2010 Rise for Fell Pony Testing

Monday, 14 March 2011 16:55

Over the past year, nearly 1,000 breeders have submitted samples for Fell Pony testing, according to the Animal Health Trust official Dr June Swinburne. Fell Pony syndrome, also known as Foal Immunodeficiency Syndrome (FIS) as it can affect other breeds of pony, is an untreatable, fatal condition. Foals affected by FIS suffer an incredible amount from severe, progressive anaemia and a deficient immune system, making them more prone to infection. Sadly, foals with FIS will usually die by the age of three months.

The team, a collaborative effort made by the Animal Health Trust and Liverpool University, were successful to the extent where 10% of worldwide Fell Ponies and 20% of the UK Dale pony population have been tested, which is fantastic news for the breeding communities as breeders can now easily stop the translation of FIS between couples, and lower the number of foals being born with this terrible disease.

This year’s breeding stock was thoroughly tested, so we hope to see a large drop in the number of FIS foals being born in 2011, and we sincerely hope that breeders will continue to make use of these testing methods to ensure FIS becomes a thing of the past, and that no more ponies have to suffer needlessly from this distressing disease.