Whole Genome Data Uncover the Complex Origins of Polish Konik Horses

Polish Konik is a native horse breed from Poland often regarded as living descendants of the extinct Tarpan, which has been crucial to the breed’s conservation status and cultural importance. To evaluate Polish Konik origins, we sequenced 12 whole genomes and compared them with 148 horse genomes, including those of modern breeds, ancient Polish horses, Przewalski horses, and the Tarpan. The ADMIXTURE results showed that Polish Konik is dominated by a single ancestral component, which is also common among ancient Polish samples and several primitive breeds. The PCA places Polish Konik in a compact cluster positioned adjacent to the ancient and primitive samples. Both analyses indicate that Polish Konik share an ancestral component with several ancient and primitive-type horse samples. The NJ analysis indicates more complex origins of the breed and its close relationship with the Dülmener. None of the analyses showed a closer relationship of Polish Konik to the Tarpan than other analyzed breeds. The study demonstrates that while Polish Konik shares similarities with ancient and primitive horse populations, its genetic background is more complex, reflecting contributions from modern breeds. Our results indicate a close relationship with the Dülmener pony and do not provide sufficient evidence for the hypothesis of the direct origin of the Polish Konik from the extinct Tarpan.