Eriskay Pony Society

Help improve welfare in foals and be part of protecting their future. Are you a stud owner or manager? Your experience matters! The University of Liverpool is conducting an online survey to explore current husbandry, management and deworming practices on a range of UK stud enterprises to better understand the control and management of ascarid infection in foals and young horses.

Ascarids are among the most common parasites of horses worldwide. These large roundworms primarily infect foals and weanlings, and can lead to poor growth rates, respiratory signs and in rare cases, colic and obstruction of the gut.

In the face of a global rise in resistance to horse deworming products it is now more urgent than ever that we understand what is happening here in the UK. Our survey will help us gain an insight into current management and control strategies and will be used to help make recommendations for the future control of ascarid populations.

Who can take part? Anyone who owns or manages an equine breeding stud for commercial purposes with at least 2 brood mares. Completely anonymous – share your experiences with confidence.

Take the survey by clicking the link in the comments below of for more information about taking part with no obligation please contact Nichola Steel nicsteel@liverpool.ac.uk

https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/liverpool/foal-health-under-the-microscope-surveying-the-control-and-ma-3

In 2022 the Eriskay Pony Society (EPS) set up a project with the Medical Technologies Innovation Facility (MTIF) at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) to investigate the genomics of the Eriskay Pony population.  This was funded by a generous grant from the Horserace Betting Levy Board along with a contribution from the Society’s own funds.

The project goal was to understand the genetic makeup of the Eriskay pony and establish its relationship, or otherwise, to other native pony breeds.  NTU were also asked to evaluate the current pedigree-based breeding programme (SPARKS) to see whether it was fit for purpose or whether future breeding advice should be based on genomics.

NTU were provided with a set of 103 hair samples from Eriskay Ponies distributed throughout the UK, around 25% of the population, which they used to extract DNA following user-developed guidelines for purifying total DNA from nails, hair, or feathers.   Data from these samples was then gathered using a microarray chip used for genotyping designed to detect and analyse genetic variations across the horse genome.  These variations can be used to gain knowledge about physical traits, diseases, and genetic diversity within horse populations, and which are useful for researchers and breeding organisations alike.

NTU used the data to analyse breed genetic diversity, incorporating data from 31 other equine breeds, and this revealed that the Eriskay Pony is a genetically unique breed with no relationships with any of the other horse and pony breeds it was screened against.

In particular, mitochondrial DNA studies and haplotype determination indicated that the Highland and Eriskay ponies do not share haplotype, and that the Highland Pony does not exhibit the rare da_4E Y chromosome haplotype of the Eriskay Pony.  This evidence points to the fact that the Eriskay and the Highland are genetically different breeds.

The study showed the good correlation between pedigree and genomic metrics providing reassurance that the current breed advisory system is valid and there are signs that using SPARKS is having a positive effect on managing inbreeding and improving the Effective Population Size (Ne).

The study also identified 9 female mtDNA haplotypes, of which 3 are most prevalent, and EPS has been advised to identify the haplotypes of the current female breeding population and ensure that animals representing the less frequent haplotypes are bred from so that their genetics are not lost to the population.

The results of this study will now be used by the Society’s Breed Conservation Committee to form an updated breeding programme and to work on identifying the most appropriate ponies to encourage breeders to use in 2025.

Steve McMinn, Chair of the Eriskay Pony Society said ‘’We are very grateful to HBLB for its support in funding this project, to Dr Robert Reisel, Dr Andy Dell and Daniela Eberl of MTIF at NTU for the investigation and analysis, and to all the owners who submitted hair samples from their ponies which allowed such a significant part of the population to be included.  This study has given us a huge amount of information on which to base our future plans as well as providing us with the genomic data we can use to monitor the effects of our breed advisory scheme’’

NOTE: This work has not been published in a peer-reviewed publication yet but it is currently under review following scientific good publication practice guidelines.

This book, by EPS member Naomi Marie Smith, tells the story of the Eriskay pony — one of Scotland’s most treasured yet endangered native breeds. Through this tale, young readers will embark on a journey to learn about the Eriskay pony’s rich heritage, the challenges it faces, and the incredible efforts of a dedicated organisation working to protect and preserve this remarkable breed for future generations.

Naomi says ”This story is close to my heart, as it not only introduces children to the beauty of Scotland’s natural world but also raises awareness about the importance of conservation and community action”. 

Copies can be ordered through Naomi at the moment (email naomimarie.smith@outlook.com) and soon will be available to purchase through independent bookstores i.e. Waterstones, WHSmith, Amazon etc.  Each book is £7, with 50p from each book being donated to EPS