[Blistering Winds]

Someone the other day brought mention about HERDA. When I received my THE HORSE magazine, I was glad to see it mentioned, because I didn't know what it was.

Here is a bit from the article, THE HORSE, April 2004, pg 16

"The sireline associated with teh brutal affliction known as hyperelastosis cutis (HC) or Hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia (HERDA) has been identified. It is primarily down through Poco Bueno's bloodline, says researchers at Mississippi State University and Cornell University, that the recessive gene that causes HC has passed. HC basically carries with it a death sentence, although affected hroses can be made more fomfortable and their lives prolonged. There is no cure. The basics on the disease follow:

The disorder is characterized by a lack of adhesion within the dermis, the deep layer of skin, due to a collagen defect; the skin layers easily separate when the horse is ridden under saddle or suffers trauma to the skin.

Both sire and dam must have the recessive gene for an offspring to possibly be afflicted with HC. Owners should avoid breeding a known carrier to a known carrier.

The avg life span for an HC-affected horse is 2-4 years.

The disease first surfaced in 1971. Today as more and more breedings double up on the Poco Bueno line through the mating of close up and distant cousans, more cases of HC are showing up.

HERDA is a term favored by researchers at UC Davis, while researchers at Mississippi State and Cornell opt for HC.

Of horses identified with HC in Mississippi State/Cornell research, 95% trace back to Poco Bueno through both their sire and dams.

Diagnosis of the disease is made via pedigree evaluation and clinical signs, and it can be confirmed with a skin biopsy. Horse owners can send pedigrees involving potential matings to Mississippi State College of Vet Medicine......(see artical)

Out of the top 100 cutting horse stallions, lifetime, based on earnings of offspring, 14 are known HC carriers.

AQHA is funding research at UC Davis which is attempting to identify the gene responsible for HC and hopefully provide a simple genetic test that will identify HC carriers. Estimates are that they might be about 2 years from success.

Mississippi State and UC Davis researchers are examining affected foals during their first year of life to see if they can find differences in skin biopsies (or on electron microscopy of the biopsies) when compared with normal healthy foals.

OMG..>i didn't realize I typed the whole page!!!!

"Basically, Skin layers easily separate in HC-affected horses, often causing chronic sores on skin in teh saddle area or other areas of stress."

Anyways, there is a bunch of info in "THE HORSE" that goes into more depth about it all.

FYI Everyone!! Also, King, Zantanon, Little joe, and Old Grand Dad are the 5% that didn't go straight to Poco Bueno.

[MissBandit]

I read this article too. The pics were not very pleasant. They even spoke of severe cases where the horses flesh began to seperate from the back, virtually skinning them alive. It is horrible. eek!

[Blistering Winds]

I haven't read the big artical yet. Getting ready to while I fix dinner. But that was from the summary page. I think the big artical is pg 47, yep...that's the page.

Scares me cause my horse Comes from Poco Bueno's side. LUCKLY only once on his sire's side.

[MissBandit]

When do you know that your horse is afflicted with this? I'm not sure if I read the same article as you, (can't remember which mag. I was flipping through in the store...) but all the pics were of mature horses. I'm thinking that you may not even know they were afflicted until they were being ridden...? Or does it not show up in young horses?

Just wondering.

[7HL]

If they can find the genetic marker for it and create a test, it won't be long before AQHA will do the same thing that they did with Impressive. I have a foundation QH and they have said if a test becomes available they will require a test of all with Poco Bueno in their lineage. Lock of the draw my mare even though she 93.3 % foundation she has no Poco Bueno in her lineage. red_hors

[7HL]

MissBandit:
When do you know that your horse is afflicted with this? I'm not sure if I read the same article as you, (can't remember which mag. I was flipping through in the store...) but all the pics were of mature horses. I'm thinking that you may not even know they were afflicted until they were being ridden...? Or does it not show up in young horses?

Just wondering.

From what I read could be young or old. But the only ones once diagnosed to survive have been treated like pets, being very careful not to get bumped or bruised.

[7HL]

help!

http://www.bhfqh.com/articles/Poco_B...e_of_Herda.htm

[7HL]

http://www.thehorse.com/viewarticle.asp?fid=5037&dpt=5

[CoWgIrLuP]

Ive been reading up on this and my main question if since they say it is in the poco line how did he get it...if its a gene that they carry poco bueno would of gotten it from either his sire or dam or possibly both.

But then I really dont understand how they could be 100% sure on this since all the horses they are talkin about being carriers have been dead for along time.

[Blistering Winds]

Basically, they look at the horses that are here today and afflicted, and look for a common link. Poco Bueno is the common link in 95% of all lineages afflicted. King, Zantanon, and the above listed are in the 5% not accounted in Poco Bueno. BUT king is in Poco Bueno's line. They believe that Poco Bueno got the recessive from King, but since there are more Poco Bueno Crosses, the recessive will show up more than crossing into an unknown line.

Just like inbreeding. More chances of Homozygosity. Unfortunatly, that homozygosity could be bad...and more occurances of recessive problems (or good stuff) occurs during in-breeding (line breeding...same thing)