How To Send In an AQHA DNA Sample

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Howdy folks! If you caught yesterday\’s My Stable Life, you would have seen that we covered the topic of DNA Kits Vs. Parentage Verification, and why it\’s necessary when it comes to registering your foals. Today, let\’s talk about actually sending in a DNA sample to ensure your foals get their registration certificates.

It seems like a simple process, but the first couple of times I had to send samples in I had several questions. So let\’s get to it:

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1. Once you have obtained your DNA Kit in the mail from the AQHA, it\’s time to round your foals up and start pulling hairs. Literally.

As soon as you open the envelope up, you will typically find 2 pieces of paper, an envelope and a kit for the DNA sample inside. Each kit is for a single horse only – the horse appearing above the barcode. You must be certain that the listed horse is the same one you are testing.

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2. Next, complete the card that is attached to the top of the kit, detach it and return that portion to the AQHA.

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3. Take the remaining portion of the card out to the barn or pasture with you. Pull approximately 50 hairs from the foal\’s mane or tail by wrapping them around a clean comb or a forefinger. Grasp the hairs as close to the body as possible to ensure the roots are obtained – the root bulb of the hair contains the DNA, so be sure to collect pulled hairs (not cut) with root bulbs intact.

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4. Remove the sticky, protective covering on your kit from the adhesive where instructed. Place the pulled hairs in the adhesive area, ensuring the roots are in the area also where indicated. Try and reapply the protective covering back to the adhesive, over top of the hairs as best you can. Fold the kit in half to help the adhesive area secure all the hairs.

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5. Do not return the hairs and kit to the AQHA!! Instead, this portion must be placed into the envelope addressed to the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory at the University of California, Davis, CA.

Now if you are Canadian and the foal was born on Canadian soil, the hairs in this envelope must also be accompanied by a Permit for Importation and a Statement of Health (both of which came included in the original envelope you received from the AQHA).

Fill out and sign the Statement of Health as directed and if you have decided to courier your DNA sample to the U of Davis instead of using regular mail, you must ensure to put the courier tracking number or invoice number at the bottom as well. If you are sending the sample via regular mail, you can leave this line blank.

Put the Permit for Importation and Statement of Health into another envelope and label it \”IMPORT PERMIT.\”

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6. Place the 2 envelopes back to back with the words \”IMPORT PERMIT\” facing out on one side and the address for the U of Davis facing out on the other side. Tape the 2 envelopes together. This way, once your sample reaches the border, the import permit and health statement can easily be ripped off by customs agents for their files.

And that\’s it! You\’re done. Once the AQHA receives confirmation that your DNA sample has been sent to the U of Davis and the sample goes through its genetic testing, the AQHA will issue your foal\’s first set of registration papers.

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1 thought on “How To Send In an AQHA DNA Sample”

  1. I have a 16 year old mare she is a Palomino and beautiful. I know she has QH in her. Was wondering if anyone has done a DNA on a horse that old. I was thinking of getting a foal out of her. I know she has foaled before. But don’t want to waste my time and money not knowing her back ground.

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