LEP and hereditary elliptocytosis: In the current study, no effect of diet/body condition was seen on embryo recovery rates on day 7, but it is possible that increased intrafollicular concentrations of leptin in HE mares impaired embryo viability and predisposed to failure to establish pregnancy after transfer, or pregnancy loss at a later stage of gestation (before day 28), for embryos derived from HE mares.