Genomic conservation of Mongolian horses promoted by preservation of the intangible cultural heritage of Naadam in Mongolia

Uncontrolled crossbreeding is a major challenge to the conservation of landrace horses in East Asia. Understanding the factors driving this trend is crucial for effective conservation efforts. Here, we investigate the genomic makeup of 40 Mongolian Naadam racehorses and 21 Asian landrace horse breeds through analyzing whole-genome resequencing and Y chromosome data. Our results show that crossbreeding practices are linked to horse-racing traditions. Regions characterized by strong horse-racing traditions and a lack of crossbreeding regulations exhibit significant levels of exotic genetic introgression, as observed in populations from Inner Mongolia and Central Asia. However, in Mongolia, despite having strong horse-racing traditions, the implementation of policies aimed at preserving traditional horse-racing culture effectively reduces exotic introgression. These results suggest that horse-racing traditions are the main driver of crossbreeding practices. Our research highlights that the preservation of traditional values in landrace horses, achieved through carefully managed horse-racing activities, can lead to successful conservation outcomes.