Hints & Tips

Security

In this section:

• Identification
• Micro chipping
• Freeze-Marking
• Horse Passports

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Identification

Thieves will be less likely to take a horse that has evidence of a permanent identification tag. Ensure that prominent signs stating the animals are permanently tagged and identified, are placed around the animals grazing area to act as a deterrent.

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Micro chipping

A micro chip, roughly the size of a grain of rice, is inserted into the horse’s neck by a veterinary surgeon; the horse suffers minimum discomfort during the process. The chip carries a unique number which is registered with the animal’s details on a central register and the horse’s passport. If the horse is stolen or lost then the scanner is able to read and display the number therefore identifying the horse.

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Freeze-Marking

Freeze-marking is also a good way of marking and identifying your horse, the process is painless to the horse. This process should be done by trained staff and is carried out by using specially chilled irons to permanently mark the horse. The unique number normally consists of four letters and numbers shows up as white hairs, therefore is more effective on dark coated horses. Records of all animals that are freeze marked are kept and registration papers are issued to the owner.

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Horse Passports

The Horse Passport Regulations Act (2004) now means that all equines require a passport, which can be obtained from Passport Issuing Organisations at a small cost. These were introduced to ensure that certain veterinary medicines not intended for human consumption do not end up in the food chain, the passport will be able to identify whether the animal is intended for human consumption.

Owners are not allowed to sell, buy, slaughter for human consumption, export, use the horse for competitions, or breed a horse that does not have a passport. It is essential that if you are purchasing a horse that you ask to see the horse’s passport prior to buying.

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