RNA-seq analysis identifies key genes enhancing hoof strength to withstand barefoot racing in Standardbred trotters

Our findings suggest that the ability of Standardbred trotters to race barefoot in consecutive events is reflected in distinct gene expression patterns, underscoring a genetic basis for hoof strength. This supports further genome-wide scans aimed at identifying genetic markers for hoof durability in these horses. The focused design of our study- comparing horses that could consistently race barefoot with those that could not- enabled us to isolate a select group of genes involved in diverse aspects of hoof biology essential for quality and resilience of horse hooves. This insight could ultimately be applied to augment both the performance and wellbeing of equine athletes across disciplines.