Hair Sample Requirements

HH  requires a hair sample from every horse applying for registration.

There is NO FEE for the hair sample, it will simply be placed in our archives. 

Submitting this sample, DOES NOT  mean your horse is DNA tested.  

All hair becomes the property of HH.  

How to Collect and Send a hair sample

How to Send

Print the HH form.

Please MAKE SURE that the correct horse's name is written on the form.

Pull the hair sample from your horse, handle these hairs by the shaft

Place hair on the form, where indicated, and tape across the shaft.

Place the untouched roots in the designated spot.

Please DO NOT put hair in a plastic bag or separate envelope.

How to Collect a Hair Sample

Pull 30-40 hairs from the horse's mane, by the roots - do not touch the roots.

For young foals, hair from the tail is preferred, as it has larger root bulbs.

The hair must have root bulbs, so DO NOT cut the hairs from your horse.

Long shafts of hair are not necessary, as DNA is extracted from the roots.

Pulling hair is very easy. 

Twist 20, or so, hairs around a finger, about an inch away from the skin, and pull straight out. 

You can also use a pair of pliers.  Place the pliers fairly close to the horses skin,

squeeze the pliers tightly to the shafts of the hair and pull straight out. 

Repeat the process, if needed, to gather an adequate sized sample.

DNA Requirements

 DNA testing is not required for all horses at this time, but IS REQUIRED for the following horses:

♦ Purebred Friesians: Must be DNA tested with HH OR registered and DNA tested with another credible Friesian registry.

♦ Sires & Dams: All breeding horses of Friesian ancestry, who are registered with HH, must have DNA on file with HH, before their offspring can be registered with HH.

♦ Heritage Warmbloods & Elite Horses: Horses applying for the Heritage Warmblood book or Elite status must be DNA tested.

DNA may be done at the time of registration, at a reduced fee  OR  you may supply us with a copy of existing DNA markers from a previous test  OR  it is sometimes possible to obtain existing DNA markers from other registries.  We can help you with this – please call or email.

Note:  In order to conduct parent verification tests, a $15 DNA conversion fee may be required for any horses DNA tested at any lab other than UC Davis. In some cases, a conversion fee(s) may also be required on the sire and/or dam of horse being registered.

Important DNA Information

DNA and Your HH Certificate

HH strongly recommends that all horses of Friesian Heritage be DNA tested at the time of registration,

 so the DNA status can be noted on the registration certificate.

When you DNA test through the Friesian Heritage Horse, you will receive a laminated copy of the DNA results

 & the DNA status is recorded on the front of the registration certificate.

 On our registration certificate there is a space for DNA parent verification.

If that space says: Not on File or Not Verified-It means that the owner of the horse has not had the horse DNA tested.

If that space says: DNA on File-It means that this particular horse has been DNA typed.

If the space says: DNA on File v- It means the horse named on the certificate has been

DNA typed and that DNA has been compared to its Friesian heritage sire and has been confirmed.

If the space says: DNA on File m- It means the horse named on the certificate has been

DNA typed and that DNA has been compared to its Friesian heritage dam and has been confirmed.

If the space says: DNA on File vm- It means the horse named on the certificate has been

DNA typed and that DNA has been compared to its Friesian heritage sire & dam and has been confirmed.

If the space says: Not Required- It means the the sire or dam does not have Friesian heritage.

If the space has:: A Registry Acronym. (FPS, ApHC, AQHA, etc.) It means that the sire or dam has been

registered with that registry. It does not necessarily mean that the horse has been DNA tested by that registry.

DNA is not required for sires or dams without Friesian heritage.

You may have any horse DNA tested through our registry, at our prices, if you have a horse registered with us.

The results will be emailed to you. So you must have a current email address.

******* Special DNA Circumstance *******

In the case of DNA that is not available, due to death of the parent(s) horse, or due to the owner of a parent horse not being willing or able to release a DNA sample, or in the case of a parent horse who is not registered with HH, then the owner, of the offspring being registered, is strongly encouraged to DNA test the offspring of the non-DNA tested parent(s).  Please be aware, if a DNA sample is not submitted, then the un-tested horse creates a "broken link" in the DNA verified lineage, of their Friesian heritage.  Subsequent offspring from these non-DNA-tested horses will not be able to document their percentage of Friesian heritage, which may endanger the ability of their offspring to qualify for HH registration. 

DNA Testing Refunds