Equine Passports
All horses and ponies must have a passport identifying the animal. Any applications for a passport received since 1st July 2009, the horse must also be micro-chipped.
Owners of foals need to obtain a passport for it on or before 31st December of the year of its birth, or by six months after its birth, whichever is later. Owners of older horses who have yet to apply for a horse passport should do so immediately.
Further information about horse passports can be found on the DEFRA website.
All passport-issuing organisations have been D.E.F.R.A. approved and there are over 50 to choose from depending on the suitability of your equine. A list is provided below.
If your horse does not have an appropriate passport, your insurance may be invalid and you may be liable to prosecution if you attempt to sell the horse. Additionally there will be the possibility of a fine or even a month’s prison sentence for those with horses not having a passport. If a passport is unavailable there is also the possibility that certain drugs such as Phenylbutazone (Bute) will be unable to be prescribed.
List of Registering Societies
| British Horse Society | 01926 707700 | Highland Pony Society | 01738 451861 |
| National Pony Society | 01420 88333 | Hurlingham Polo Association | 01367 242828 |
| Sport Horse Breeding of GB | 01732 866277 | Icelandic Horse Society GB | 01489 782087 |
| Arab Horse Society | 01672 520782 | Irish Draught Horse Association | 01722 714970 |
| British Appaloosa Society | 02392 528069 | British Lippizzaner Horse Society | 01570 480090 |
| Anglo-European Studbook Ltd | 01829 610155 | Lusitano Breed Society (GB) | 01531 660289 |
| British Driving Society | 01926 624420 | British Miniature Horse Society | 01747 861619 |
| British Equestrian Federation | 02476 698871 | International Miniature Horse & Pony Society | 07000 781216 |
| Caspian Horse Society | 01344 843325 | Appaloosa Horse Club UK Ltd | 01202 897469 |
| Caspian Breed Society (UK) | 01249 782246 | British Riding Pony Society | 01425 402459 |
| Cleveland Bay Horse Society | 01904 489731 | British Palomino Society | 01239 851387 |
| Coloured Horse & Pony Society | 01685 845045 | British Percheron Horse Society | 01954 204637 |
| English Connemara Pony Society | 01398 341490 | British Skewbald & Piebald Association | 01354 638226 |
| Dales Pony Society | 01629 640439 | Shetland Pony Stud book Society | 01738 623471 |
| Dartmoor Pony Society | 01487 822635 | Shire Horse Society | 01733 234451 |
| Donkey Breed Society | 01732 864414 | American Quarter Horse Association | 01303 814879 |
| Eriskay Pony Society | 01764 670626 | Sports Pony Studbook Society | 01844 237708 |
| Exmoor Pony Society | 01398 341490 | Spotted Horse & Pony Society | 01621 816106 |
| Fell Pony Society | 01768 891001 | Spotted Pony Breed Society | 01527 833880 |
| Fjord Horse National Stud Book | 01570 480090 | Native British Spotted Pony Society | 01724 783900 |
| Fjord Horse UK Registry | 01651 891712 | Trotting Horse Association GB | 01953 789367 |
| Friesian Horse Association of GB | 01159 529865 | Suffolk Horse Society | 01394 380634 |
| British Hanovarian Horse Society | 01604 492750 | British Warmblood Society | 0151 5491631 |
| British Harness Racing Club | 01405 766877 | Weatherbys | 01933 440077 |
| Hackney Horse Society | 01985 840717 | Welsh Pony & Cob Society | 01970 617501 |
Please note that any passports not issued by one of the above societies (including those issued by JMB or British Horse Database) are not valid.
The legislation states that no horse must be issued with more than one passport.