What Kind of Horse is Queenie? The answer is.....

Whenever I tell someone that I have a horse, one of the first questions is "what kind of horse is she?"  Over the two years that I've owned her, the answer has varied.  Before I adopted her, Queenie was part of the Day's End Farm Horse Rescue drill team at the Maryland Horse Expo.  I attended every performance and heard Queenie introduced as a Tennessee Walker.  Okay, most people are familiar with the breed.

Queenie performing with the Days End Farm Horse Rescue Drill Team at the 2012 Maryland Horse Expo

Queenie was the demonstration horse for an equine chiropractor.  I love her "WTF" expression!

But weeks later when I signed the adoption papers, I noticed that Queenie was listed as a Rocky Mountain/Saddlebred cross.  From then on, I would answer "what is she?" with the "official" designation.

Several months ago, Saiph told me about the genetic testing done at Texas A&M University(TAMU). You send in 30-50 hairs from your horse's mane and/or tail, and they analyze them to find specific breed or horse type markers.  From the TAMU webpage:

The Animal Genetics Laboratory offers DNA genotyping used for identification, parentage verification, and determination of specific homozygous/heterozygous gene mutations in animals. The analysis provides useful information for diseases, coat colors, as well as physical traits. Currently, the lab provides routine services for testing horses, donkeys, cattle, cats, and dogs, in addition to goats and sheep (upon requests).

The results for Saiph's horse, Lily, showed that she is a "Thoroughbred and Eastern European Warmblood cross."  The test results weren't real specific but did provide Saiph with a better idea why Lily exhibits certain characteristics and behaviors.

The test costs $25--a mere pittance in  horse world expenses.  That's roughly equivalent to a bottle of fly spray so it was sort of a "what have I got to lose" proposition.

I mailed my check, the requisite form and 50 hairs from Queenie's mane and tail to TAMU in early March.  The turnaround time for the test is supposed to be two weeks but it took a month for Saiph to receive Lily's report.

In April, I received an envelope from Texas A&M and tore into it anticipating the answer to the "what breed is she?" question.  Instead, it was just a receipt acknowledging that they had received Queenie's sample and my check.   

So days and then weeks and then months ticked by and no results arrived in the mail.

I finally called and spoke with Dr. Cothrane, who is in charge of the lab at TAMU.  It took a few minutes but he found Queenie's results (and said no, he couldn't send me a copy).  

Dr. Cothrane said.... drum roll, please......Queenie is "some type of North American gaited horse." Wait, I knew that.  I mean, after all, she is a) a horse; b) gaited; and c) definitely looks like a Walker or Saddlebred. 

So I asked Dr. Cothrane if he has any further information about her breed.  He said the results also show that she is some type of "non-Arabian horse."  Well, that's equally obvious.  There is nothing in her temperament or conformation to suggest an Arabian. 

Finally, Dr. Cothrane said that Queenie's genetic makeup also shows Quarter horse.  That sort of fits because many people say that Queenie has a quarter horse build.

So $25 and months later, what do I know about Queenie's breed?  Nothing more than the day I adopted her.  

Since science couldn't provide a definitive answer, I decided that when people ask what kind of horse  Queenie is, I'm going to say Tennessee Walker for the sake of convenience. It's  much easier than saying that she is a cross.

And I like the description of a Walking Horse-- "a breed of gaited horse known for its unique four-beat "running walk" and flashy movement. It  is a popular riding horse due to its calm disposition, smooth gaits and sure-footedness."


In truth, I don't really care what breed Queenie is because to me, she is the best horse ever.