov. 5, 2009) — An international team of researchers has decoded the genome of the domestic horse Equus caballus, revealing a genome structure with remarkable similarities to humans and more than one million genetic differences across a variety of horse breeds. In addition to shedding light on a key part of the mammalian branch of the evolutionary tree, the work also provides a critical starting point for mapping disease genes in horses.

For centuries, horses have been close human companions. The animals were first domesticated 4,000 to 6,000 years ago and were harnessed primarily for power and transportation. Over time, as machines have become the chief sources of agricultural and industrial muscle, those roles have shifted to mainly sports and recreational activities.