In March, 1998, representatives from the Humane Society of the United States, Equine Protection Divison and the Pegasus Foundation, visited Abaco to see the horses. The conclusions drawn were that the horses are of the Spanish Barb type, they only have five lumbar vertebrae. All other domestic hoses have six. Marc Paulhus, formerly of the HSUS said, “These horse are incredibly beautiful, and are potentially unique inthe world, pending DNA testing.” The hroses would be unique because they will have been ‘untampered’ with by man for the past 250 - 300 years, making them very close gentically to the first horses that came to the New World. Paulhus said, “These Horses are a National Treasure.” Not only are they beautiful so see, something tourists and Bahamaias alike could visit and appreciate, they are a rare part of the world’s biodiversity.
Supplies are on hand and funds are being raised to collect blood samples from each horse this winter. UCLA Davis genetic testing lab will do the analysis, and we will at last know just what these horese are. An added benefit will be that we’ll finally know who is related to whom and will be able to set up a genealogy and stud book.
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