The world of genetics is a fascinating subject, and one which many horse fans are interested in! Chromosomes are an integral part of this process and help to pass on DNA from parents to offspring. But how many chromosomes do horses have?
Chromosomes are very tiny structures located inside the nucleus of almost all animal and plant cells. They resemble tiny threads and carry genetic information in a . . .
When counting the number of chromosomes, they are most commonly referred to in pairs. This is because each pair of chromosomes contains one from the female parent and one from the male.
The number of chromosomes in a horse is always 32 pairs, so a total of 64 chromosomes. However, there are some variations in the number of chromosomes in other equine species!
So, as we have discovered, the chromosomes of a horse help to pass on genetic information when cells replicate. A horse has 32 pairs of chromosomes, which is 64 in total. A donkey has one less pair than a horse, and zebras have even fewer.