The modern domestic environment of the racehorse is much different from that of the wild habitat the horse once adapted to survive in. Prior to domestication, as a prey animal, horses relied on being vigilant to potential threats and having quick reactions to escape danger. The ‘fight or flight’ response is responsible for assessing and…
Temperament is often referred to by winning connections as a crucial element of a racehorse’s success. Temperament reflects patterns of thought, behaviour and emotion and includes the ability to cope with the demands of training. Horses that do not easily adapt to the training environment may have extended periods out-of-training and unsuitable temperament is responsible…
A critical set of genes linked to successful racehorses has been identified by an international research team. Scientists from Asia, Europe, North America, and the Irish equine science company Plusvital compared the genomes of Thoroughbred, Arabian and Mongolian racehorses to horses bred for other sports and leisure, and were able to pinpoint a set of…
‘Maintaining the diverse original bloodlines is critical to the long-term survival of the Irish Sport Horse….. Traditional bloodlines harbor genetics that breeders have shaped for many centuries and they are there for a reason.’ Launched at last night’s Traditional Irish Horse Association (TIHA) AGM, Professor Emmeline Hill sat down with William Micklem to discuss the…
This article first appeared in Racing Post Bloodstock – Good Morning Bloodstock – 30 March 2022 The Racing Post’s Martin Stevens on why Cracksman’s runners might be quicker than you’d think… Forget Will Smith slapping Chris Rock live on stage at the Oscars ceremony on Sunday: the most astonishing thing I’ve seen in recent…
Research Shows Inbreeding Is Increasing Rapidly Among Thoroughbred Racehorses New research by scientists at University College Dublin and equine science company Plusvital has established that there has been a significant rise in inbreeding levels in the global thoroughbred population over the last 45 years.The research, published this week in the peer-reviewed journal Scientific Reports, analysed…
The Benefits Of Genetic Testing for Horses in Training This article, entitled The Benefits of Genetic Testing for Horses in Training, was originally published in the Paulick Report on 4th October 2019.[vc_single_image image=”11647″ img_size=”1000×667″ alignment=”center”]Without a doubt, the successful training of Thoroughbred racehorses is a complicated process, which includes the formidable task of selecting a…
Speed Gene Test Goes Could Offer Clues On Yearling Returns This article, entitled Speed Gene Test Goes Beyond Track Performance; Could Offer Clues On Yearling Returns, was originally published in the Paulick Report on 31st July 2019.[vc_single_image image=”11154″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”]Pedigree is at the core of the Thoroughbred horse industry. For centuries, breeders and trainers have…
Incredulity To Acceptance: Ten Years On From The Discovery Of The Speed Gene Martin Stevens speaks to Professor Emmeline Hill about her breakthrough on the Speed Gene This article, entitled Incredulity To Acceptance: Ten Years On From The Discovery Of The Speed Gene, was originally published in The Racing Post on 16th July 2019.[vc_single_image image=”11164″…
Bloodline: The Search For Speed [vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rHZCtwl-hw” align=”center”]Bloodline is a short film that depicts historical selective breeding of horses for speed with a focus on Ireland’s contribution to excellence in Thoroughbred horse breeding. The film emphasises the significance of Science Foundation Ireland‘s funded research into Thoroughbred horse genomics at University College Dublin in the context…
