If you are purchasing ANY horse or pony from Ireland - CAVEAT EMPTOR

Various Genetics laboratories that routinely test for HWSD often notify the Connemara Pony Research Group of any new developments that they see as the result of their work. 

Back in 2019 the linked report was sent to DAFM in Ireland. Link is here: 2019 DAFM report.  In the conclusion the following statement was made:

The potential economic impact of HWSD on the greater Irish horse industry in general does not appear tohave been considered. The provenance of ponies/horses being exported on white passports willincreasingly be questioned as more HWSD carrier or affected animals are sold overseas. The equinecommunity at large and the authorities (DAFM, IHB) need to consider the effects of the HWSD mutationmoving into the wider genetic base of the Irish Sport Horse industry. The potential economic impact of HWSD on the greater Irish horse industry in general does not appear tohave been considered. The provenance of ponies/horses being exported on white passports willincreasingly be questioned as more HWSD carrier or affected animals are sold overseas. The equinecommunity at large and the authorities (DAFM, IHB) need to consider the effects of the HWSD mutationmoving into the wider genetic base of the Irish Sport Horse industry.
"The potential economic impact of HWSD on the greater Irish Horse Industry in general does not appear to have been considered.   The provenance of ponies/horses being exported on 'white passports' will increasingly be questioned as more HWSD carrier or affected animals are sold overseas.   The equine community at large and the authorities (DAFM, IHB) need to consider the effects of the HWSD mutation moving into the wider genetic base of the Irish Sport Horse Industry'.

What was forecast in 2019 has come to pass.  An 'Irish Cob' passported by the PIO Leisure Horse Ireland has been tested and found to be affected HWSD/HWSD.   This cob was exported from Ireland to the continent; the usual pattern of hoof disintegration occurred and on advice from a equine professional, a hair sample was sent to the laboratory for testing.

It is obvious therefore that the mutation is now circulating in the wider equine population in Ireland.   

As an example, one of the most prolific 'not-tested' but known to be N/HWSD stallions, (Ross Fear Bui) has  been extensively used and continues to be used for sport horse/pony breeding. As other 'not-tested' and known to be N/HWSD stallions are also being used outside of the Connemara breed.  This raises the concern as to how extensive the mutation in the wider population is likely to be.

It would appear that none of the concerns raised in the 2019 report were considered to be important as none of them have been addressed.

TAKE HOME NOTE:   DO NOT BUY ANY HORSE OR PONY FROM IRELAND WITHOUT FIRST KNOWING THE HWSD STATUS OF THAT HORSE/PONY

WARNING: Passport Tampering occurring with Irish Bred HWSD/HWSD affected ponies

 Sadly, it has been brought to the attention of the CPRG that a number of HWSD affected ponies have recently been exported from Ireland to the UK, various Nordic countries and several Continental countries.

Since 2015 there has been NO EXCUSE for any HWSD ponies to have even been born.  Sadly this message does not seem to have been accepted in the biggest Connemara pony breeding country in the world, Ireland.  As HWSD is entirely preventable, then the breeders of such ponies have a moral and ethical responsibility to care for these ponies themselves, not sell them off to dealers and sight unseen to unsuspecting overseas buyers.

Even worse, to just compound the issue some unscrupulous individuals are now passport tampering by removing the back page of the CPBS passport where the HWSD status of the pony is placed.

These recently reported HWSD affected pony's passports have had the back page of their passports deliberately removed.

The back page of the passport of an affected pony should look like this:

There are supposed to be 46 pages in a CPBS passport.

It is not known where this tampering is occurring, as the majority of these ponies have been sold through dealer yards, both in Ireland and in the country of their final destination.  Either way it is inexcusable and ILLEGAL behaviour.   It is bad enough as it is, that the knowledge of HWSD in the general horse owning population, vets and farriers is abysmally low. This passport tampering is a deliberate act to sucker unsuspecting buyers, nothing less, nothing more.

To add insult to injury there is also proof that HWSD affected ponies are being sold from Ireland using 'white' passports.  These are effectively generic travel documents only.  They have no requirement to list breed, breeding or breeder.

If you are looking to purchase a horse or pony listed as 'Connemara Type' make sure that the pony is scanned for more than one microchip.  As there is no central microchip database in Ireland there is no way in which to check for duplicate registrations to one microchip.  It is also really easy to have a 2nd (or even more) microchips inserted, if one is of a mind to do such a thing.

These passport breaches have been reported to the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine (DAFM) as this department is responsible for administering the issuing of equine passports. 

Irish Equine Law.

 

Want to Know More About Hoof Wall Separation Disease? Listen to the podcast made by Lucinda Kelly of Connemara Pony World.

What's all this fuss with Hoof Wall? 

What is it? 

What should I be doing?

Tune into our new podcast episode                               Link to Podcast

"Getting to the Bottom of HWSD in Connemara Ponies"


In this episode, we cover Hoof Wall Separation Disease, also better known as HWSD. This is a condition that has been identified in Connemara ponies. HWSD is an autosomal recessive disorder that causes the hoof wall to easily break and crack.

  

Joining us on this podcast are the following guests:

1. Sheila Ramsay is from New Zealand and has performed research in Animal Science, Parasitology and Genetics. Her current project is 'Hoof Wall Separation Disease (HWSD) in Connemara Ponies.'

2. Dr. Melissa Cox is based in Germany and specialises in animal genetics, having earned her doctorate in Genetics through the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology at Texas A&M University, and has concentrated on comparative genomics with an interest in domestic animals throughout her career.

3. Marian Pritchard is from the UK and is a Connemara enthusiast who bought a Connemara pony from Ireland that she later found out was HWSD/HWSD.

Link to Podcast

Please subscribe to our iTunes and Spotify channels and share.

Instagram: ConnemaraPonyWorld                                                 

Dr Melissa Cox

Sheila Ramsay

Marian Pritchard riding her Connemara pony who has HWSD. 

Note the hoof boots.

Survey on the Care of HWSD Affected Ponies

Your HWSD experience can help others

We are in the process of bringing all the helpful care information about HWSD one can find on facebook and other sites into one ‘easy to find’ website.

As an owner and carer of an HWSD affected pony, you are an ‘expert’ in the management of your pony. We believe that your ‘on the ground’ knowledge in managing this disease would be invaluable to another person and their pony.

We are asking if you would ‘share’ your experience for others to read. We are also happy to help if English is not your first language.  

Here is the link to the survey:

HWSD Pony Owner's Survey

HWSD Pamphlet Updated

A new pamphlet has been written about HWSD. 

This educational pamphlet can be freely downloaded and printed, distributed via hard copy or electronically.  Spread the word!

You can download the file from either the   HWSD Facebook page

OR directly

HWSD Information pamphlet for Owners and Breeders of Connemara ponies.

A New Year: What Progress is Achievable in 2018?

The CPBS recently published the HWSD test data from Weatherby's for 2017.

It was very disappointing to see that 51 (2%)  HWSD/HWSD foals were born in in Ireland 2017.  It is quite possible that these foals were conceived before the HWSD status of the parents was known.  However it is far more likely that these foals have parents which have never been tested at all and that the mating will have been repeated before the status of the parents was made obvious.

Therefore it is extremely unlikely that the HWSD/HWSD percentage will drop significantly for the 2018 registration period.

Also it has been brought to the attention of the CPRG that there appears to be a 'don't ask; don't tell' attitude occurring with regards to disclosure of HWSD results.  A specific instance is reported of an experienced European breeder purchasing a colt foal on-line, sight unseen from Ireland via DoneDeal.  This was a fully registered colt foal with a passport.
The buyer admits that she should have asked the HWSD status of the colt as she was dealing with someone unknown to her.  When the seller was asked for all of the particulars detailed on the passport no mention was made of the HWSD status.

The colt duly arrived in his new country of residence.  As soon as he came off the transporter, the new owner went "OMG, what have I done?".  The new owner was then handed the passports of all of the ponies that came off the transporter which were destined for the same property.  On looking at the passport of the "OMG" colt it was clearly stamped HWSD/HWSD.

Several questions arise here.

1. Should the CPBS be amending the passports to record HWSD status in a more obvious place?
   i.e. on the page where the pony ID is printed.
2. Should there be an expectation of full disclosure of HWSD status at sales and in advertising material generally?
3. What culpability should be apportioned to the seller, as the colt was obviously 'not fit for purpose'?
4. What defence is 'ignorance'; the seller in this case informed the buyer when contacted after the colt arrived at its new home, that he had 'no idea what HWSD is, or what the stamp in the passport means'.
5. The 'education programme' by the CPBS is obviously not reaching the right people, if  point four above is a real and true response and not just another lie by the seller.
6. The present inability for people to readily find out the HWSD status of ponies in Ireland especially and several other countries as well.

As a method of rectifying point seven above, the CPRG has opened another and separate 'Tested Ponies Page'.  One of the limiting factors of the present page is that it requires submission of the testing certificate to validate the result/s.  Weatherby's and the CPBS are at this stage declining to issue such certification.  The sole documentation provided is the HWSD status stamp on the last page of the passport.  It is not possible to be assured that the pony identification and the HWSD status align, without physically examining the passport.

Therefore the new and separate tested ponies page starts today.  The title is "Declared HWSD Results".  It will include the same information as on the "Tested Ponies" page but will also include whether 'breeder' or 'owner' has declared the result.

Please Note: the CPRG does not restrict its interest and involvement to just HWSD research.  It is interested in ensuring that the breed maintains 'genetic fitness' which is challenged by in-breeding inertia.  If people have 'stories' they wish to share, in full, frank and confidential discussion, on any proven or suspected genetic issue in the breed, the CPRG is only an email away.

August Clifden Pony Sales are coming up

For those people off to buy at the sales, remember to ask whether the ponies that you maybe interested in buying have been tested for HWSD.

Yearlings and foals have all been HWSD tested as part of the registration process.  The results of the test is included in their passports and should be easily accessible.

However with ponies older than yearlings, testing is voluntary.  When older ponies are tested their results are not included on their  passport unless the owner/breeder has made the effort to return the passport to the CPBS to have this included on the record.

Ponies tested by laboratories other than Weatherby's Ire should have a 'certificate of test result' available.  Ask to see this, if you are enquiring about the HWSD status of any particular pony.

HWSD results on ponies are still being sent to the CPRG; 95% of these are from countries other than Ireland. Distressingly, a large number of the results of affected ponies, are from ponies exported from Ireland to these other countries.   Geldings, purchased for performance careers, are presently the highest category of affected ponies recorded since the beginning of the year.

Many of these ponies are listed on the Tested Ponies Page; ponies are listed under the countries of residence as opposed to country of origin.  Consequently this page is being reworked to show country of origin.

A New Year and a New Attitude is Emerging. YEAH!

It is really rewarding to be able to write a post which illustrates the amount of progress which has been achieved in changing the attitudes in disclosing the HWSD status of ponies at the sales.

As yet, disclosure of HWSD status is not a legal requirement so it is really great that a breeder has been open, honest and accountable for the pony entered at the sale.

LOT NO: 299 NAME: BALLINAME BEAUTY SIRE: MURVEY ROCCO S1-2487 DAM: KNOCKAVALLEY ROSE M1-18619 SEX: Filly AGE: 1YR COLOUR: DARK GREY HEIGHT: COMMENTS: MC-72667 TESTED HWSD/HWSD FOR HWSD. EASY TO HANDLE

Now, I can just hear people say "well who is going to buy this filly?" and "why would anyone want to buy this filly?"

My answer would be, "a savvy someone with a bit of nouse!"  If the hoof condition is not severe (and some can be very mild) AND the pony is great in every other way, has the breeding you want and you like it, then chances are you will be able to buy such a pony 'for a song', because all of those people 'out there' and who do not understand genetics will see no value in the pony.

Of course this is sad for the vendor, because they will probably not achieve the price at the sales that they would like, but potentially it is a great bargain for the thoughtful breeder.

OK, so every foal this filly produces (if given the opportunity to breed) will be what is referred to as an "obligate carrier", once again this does not constitute an issue to the thoughtful and educated breeder.

There have been many snide comments made about "what value is a carrier pony, and in particular a carrier stallion?"  Well the answer to that, is money value to the times of six figures of Euro.

There are several carrier status stallions in Europe especially, which have changed money recently for large sums.  It has been reported that an elderly  performance proven stallion and his frozen semen recently changed hands for Euro20,000.  His semen is still widely sought after because his progeny perform to a high level.  

Other reports are of carrier ponies (stallions) changing hands for prices in excess of Euro200,000.

Now the crunch (if there is one) is that these stallions are all performance bred AND out in open competition strutting their stuff.  Carrier stallions which sit at home doing nothing but eating and getting fat are not likely to be viewed in the same light.

What is becoming apparent though, as data accumulates, is that the correlation between HWSD 'lines' and performance ability is strengthening.  It is reasonable to assume that selective breeding for all round athleticism and performance ability has coincided with the inadvertent selection for HWSD!

If this assumption is correct, then 'culling' out the "HWSD lines" will also result in losing the positive traits for which the ponies have been bred, and in all likelihood, also 'live' somewhere on Chromosome 8.  Cull for HWSD and you lose ALL of the genes on Chromosome 8! (plus all the other genetics of the culled animals).

The connection between HWSD and performance lines is supposition, not absolute; poor performance characteristics can also be inherited alongside the HWSD mutation.  Because it is possible for a carrier pony to pass on the performance and not the HWSD, ultimately each pony has to be judged upon its own merits.



Because the information about this pony is already in the "public domain" then the following information is also suitable for the public domain.
The pedigree chart shows lines of descent.
Red = HWSD/HWSD.
Blue = N/HWSD.
Green = N/N.
Pink = suspected carriers/lines of descent
0/0 = status unknown.

ADDENDUM:

Further to the above post.
I have gone through the February sales catalogue and this is what I found, errors and omissions excepted:

Of 363 lots, 34 ponies have HWSD status declared. This equates to a 10.7% reporting rate.

The breakdown of the lots is:
37 yearlings (or younger) in total, of which 24 yearlings report their status. An additional two state that their passports should be back by sales time (so they will not have known the HWSD status of their ponies when the sale entry closed).

Therefore there are 11 yearlings which either their status was unknown at entry time or if known the vendors did not consider the information relevant.

Of the of the 34 ponies which are reported, as previously stated, 24 are yearlings. This means that yearlings comprise 70% of the ponies whose status has been declared.

With 4/24 yearlings being carriers of the mutation, at 16% of the tested population, the average is running below that of the expected general population.

Ponies 2 and older make up 89.8% of the total sales catalogue with 3% having declared HWSD status.

Of the reported adults 10% express the mutation.

What does this tell us? That compulsory foal testing is throwing light into what was a dark murky corner

How the Numbers Stack Up

This blog site went 'live' November 2011; nearly five years ago.

So much has been achieved in this time.  In November 2011 we were in the process of pulling together the funds to pay UC Davis for the genetic research.

10 January 2012 the news came through that indeed HWSD was genetic in origin.  All of us who had been of this persuasion felt vindicated.  Especially in view of the abuse that some had been exposed to.

Fast forward to August 2014 and the meeting at Clifden with Dr Finno, Ray Knightley and the rest of the CPRG team.

The HWSD test at UC Davis became commercially available the week of the Clifden meeting.  What super news that was!  Now not only was the meeting about the 'problem' of HWSD but it also came with the basis of a solution.

The meeting in Clifden in March 2015 brought the issue of  HWSD  into perspective for a large number of local and international breeders of Connemara ponies.

The CPBS made the decision in late 2015 that all foals born in 2016 had to be HWSD tested as part of the registration process.

Today the number of  hits on the site has reached 99,883.  

The number of hits on the HWSD tested ponies page has gone over the 10,000 mark.  The tested ponies page was first available in September 2014.

The latest statistical information on HWSD is available via the HWSD facebook page. This is report is about the current information on HWSD in the Connemara Pony population of Australia. 

What is happening in Australia has implications for the rest of the world. 

Because of the fragmentation of test data across multiple laboratories it is no longer possible to produce HWSD analyses for the various jurisdictions where Connemara ponies are bred . 

The information supplied previously from VGL is very useful from a retrospective perspective and has been used in this analysis.  The current data from VGL is no longer indicative of the HWSD testing situation worldwide.

Only the Connemara Pony Breeder's Society of Australia (CPBSA) have seen fit to provide their raw data on HWSD testing. Thank you CPBSA.

It is sad that there has been such a distinct lack of co-operation to release raw data from other breed societies and testing laboratories.

The report has not be reproduced here because it is not possible to secure the document on this platform.  Sadly, previous work presented on this site has been selectively copied and pasted in an attempt to present alternate views to that which was originally intended.  Thus this report is only available as a secure pdf file.

As there is no download facility available on this platform, you will need to use the link in the first paragraph.

Arguing without arguments

This article says it all.  I have to say though that on the whole the the majority of any on-line discussions about HWSD I have seen, have been 95% positive with no signs of overt personal attacks.  Keep up the good work on HWSD education to the uninitiated. and spread the word. 

Original text: http://epona.tv/blog/2014/october/arguing-without-arguments

Arguing without arguments

Written by Julie Taylor on 23.10.2014 in Welfare 

Some horse folks still think you have to do research and construct logical arguments in order to take part in online discussions about horses. Nothing could be further from the truth. So as to leave no equestrian behind, I have written this five step guide to arguing without arguments. Whether you are new to stating your personal hunches as rock solid facts or have been doing it for years, here's how you can improve your technique.

Argumentum ad hominem

This is fancy speak for attacking the person with whom you disagree instead of addressing their opinions and arguments. If someone writes something you don't like on the internet, the first step is to google them and find their social media profiles and look for any evidence of incompetence as you perceive it. You just need to find that one thing this person did in their life that, according to you, was stupid or wrong and you are free to discount everything they ever say again. Even if they quote a string of published, peer reviewed scientific studies which contradict your personal, home brewed philosophy of horsemanship, all you need is that one photo of them at a Nickelback concert which alters the fabric of the universe and renders all this evidence invalid.

Even if you come up empty handed and it seems like your opponent has never done anything wrong in their life, you can always find someone who holds a similar view to your opponent who did do something wrong and use that person's mistake as an excuse for dismissing the arguments of your opponent. When applied correctly, this technique makes your opponent so uncomfortable that they don't want to continue talking to you because you are behaving like a sociopath. Tell yourself and others your opponent went away because they ran out of arguments.

Change the subject

When faced with information they don't like, some people try to deal by making sense of the opponent's claims, examining the evidence and critically reviewing their own attitudes and habits. You don't need that kind of hassle in your life. Instead, make yourself feel better by forcing those who are making you uncomfortable to talk about something else. For instance, if you like to hit horses hard with sticks and someone else says that is wrong, point out that there are worse things in the world. Demand that your opponent deals with everything else on the planet which you deem to be worse than their concern before they can have your permission to proceed with their discussion. If they insist that they have a right to discuss anything they want, regardless of your preferences, accuse them of hypocrisy and not caring about horses who starve or are kept in PMU barns. It is not necessary that you are yourself involved in addressing any of those things that you think are worse than your opponent's concern. You need never have donated a penny to charity or put in a single hour of volunteer work. Just point out everything that's wrong with the world and blame your opponent for not having solved all these problems before getting to the one with which they are currently involved. In many cases, you will be able to shame your opponent into red faced silence, pondering all the ways in which they're not helping horses.

Repeat as needed

Tired of hearing about how there is no evidence to support your strongly held beliefs? Don't shy away from online discussions. Just keep repeating what you hold to be true as if your views were actual arguments in a real discussion. Start by pointing out that your opponent has revealed their ignorance by stating an opinion contrary to yours. Nobody likes to be called ignorant and it will put them on their back foot, wondering whether they should be refuting your allegation or just ignore it. Then carefully account for your beliefs as if you or someone else didn't just make the stuff up. Remember: You read it in a book, so it must be true. When someone points out that the evidence available all contradicts your belief, repeat what you read in that book. If your opponent points out that the book you read might be wrong, explain that this can't be the case, since the author of the book said that everything in the book is true. And he or she should know. They wrote the book in which it says that they are telling the truth. Repeat ad nauseum, while rejecting any science quoted by your opponent. After all, scientists are just people.

False dichotomies

”I am allergic to peanuts, so I have to live entirely on watermelon.” That's a false dichotomy. It assumes that the only alternative to ingesting peanuts is to exclusively eat watermelon. Stupid, isn't it? Yet, in a horse context, this rhetorical cheat can often come in handy. For instance: ”You think it's cruel to keep horses locked up in stalls for 23 hours a day? Well I disagree, because leaving my horse to die of starvation in a muddy field with slipper feet and sweet itch is just not an option for me.” See how that works? You wilfully ignore all the options which neither involve starving to death or being locked up all the time. Like free choice stabling where horses walk in and out as they need to. Or turnout during the day or night and stabling during the other 12 hours. You pretend there are only two options: Yours and one other really bad one. You might think this is too transparent and that your opponent will catch on, but don't underestimate the shame associated with being accused of wanting your horse to die of starvation in a mud hole. Go to any horse discussion group and you'll see how routinely this trick is used and how well it works even though it is a completely invalid way of conducting a debate.

Pull rank

If you're an ignorant, opinionated horse person with a pathological sense of entitlement and a complete inability to change your mind about anything ever, chances are you've been in the game for a while. This is probably your strongest card. If someone states an aversion to a common practice of yours, remind them that you have been doing it for 40 years. In a startling number of cases, your opponent will back off rather than point out that doing it wrong for 40 years does not make anyone an expert. New and inexperienced horse owners are especially vulnerable to seeing things from the horse's perspective. Keep them in their place by accusing them of having ”pet horses”, thus inferring that you are yourself a professional and that their choice to have animals for the love of said animals and a desire to give them a good life is somehow inferior.

Follow these five, simple steps when you're talking to other horse people on the internet, and you will never have to back up your opinions with fact, let alone accept that you've been wrong and need to change. Good luck people and be careful out there.

Be Afraid - Be Very Afraid

If you are one of the Connemara pony breeders who still refuses to accept that HWSD is a reality, and that all breeders have a moral and ethical responsibility to gene test their breeding stock, then you may wish to change your stance.

Here is a real life scenario, it is going to be happening soon.  A dealer in France, who imported Irish bred Connemara ponies is now being sued by a purchaser, because the pony which they had bought from this dealer, has since been diagnosed (and tested) with HWSD.  This court case is due to be heard in January 2016.

'Not my problem'?  Think again.  

• If you rely on overseas buyers for your ponies, what is going to happen to your market?  
• If you are an Irish dealer who buys up job lots from farmers and breeders for export 'to anywhere', what is going to happen to your market??
• If you sell (even unintentionally) an untested pony which then tests HWSD/HWSD what are you going to do about it?  
• What are your moral/ethical obligations, if not the legal obligations under consumer law?

Each country has its own domestic laws which cover consumer rights, fair trading and definitions of 'fit for purpose'.  These such laws do not cross the borders between one country and another.

HOWEVER decisions made in the law courts of any one country are known as 'precedents' and play a part in the setting of  'case law'.  Rulings from France (in this particular instance) can be used in the courts of another jurisdiction as a precedent to support a law suit.
To put it simply, if the purchaser wins the court case in France against the dealer, then that decision is a precedent which can be used in the courts of law in another country.

Then there is the issue that the French dealer, who if they lose the court case, is going to try for recompense from the Irish person who sold that dealer the HWSD pony/ies in the first place (and yes there are cases where a person has purchased several ponies which all turned out to be HWSD affected).  The potential for a 'knock on' effect becomes an interesting conundrum on which to reflect,

Is this 'knock on' effect possible?  Yes it is.  Most people, and probably most domestic lawyers, are unaware of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG). If a person has the will and the money to pay for legal advice it is quite possible for inter-country law suits to occur.

A slight change of direction but still entirely relevant to this post.

VALE For Fairyhill Flame

Two weeks ago Fairyhill Flame (Monaghanstown Fionn-Kingstown Fairy)  was euthanased on quality of life and welfare issues directly caused by HWSD.  Flame was purchased by a person in Scotland from a dealer in Ireland.  This pony, is the third pony from the same source that the CPRG is aware of, which has tested HWSD/HWSD . Two out of the three have had to be euthanased.

It is not the place of this blog to 'name and shame' but it is the place for the CPRG to repeat the advice that if you are buying ponies, especially from Ireland, to have them HWSD tested before you complete the deal.

IF you choose to not have the test as part of a pre-purchase agreement and then the pony does turn out to be HWSD affected, then more fool you.

One of the 'French' ponies is sired by a stallion bred by one of the 'leading lights' of the CPBS.   Maybe this is but one reason, why the council has been so backward about coming forward on this issue and have blocked and prevaricated since the beginning.

That this recent reportage now raises the number of carrier ponies owned and/or bred by members of the the Clifden clique to above the expected  penetrance level of the mutation in the wider population certainly raises issues.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE:

• Do not wait until 'someone' (ie breed society) says you have to test your ponies for HWSD. 
• Get in first 
• Use the test as a market advantage. 
• If you get a carrier pony don't take this as a personal insult.
• Not acknowledging the presence of HWSD is a personal shame.

Hoof Wall Separation Disease Updated Statistics October 2015

Hoof Wall Separation Disease Update

The latest statistics from the HWSD testing performed by VGL Davis have just been released. These figures cover six months from March 2015 to October 2015. As there are now three time periods covered – effectively a 12 month period - this information has been combined to provide an overview both internationally and by individual country. The information is now sufficient that trends and interpretation can be drawn from the data.

This raw data from has been converted into graphs and charts to make the information more easily accessible. A short synopsis follows each of the graphs.

The first chart shows the total number of ponies tested since August 2014:

In the initial six weeks after the test became available the lab tested a large number of ponies in a very short space of time. After this the demand dropped away. Testing increased rapidly in the March to October tranche – as this tranche corresponds with the time after the HWSD meeting held during the Spring Festival, one can only surmise that the attendees at this meeting went away with a greater understanding of the need to test breeding ponies for HWSD.

Even with the increased number of ponies being tested, it is interesting to note that the percentage of carrier and affected ponies in the greater population, remains relatively steady. This is the type of information which becomes both more accessible (and useful) as more data becomes available.

On the VGL website page it states “At the time that this test was released, approximately 15% of Connemara were carriers of HWSD (N/HWSD) however, the number of carriers can change with each generation. “

Be aware that this figure of 15% was extrapolated from the population used for the HWSD research at Bannasch. The research population itself was biased, by virtue of the fact that as many affected ponies and their relatives made up the research cohort. Also important was the geographical origin/residence of the ponies from which samples were submitted. The carrier percentage across all countries, which is now becoming apparent, is in line with what the pedigree research initially suggested.

Some countries are showing a very much higher carrier rate than the average; this could be the result of owners realising which bloodlines appear to be a concern and then selectively testing ponies from those bloodlines. However the pedigree research indicated that with these particular countries, there was always going to be a higher carrier and affected rate because of the initial animals imported (and in some cases also subsequent imports) on which the breed was founded.

This difference of carrier rates between countries is best illustrated by the following:

The differences with the affected rates between countries is not so obvious because in many cases owners are not choosing to test ponies with obvious/known hoof pathologies. Some of the affected ponies which have been tested, and show up in the graph, will be the direct result of enquiries made to the Connemara Pony Research Group asking for advice – the given advice being 'test for HWSD and make sure that is what you are dealing with'.

France and Ireland fall outside of this above parameter, so sadly some owners in both of these countries may have been somewhat shocked to receive the test results on their ponies

Each country is listed below showing the number of ponies tested and the distribution and ratios of N/N, N/HWSD and HWSD/HWSD. The carrier and affected percentages are shown in a second graph.

Australia

Australian breeders embraced HWSD testing from the very beginning and have one of the highest uptakes of the test in the world relative to the size of the overall population. The incidence of HWSD in Australia is relatively low which is in line with the initial pedigree research.

The carrier rate remains constant across all of the tranches. This would indicate that from the number of ponies already tested the likelihood that 12% or lower will be the carrier rate in the Australian population at present. This level has the potential to drop without the loss of genetic diversity through careful breeding choices for future generations.

Canada

Ponies from the Canadian population featured highly in the research into the HWSD mutation and release of the HWSD genetic test. Therefore the impression given by the initial uptake of the the HWSD test, relative to the population size in Canada, appearing to be low results in a false picture of the reality. The steady decline in numbers tested since the beginning also paints an inaccurate picture of the true situation. The number of actual breeders in Canada is very low compared to other countries as is the number of ponies being produced. The number of ponies actually being bred at present is also low. The assumption could be made therefore, that the breeders are selectively testing current breeding stock which was not part of the research and whose status is not already known.

The percentage of carriers in a such a small population is high. This is hardly surprising because it was in Canada that the whole issue of HWSD began to be openly discussed. For those who are unaware the HWSD issue was first PUBLICLY raised in Canada after the importation of two stallions and five mares (to expand the limited gene pool in that country) resulted in 100% HWSD affected foals when mated to each other. Both stallions and all of the mares were HWSD carriers; one stallion each from the UK and Ireland and the mares from Ireland, the UK and the USA.

Denmark

Denmark saw an initial flurry of testing with a subsequent drop-off.

The carrier rate in Denmark is high, as expected from the initial pedigree research.

Finland

Finland was slow to commence testing but is showing a steady increase in the number of ponies being tested. The high relative carrier rate in the October tranche suggest that several ponies from 'suspect lines' were the first to be tested.

Because of the high initial 'hit rate' of carrier results the graph for Finland appears quite skewed. Also because there are only two sets of data listed further testing will result in a more accurate picture of the HWSD status within the Finnish population. Finland shares a high level of common blood with the ponies of Scandinavian countries. It would be expected that the carrier rates in Finland will reflect those of these other countries.

France

France presents an interesting picture! There was virtually no interest in HWSD testing or indeed the disease itself, prior to the March meeting at Clifden. Only one sample was submitted from France for the HWSD research so the 'situation' in France was unknown to the researchers; there was concern that France would be sitting on a 'time-bomb' with the influx of cheap imports from Ireland. The one sample submitted was from such an imported pony and he is an affected pony. Much of the awareness now about HWSD in France is the result of hard work by a very small number of individuals working in the face of much opposition.

The carrier and affected rates in France is skewed once again, this time by the large increase in the number of ponies in a single tranche. Testing has revealed that several Irish bred stallions either resident in France or previously resident there, are HWSD carriers. Several of the top performing and producing French bred stallions have also been tested as carriers of the HWSD mutation. The published results are on the HWSD blog tested ponies results page.

Germany

A large number (over 270) of the German ponies were involved in the HWSD research which led to the test becoming available. As a result the HWSD status of these ponies is already known so the 'low uptake' of testing in Germany as shown by these figures is inaccurate. It would appear reasonable to assume that testing is being selectively applied to current breeding stock not part of the research.

The carrier rate  tends to reflect the intermingling of the different lines from all over Europe and imports from Ireland.

Great Britain including Northern Ireland

A large proportion of the ponies being tested under the banner of Great Britain are from Northern Ireland. The VGL recording system does not differentiate between the post codes. (one can hardly expect this). This anomaly does result in a misleading graph. Of the ponies not from Northern Ireland that are being tested a high proportion are imports from Ireland. Very few of the British results are from British bred ponies. The high number of affected ponies is a direct reflection of the ponies which have been imported from Ireland that then proceed to display HWSD hoof pathology with their new owners.

Carrier and affected rates are skewed by the true demographics of the tested population which is not geographically accurate.

Ireland

The total number of tested ponies – although steadily increasing – is woefully inadequate considering the size of the Connemara pony population in Ireland. As can be seen, the rate of carrier and affected test results is also steadily rising. This information gives, to the discerning breeder, a reinforcement as to why breeding stock should all be tested.

The carrier and affected rates follow relatively the same gradient. Initial pedigree research indicated that the expected carrier rate in the Irish population would be in excess of 40%. There is insufficient data, because of such low testing numbers, to determine whether these rates will continue to trend upwards as expected.

New Zealand and Norway have not been graphed.

The volume of data on these countries is not sufficient for graphing purposes. New Zealand has not tested any further ponies since the previous report in March 2015. A large number of the New Zealand population contributed samples to the HWSD research, so their status is already known without undergoing VGL testing. Norway has only data from the latest tranche.

The data from Norway is as follows:

TRANCHE	N/N	N/HWSD	HWSD/HWSD	Grand Total	% of Carriers	% of Affected	Country
Mar/Oct15	4	1		5	20.0	0.0	Norway

The Netherlands

The Netherlands has a small population of 'home bred' Connemara ponies. Also as there is only two of the tranches logged as no testing occurred during the first the data is incomplete. There is a slight increase in ponies tested between the separate groupings of the past 12 months.

The Netherlands shares common bloodlines with the rest of Europe especially those of Denmark. This reflection is apparent in the relatively high carrier rate.

Sweden

Sweden shows a consistent number of ponies being tested in the past 12 months. There has been a noticeable increase in the level of carriers tested. This could be a direct result of the results published on the HWSD blog page; owners/breeders making the decision to test solely because of the bloodlines published in the results.

The carrier rate for Sweden was always predicted, by the initial pedigree research, as going to be high. The high carrier rate reflects the bloodlines which were initially imported to found the breed in Sweden. Subsequent imports from various countries have compounded the issue. As a greater number of ponies are tested, the expectation is that the carrier rate will rise in this country. Both the endemic population and recent imports have high carrier potential. Extreme care is needed to prevent this situation becoming worse.

United States of America

The USA is the leading country overall, for the numbers of ponies that they have had tested for HWSD. Considering that the population of the breed in the USA is minuscule compared to that of Ireland, the UK and France, the American breeders deserve a big pat on the back! Initially there was a goodly number of ponies tested, which then dropped to half of the initial tranche. There is slight increase in the latest tranche over the previous period.

The carrier population in the USA is interesting and rather unique. Research shows that the HWSD mutation came into the USA with the first wave of imports from Ireland; two in foal mares, which both went on to produce dynasties of top performers, through multiple progeny. Subsequent imports in recent times from Ireland, Australia and the UK have raised the carrier rate as to that which is evident and depicted in the graph.

Conclusion

The level of reporting of test results lags significantly behind than the testing rates.  Where tests are publicly reported it is obvious that owners are acting selectively about which tests they choose to share. There is a higher reportage of  N/N results than that of the other two options which results in skewing public perception to accept that HWSD is of a lesser significance than is truly the case.