A buyer has questioned whether equine passports “are worth the paper they are written on” after discovering his horse’s passport had been tampered with – backing up calls for the need for digital equine identification.

The man bought the mare and on inspecting the passport more closely days later, he noticed that the horse’s year of birth had been altered with a pen to make her appear younger. A supplementary identification document with the passport showed a different age, and the man was able to confirm the correct age with a former owner and the passport-issuing organisation (PIO).

The man told H&H he is happy with the mare and does not wish to return her, but having reported the passport issue to Defra, Trading Standards and the PIO, he feels there is nothing to hold people to account who tamper with equine passports.

“Passports are supposed to be legal documents. It’s not worth the paper it’s written on if it’s been amended or changed – it’s like driving a car with an MoT that you’ve changed the date on yourself,” he said.

“I’m not looking for compensation, I just think it’s wrong that people can lie and tamper with a legal document. It seems no one has any authority over it, there’s no one stopping you from doing it.”

H&H reported that equine passports were discussed at the EU Parliament (news, 26 June) ahead of a revision of EU animal health law. The European Commission is evaluating whether the law, including rules on equine ID, is still fit for purpose. At this meeting World Horse Welfare said the paper-based system is “not fit for purpose”, and the FEI said it is “actively advocating to replace outdated passports with a digital system”.

The buyer said he would be in favour of digital passports.

“A digital system would be great, because it could be like the MoT system where when you are buying a car you can look it up,” he said

Jan Rogers of the British Horse Council told H&H an equine identification document has a legal function, but said “there are a number of challenges with the process as it stands”.

“Paper documents can be tampered with – some more readily than others – and tampering can be hard to spot. PIOs have an obligation to report documents that have been tampered with, but when horses change hands, many people don’t send them in for updating so the tampering can go unnoticed,” she said.

“Local authorities have legal powers to enforce equine identification legislation, but not a duty to do so, and since many are short of funds and have little equine expertise remaining on their teams, it is comparatively rare that they carry out any enforcement. Which brings us to the question of ‘how do we fix this?’.

“If horses were identified digitally rather than using paper documents – we know paper will still be required in some cases as well – the process would be easier for people to understand, easier to comply with, improve accuracy and enable better remote enforcement using patterns that emerge within the data.”

A Defra spokesperson told H&H all horses are required to be registered with the Government to help protect animal and public health.

“It is a legal requirement that they have a valid passport, and equine identification is enforced by the local authority,” said the spokesperson.

H&H asked the Defra spokesperson if there was any update on when the implementation of digital equine ID, and improvements to the Central Equine Database, will continue after this work was paused after the Labour Government took power last year.

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There is a growing demand for a digital equine passport system across Europe – as equestrian leaders say “this is about more than sport”.

On 4 June, stakeholders from organisations including the FEI, World Horse Welfare, the European Equestrian Federation (EEF) and Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) met at the European parliament to discuss revision of EU animal health law and equine identification. The European Commission is evaluating whether its animal health law, which includes rules on equine ID, is still fit for purpose; a decision on whether or not to update it is due in early 2026.

Jessica Stark, World Horse Welfare director of communications and public affairs, highlighted recent high-profile horse smuggling cases to illustrate “how the current paper-based system is not fit for purpose”.

“We must grab this opportunity to make equine identification across Europe fit for purpose,” she told H&H. “The meeting showed there is huge support for this change across the European horse world – from sport to breeding to leisure to tourism – all calling for a digital-first system to ensure horses are truly traceable.

“We need a digital system that connects across Europe, and is accessible by authorities in European countries. Updating the animal health law is our only chance of achieving this.”

EEF president Quentin Simonet told H&H the federation supports a digital system and “sees interest at a global stage”.

“Such evolution would not only provide a more efficient and secure way to follow the identity, health status and movements of horses throughout their careers and lives, but would also play a vital role in protecting animal health, ensuring compliance with welfare standards and supporting cross-border mobility,” he said.

“This initiative is particularly relevant in light of the ongoing evaluation of the animal health law review, which offers a unique opportunity to modernise the framework for equine traceability. This would help to close existing gaps between national systems and remove loopholes that the current paper version cannot fully address.”

At the meeting, FEI veterinary and welfare director Göran Åkerström presented on the FEI’s digital passport initiative – announced at the FEI General Assembly in November. The digital passport integrates features such as health documentation and journey logs, and enables real-time tracking and verification.

“The global veterinary community is moving towards electronic certification and identification, and the FEI’s digital passport is fully aligned with this. We are working closely with the World Organisation for Animal Health to ensure our system meets international standards, while also addressing broader societal needs,” Mr Åkerström told H&H.

“This is about more than equestrian sport. It is about public trust, food chain integrity, and supporting the ‘One Health’ agenda, which recognises the interconnected health of animals, people and the environment. Enhanced records of antibiotics used plays a critical role in tackling antimicrobial resistance by supporting the responsible use of antibiotics.”

Mr Åkerström said the FEI is “actively advocating” for EU legislation to replace “outdated passports with a digital system” – and “what the FEI is presenting is not only robust and user-focused, but offers enhanced functionality compared to existing options”.

Fine Gael MEP Nina Carberry, who co-chairs the European Parliament’s Horse Group and hosted this meeting, believes Ireland Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s (DAFM) equine action plan – in response to Professor Paddy Wall’s report highlighting the urgent need for reform in equine identification in Ireland (news, 27 March) – could “serve as a model for other member states”.

“The current paper-based passport system across Europe remains vulnerable to fraud undermining both animal welfare and public trust. Most horses are not traceable,” said Ms Carberry at the meeting.

“I believe we are moving in the right direction. Despite Brexit, we are continuing to work together to find solutions for data sharing and horse movement between jurisdictions. This collaboration is essential, not only for Ireland, but as a potential model for broader EU action. If we can coordinate efforts across Northern Ireland, Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland, then surely we can do so across the EU.”

Sonja Egan, HSI’s head of breeding, innovation and development, told H&H that the equine sectors in Ireland and across Europe have “faced well-known equine traceability challenges” and that HSI would “advocate for a system integrating central equine databases across EU member states”.

“HSI continues to implement innovative systems such as the Horse Source e-passport system and the genetic database software with the aim of continually improving the traceability of horses,” she said.

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A new equine traceability system is to be introduced in Ireland, as the country’s equine census takes place.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) announced that the 2024 census is the “first step” towards the introduction of a new traceability system, so it was “vitally important” keepers complete the return.

The mandatory census takes place annually – those who do not return it are “committing an offence and may not be eligible for payments under DAFM equine-related schemes”. In addition for 2024, the DAFM states that failure to return the census may, in future, prevent keepers from being able to register foals and export and sell horses.

The DAFM said the census was to be completed on 30 November and submitted by 20 December.

A DAFM spokesperson told H&H that former Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) chairman Paddy Wall, a professor of public health in University College Dublin (UCD) and a member of the UCD Institute for Food and Health, has been tasked with carrying out a review of the equine traceability system in Ireland and his recommendations are expected shortly. Following this, further details of the new system will be announced.

The keeper of every premises, where any equines are kept as at 30 November, should complete the census, including livery yard owners on behalf of the horses kept there.

Information recorded includes how many equines permanently live at the holding, the number of those who have passports and the number yet to be issued passports (typically foals). Universal equine life numbers and microchip numbers should also be included.

H&H reported on breeders’ concerns about delays in receiving new HSI foal passports, with backlogs reported following the launch of a new online passport system “designed to simplify and enhance the process” (news, 21 November).

At the time, HSI acknowledged the concerns and said it was “working tirelessly” clearing the backlog, which had been caused by the volume of applications received in the few weeks of the new system. As at 29 November, of 6,101 applications received, 2,057 passports had been issued.

Breeder Emily Cooper, who has now received the two foal passports she applied for at the end of July, told H&H the census and new traceability system are “incredibly important” – but said there has been a lack of communication overall.

“I was lucky to receive my passports in time, but there has been poor communication from HSI on how to complete the census if you don’t have your passport,” she said.

“I appreciate there is more information coming from the DAFM about the new traceability system, but I hope there will be meetings so there can be discussions on how it’s managed. My fear is that we’ll run into another car crash.”

HSI told H&H the census is a DAFM initiative and all queries should be directed to DAFM. A DAFM spokesperson added that the census recognises that horses might be awaiting a passport and this should be indicated on the form.

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Concerns have been raised that Irish breeders’ reputations are being “destroyed” over foal passport delays.

This summer Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) launched its new online passport system, HorseSource, to replace paper registration. HSI said the system, funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and Marine (DAFM), was “designed to simplify and enhance the process” and would be “a significant leap forward”.

But months on, breeders have told H&H the system is not working – and they are unable to proceed with sales as they are waiting for passports.

On 15 November HSI confirmed 5,765 foal passport applications had been received through HorseSource including full pedigree (which require DNA samples) and non-pedigree. Of those, 1,268 passports have been issued.

Breeder Emily Cooper submitted two applications at the end of July but the passports had not arrived by 15 November. She told H&H that for one foal, she was asked to submit DNA three times.

“Both my foals are sold, but they have to stay with me because I can’t legally send them anywhere,” she said.

“I’ve called HSI every week and had no real explanation of when I might expect my passports. I can’t book transport, I can’t do anything – it’s unfair on the purchaser. If you were an international buyer, wouldn’t you start hesitating to buy here? There’s a global market, they don’t have to rely on Ireland – and this is destroying our reputation.

“A clear plan is urgently needed with ongoing communication, specific timelines and regular updates to regain trust.”

Breeder Ronan Rothwell told H&H he is waiting for more than 20 passports for 2024 foals. He said problems existed before the new system, and he is still waiting for one passport from 2023.

“Last September I ran an online auction and foals sold abroad couldn’t travel until I received the passports, and I still had foals here waiting in April,” he said.

“All I could say was ‘I don’t have the passports’ – but I couldn’t say when I would have them. The same clients bought at the auction again this year, and I explained there was a new online system and things would be different – now they have two foals ready to go and I’m waiting on the passports.”

Walter Kent, chairman of the Stallion Owners Society, has called on DAFM to look into the situation.

“We were assured by HSI the new system would work, but now breeders are being blamed for sending their applications and DNA too quickly. Why start this system at the start of the breeding season – the backlog was always going to be there, HSI should have known.”

An HSI spokesperson told H&H the organisation “understands the concerns” and staff are “working tirelessly” clearing the backlog. He said it was necessary to pause applications under the old system while 500,000 records migrated to HorseSource – and this exacerbated the volume of applications received in the first few weeks of the new system, which has taken “longer to work through than anticipated”.

“There was an underestimation on the part of HSI as to the number of breeders instantly migrating to the new system. We apologise to breeders and want to assure them that we are working hard on completing these applications as quickly as possible,” he said.

The spokesperson said it was not possible to comment on individual cases without knowing specific application details, but “in keeping with usual processing”, a small number of applications have been asked to resubmit DNA samples as the laboratory could not verify parentage from the sample.

He added that there are a “very small number” of 2023 applications being processed – and HSI is working with the breeders to resolve these.

The spokesperson said HSI provided an update on timelines on 6 November through HorseSource – and will be providing updated application figures fortnightly.

H&H has contacted DAFM for comment.

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A vet who was paid to dishonestly sign a declaration on a horse passport application, showing “blatant or wilful disregard” of the equine passporting system, has been struck off.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) disciplinary committee has ruled that the actions of Vlad Butnaru, based in Folkestone, Kent, were “fundamentally incompatible with remaining on the register”.

Dr Butnaru faces two charges: the first was that in May 2021, while he was in practice at DRBVM Ltd in Folkestone, he signed a passport and/or passport application for a horse called Best Catch (Joey) and electronically signed a declaration that he “had read the above microchip, which had previously been implanted for the animal”, when the chip had not been inserted into any horse, and he had not read that chip.

The second charge stated that regarding the matters in the first charge, the signed declaration was false, that Dr Butnaru had acted dishonestly and misleadingly, he risked undermining procedures designed to promote animal welfare, and failed to take sufficient steps to ensure that the microchip number recorded for the horse was accurate.

“Dr Butnaru admitted the first charge on all counts, and that the declaration he had signed was false,” an RCVS spokesman said. “He also admitted that his conduct was misleading and that he had failed to take sufficient steps to ensure that the microchip number recorded for the horse was accurate. However, he denied that his conduct had been dishonest and that he had risked undermining a procedure designed to promote animal welfare.”

The RCVS’s case was that the chip could not have been inserted in any animal, as it was “later found sealed complete with its implanter, in its original packaging at the back of the passport issued for Joey”.

The disciplinary committee heard that another vet, Dr Uppal, was asked to check Joey in July 2021, by someone who had recently bought him. This vet saw Dr Butnaru’s declaration, and found the sealed chip in the passport. He scanned the horse and found it had a chip with a different number to the one in, and referred to in, the passport.

“As a result of this finding, and further inconsistencies between the age and markings recorded in the passport and those he noted, Dr Uppal formed the view that either the passport was incorrect or that it did not belong to the horse he was examining,” the RCVS committee report states. “Dr Uppal understood that, due to the inconsistencies between the passport and those found upon the examination of Joey, [the owner] returned the horse to the seller.”

In response to an initial letter from the RCVS, Dr Butnaru said he always checked for microchips, and did so the day the horse was checked for a passport, and that he neither provided a false certificate nor falsely certified that the horse had a particular chip.

In a witness statement last December, Dr Butnaru said it was an “honest mistake”, that he was “very upset this has happened” and that “I believe I was tricked”; he said when he saw the horse, his scanner did not pick up a chip so he told his client he would return with one and implant it. He said the client later told him he had found a chip, on the client’s own scanner, and video-called him to show the scanning and the chip number. Dr Butnaru said he accepted the video call as the client was coughing, and Dr Butnaru was concerned about Covid.

“I realise and accept that I made a serious mistake in the declaration that I made for the horse passport application in this case and I should have made sure that I myself scanned the microchip myself,” Dr Butnaru said in his statement.

“Dr Butnaru said he accepted the declaration he signed was false and misleading, but said that he was not trying to mislead anyone,” the committee report states. “However, he could now accept that it was misleading because the microchip 535 was not in the horse and that by signing the declaration it could be implied that he had scanned the microchip in Joey when he had not in fact done so. He also accepted that he had not done enough checks to identify Joey.

“He said he had learned that it is easy to be cheated and he should not have trusted the WhatsApp video and he said he would not do it this way ever again. He said he had thought it was acceptable to do it this way on this occasion because of Covid and the fact that they had been carrying out remote consultations with small animals during the Covid period.”

The RCVS spokesman said: “In respect of the parts of the charge that Dr Butnaru denied, the committee considered evidence from a number of witnesses, including testimonials as to Dr Butnaru’s good character. Having heard Dr Butnaru’s own evidence and his answers to questions, the committee noted in its decision that, as Dr Butnaru kept introducing new versions of what happened for the first time at the hearing and changed his account as he went along, as well as being evasive when answering questions, he could not be considered to be a reliable witness.

“Therefore, while the committee did not know the true reason why Dr Butnaru was prepared to sign a false declaration on a passport application, it was satisfied that he had made a false declaration dishonestly. The committee also found that Dr Butnaru had failed to take sufficient steps to ensure that the microchip number recorded for the horse was accurate as, if the passport had been issued on a false premise because of misleading information provided by Dr Butnaru, then it could not function as it was meant to which, in the committee’s view, clearly risked undermining procedures designed to protect animal welfare.”

The committee found “no mitigating factors at this stage”, but that aggravating factors were “found to be that Dr Butnaru had participated in premeditated misconduct, made financial gain from his actions as he was paid to make the false declaration, abused his professional position, and showed blatant or wilful disregard of the horse passport system and of the role of the RCVS and the systems that regulate the veterinary profession”.

The committee found that all proven charges amounted to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect. It took into account that Dr Butnaru had no previous disciplinary history, showed “limited insight by admitting to some of the charges”, and “expressions of remorse”, and was provided with a positive testimonial.

Paul Morris, chairing the committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The committee was well aware of the impact and ramifications for Dr Butnaru of any decision to remove him from the register, but had to weigh his interests with those of the public.

“In doing so it took account of the context and circumstances of the case, all matters of personal mitigation, Dr Butnaru’s previous unblemished record and the need to act proportionately. However, the committee was of the view that the need to uphold proper standards of conduct within the veterinary profession, together with the public interest in maintaining confidence in the profession of veterinary surgeons and protecting the welfare of animals, meant that a period of suspension would not be sufficient. His actions were fundamentally incompatible with remaining on the register and thus the only appropriate and proportionate sanction in all the circumstances of this case was that of removal from the register.”

Dr Butnaru had 28 days from being told of his removal from the register to lodge an appeal.

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A passport amnesty has been announced for 500 owners of former racehorses who have completed the Thoroughbred Census.

The census was launched earlier this year by British Racing’s Horse Welfare Board in collaboration with Hartpury University to help improve the data bank on former racehorses and the lives they go on to lead, and to promote “responsible ownership practices”.

To celebrate the census receiving 4,500 submissions to date, Weatherbys General Stud Book has launched a period of amnesty throughout November for the first 500 owners who need to update their horse’s passport, meaning the usual £32 administration fee will be waived. To qualify for the amnesty, owners must have completed the census – and need to complete a paper change of ownership application form and send this to Weatherbys with their passport before 30 November.

“The equine identification document (passport) amnesty is a significant moment in our continued efforts to improve the traceability of thoroughbreds in Great Britain, once retired from racing,” said Helena Flynn, the Horse Welfare Board programme director.

“The initial uptake of the Thoroughbred Census from owners across the country has been really positive, but the job is far from complete, and an industry-wide push is still required to promote and encourage owners of all former racehorses to participate. Whether a horse has been retired to a field or is an Retraining of Racehorses champion, we want to know about them.”

Weatherbys General Stud Book general manager Sharon O’Regan said that ensuring that all thoroughbreds go on to live “happy and healthy lives” after retiring from racing is “a cause important to all of us within the sport.”

“Since the start of the campaign we have already seen an uplift in people updating their passports which is fantastic,” she said.

“While the ongoing cost of maintaining our systems and database is significant we do appreciate that paying for the change in ownership is perhaps a barrier for some. Therefore we hope that waiving this cost for a period of time to support the census initiative will make a difference and encourage even more thoroughbred owners to bring these details up to date.

“The more complete our database, the more confidence there will be when considering welfare matters around all thoroughbreds not just those currently racing or breeding.”

A Weatherbys general stud book spokesman added that as a result of the campaign to date, the stud book has had a 44% increase in the number of passport updates compared to this time last year.

Owners of former racehorses who have not completed the census are being encouraged to do so, before the 31 December deadline. The full results will be reported during the first quarter of 2023.

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REFORM of equine identification in England has reached a “watershed moment” – but the industry must support the system for it to work.

Defra has published the outcome and its response to its consultation on equine traceability and ID, the aim of which was to seek views on its plans to improve the system.

New legislation is expected to be introduced, but all the indicators are that it will be a digital-first system, which campaigners have welcomed as the way forward.

In the past, UK horses had vaccination certificates, and separate pedigree documents. To comply with EU law, these were brought together in passports, and a number of passport-issuing organisations (PIOs) were set up. The horsemeat scandal of 2013 made the UK Government “sit up and take notice” of problems in the system, British Horse Council (BHC) chairman David Mountford told H&H, but under EU laws, it was not possible to make the changes needed to address this country’s unique issues.

“We’ve been saying for years that for an equine ID system to work, it needs to be frictionless to the end user,” Mr Mountford said. “It needs to be easy to deal with, and there needs to be some carrot and some stick. We feel it’s been lacking both carrot and stick as it’s not enforced, and people feel there’s no benefit to putting in administrative and financial effort, and no penalty for not doing it.

“We’ve been banging on and the Government has always said ‘we’re in the EU so we can’t do anything’ but having come out, and acknowledged the system is a complete Horlicks, the Government had no excuse to do nothing.”

Defra’s consultation launched this spring, after an Environment, Food and Rural Affairs select committee report into moving animals across borders post-Brexit condemned Britain’s “not fit for purpose” equine identification system. Almost 400 people and organisations responded, and more than 3,400 to a BHC survey run at the same time, with Defra’s support, and designed to be easier to understand.

There was strong support for a digital-led system; respondents felt the process of updating passports by returning them to PIOs was costly, time-consuming and inefficient, and that a paper document-based system is open to fraud. Many were not aware they had to keep passport details updated.

Mr Mountford said the council had thought more people might want to keep the status quo.

“But respondents were very broad-minded about understanding that it is the way forward,” BHC director Jan Rogers told H&H. “There were some reservations – people are attached to paper passports and the status quo – but one statistic was that 87% of people feared paper passports’ being lost in the post.”

Benefits of a digital-first system, with horses’ and owners’ details stored on the Central Equine Database (CED) include traceability – if horses are lost or stolen, this can be flagged on the system immediately, for example – and disease control. If there was an exotic disease incursion, or a flu epidemic, and a horse was at risk, its owner could be notified. Benefits to welfare include the fact owners will be accountable for their animals. There may well also be future benefits that help smooth the passage of horses across borders, such as uploading proof of vaccinations and health checks to the CED before travel, so horses do not have to wait at borders to be checked, or returned home if the paperwork is incorrect.

“The survey respondents and the BHC see the importance of paper documents to evidence pedigree, and that they will be needed for the time being to cross borders,” Mr Mountford said. “This does not prevent a digital record being the primary form of equine ID. Digital is the way forward and if we can lead with a digital system, others will follow.

“It’s a no-brainer but someone’s got to take the first step and it would be nice if that was the UK.”

One issue long raised is that there is little effective enforcement of the current system.

“People are less likely to comply if there are no consequences,” Ms Rogers said, adding that a central system means more opportunity for checking, and issuing fines for non-compliance, which will build confidence in the system.

But also, if there is perceived extra value to a horse that is properly registered, and if it is cheap and easy to be compliant, there is more chance more horses’ details will be uploaded.

“This is a watershed moment,” Ms Rogers said. “If this happens, so many other things will happen because of it.”

Mr Mountford added that although legislative changes take time, there are actions the Government can take without changing the law, more quickly. He said the BHC and Defra have a good working relationship, and that the former will be “holding their feet to the fire to make sure they make things better”.

“But we need the industry to be supportive,” he said. “The Government can put the legislation in place but the industry needs to make sure the system works by supporting it.”

A Defra spokesman told H&H the consultation response indicates the policy direction for improvements to equine identification and traceability in England, “including increased digitisation of the system so it’s easier for owners to access and record details of equines”.

“We will continue to engage with industry on developing the policy proposals, as indicated in the report, including digital identification for equines, whilst retaining paper passports for those that will require them for zootechnical or international travel purposes,” he said.

“Some of the changes will require new legislation, which is expected to be implemented in 2023. Changes will better prioritise equine health and welfare, whilst supporting stronger traceability in the case of equine welfare concerns or disease outbreaks.”

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CLARIFICATION on how to update Irish-bred horses’ passports following Brexit has now been provided after months of confusion – but owners will still face difficulty obtaining a duplicate passport.

Before Brexit, owners of horses bred in Ireland but living in the UK could send their passports to Irish passport-issuing organisations (PIOs) for updates such as ownership and name changes – as well as upgrading identification documents to a studbook passport. But this came to a halt this year as the European Breeding Regulation no longer applies in the UK since it departed the EU.

Much confusion and frustration has arisen with owners who have been unable to update their horses’ passports, and in early May a Defra spokesman told H&H that Defra and Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) had been working together to provide guidance on the situation – and this would be available “shortly”.

On 10 June Defra and DAFM issued joint guidance confirming that all Republic of Ireland PIOs can still process “certain” updates for passports they had issued. These include change of ownership, microchip details, changes to name and food-chain status. Defra also confirmed to H&H that UK PIOs may also process these updates “if necessary”.

A DAFM spokesman told H&H the guidance was drafted to address “uncertainties” experienced following Britain’s exit from the EU and the purpose is to establish processes to ensure the most up-to-date identification data relating to these equines is recorded on both the Irish and UK central equine databases, so “protecting the integrity of the food chain” in both jurisdictions.

But under the new guidance, only Republic of Ireland PIOs whose studbooks have been granted an extension of breeding territory from Defra under post-Brexit requirements (news, 8 April 2021) can issue new, duplicate or reissue passports to Irish-bred horses living in the UK – even if the original passport was issued by that PIO. The only Irish programme that has a UK-approved EU extended breeding programme is the Kerry Bog Pony Cooperative Society.

A Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) spokesman said studbooks operated by HSI were “declined” extension of breeding territory from Defra on the basis that equivalent breeding programmes are in operation in Great Britain. This means HSI cannot issue passports in the UK, but can continue to provide services including changes of ownership, name changes, and insertion of vaccination pages.

“The reduction in permitted HSI passporting services to Great Britain is extremely regrettable and disappointing for the Irish sport horse industry,” said the spokesman. “These changes are a direct result of Brexit and the fact that Great Britain now operates outside the EU legislative framework and within domestic legislation.”

H&H has contacted Defra, DAFM and HSI to confirm where UK owners can obtain duplicate HSI passports going forward.

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British studbooks have the opportunity to “step up to the plate” as more breeders will register foals with UK organisations this year.

H&H reported last year that breeders would only be able to register British-bred horses with foreign studbooks that had been granted an extension of breeding territory from Defra under a new requirement following Brexit (news, 8 April 2021). Defra said studbooks would only be approved if there was not a UK equivalent. Of 106 that applied, seven were approved including the Holsteiner Verband, Cheval Comtois, and Menorca Horse.

Oldenburg Pferde and the Selle Français studbooks told H&H they were rejected. An Oldenburg spokesman added that breeders may still present Oldenburg and non-Oldenburg horses for licensing and mare performance tests, if they travel to Germany.

A Defra spokesman said Oldenburg did not formally appeal the rejection, and applications are still welcome from EU studbooks.

“The rationale not to allow the Oldenburger studbook to extend was to ensure the UK breeding programme was not compromised by a lack of genetic diversity. The population size of a breeding programme is key to its success,” he said.

“Not allowing a breeding programme to extend into the UK does not prohibit anyone from continuing to breed and freely trade that animal with EU breeders. The only change is those animals must be registered and passported by the equivalent UK studbook.”

World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses vice-president Eva-Maria Broomer, who is also a head evaluator for the UK Anglo European Studbook (AES) told H&H there are a number of possible solutions including foreign studbooks opening daughter studbooks in the UK. Defra could also apply to the EU Commission for Article 35 of the Animal Health Law, which would grant the UK equivalent measures to animal breeding in third countries – so extension of breeding territories could continue – but this application can take two years. Defra told H&H it is “still considering” whether an Article 35 application would benefit breeders.

The Oldenburg spokesman said the organisation had considered a daughter studbook, but does not have plans to do so at the moment, adding that a daughter studbook could be seen as inferior, which is not Oldenburg’s “aspiration”.

Dr Broomer said with more breeders using British studbooks, this is an opportunity for these studbooks to “step up to the plate”.

“Within AES UK we are working with KWPN – who can no longer register foals in the UK – and are able to offer the KWPN genetic analysis and screening, which is a positive thing to come out of this,” she said.

“The winners in the long term will be those who look for solutions. In AES we have looked at what foreign studbooks offer and are implementing everything we can, with the same standard of service. There are choices for breeders in terms of UK studbooks and it’s down to breeders to explore what’s on offer and what matches their requirements.”

Caroline Ironside of MFS Studfarm usually registers a number of foals with Oldenburg and told H&H she will now have to have all her mares graded with the British Hanoverian Horse Society.

“We have supported British studbooks before and I’m not taking anything away from them, but I like our stock assessed by the judges of the foreign studbooks and getting that seal of approval we’re breeding the same quality as in Germany – that feedback is invaluable,” she said.

The British Hanoverian Horse Society’s studbook manager Kate Eaton told H&H the organisation – a daughter society of the Hannoveraner Verband that also manages the British Rhineland Studbook – believes having more British-registered horses is positive.

“For us, this is a great thing because it means we’re getting more mares into the studbook. We use the same database as Oldenburg so we have access to the same pedigrees, DNA profiles and performance data – the only major difference between the passports is the logo on the front,” she said, adding that the studbook’s judges are trained in Germany by the Hannoveraner Verband, and regularly go there to refresh their training.

Ms Eaton added she believes 2022 is going to be an “exciting” year for the studbook.

“In addition to our regional shows, because of demand we are planning a UK-wide tour. Also when we do performance testing we will take horses from other studbooks, for example Oldenburg, so they can gain premium status in the UK – which is opening more doors for people.”

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The first digital equine passport has been issued to a foal (pictured, below) as the equestrian world leans further on technology to monitor horse movement and welfare.

The colt, by Calyx out of a Skipinnish mare, was born on 14 February at Julian Richmond-Watson’s Lawn Stud and has become the first horse to be issued with a Weatherbys ePassport. All thoroughbred foals born in Britain and Ireland this year will be issued with their own ePassport.

“The importance of the Weatherbys ePassport cannot be understated and we see it as a central part of the welfare and traceability strategy for Irish racing over the coming years,” said Brian Kavanagh, chief executive of Horse Racing Ireland.

In a nutshell, the Weatherbys ePassport is a single, secure platform for all regulatory and legislative requirements relating to identification, health, welfare, movement, and ownership. It can be downloaded from Android and Apple app stores.

There is provision in the new EU animal health law that could allow for digital equine passports to be accepted. Experts have also previously shared hopes that these could help ease some of the red tape involved with travelling horses abroad now the Brexit transition period has ended.

Some elements of the Weatherbys ePassport are already in use. These include vaccination and horse location, to support the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and Horse Racing Ireland with their “return to racing” protocols last year.

This same technology has also helped trace the movement of breeding stock.

“The vaccination functionality within the Weatherbys ePassport played an important role within the protocols that allowed for racing to resume last year,” said BHA director of equine health and welfare, James Given.

“The additional functionality that comes with the full rollout of the ePassport will be vital for the traceability of thoroughbreds – a central pillar of our horse welfare strategy.”

Article continues below…

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The ePassport now includes functions for registering stallions, mares and foals, medication, ownership updates and full identification details. Vets will also be able to access the app, to update medical information.

Claire Sheppard, chief executive of the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association (TBA), added: “The movement functionality within the Weatherbys ePassport was hugely important when it came to maintaining the movement and traceability of stock during the 2020 and 2021 breeding season as part of the TBA’s Covid-19 protocols.

“The enhanced functionality within the ePassport will bring many more benefits to breeders and the thoroughbred industry, and we welcome its introduction.

“We will be working closely with Weatherbys and breeders to ensure an effective rollout and application of this exciting new technology.”

• What do you think about how the equestrian world moving into the digital age? Let us know about your experiences by writing to hhletters@futurenet.com for a chance to see your views in H&H magazine and you could win a bottle of Champagne Taittinger (please include your name, nearest town and county; letters may be edited).

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In April 2020, Dr Wijnendaele discovered a Belgian horse’s passport contained his name and stamp, although he had left Belgium in 2005. H&H finds out the facts of the FEI Tribunal case involving a leading figure in endurance

A SENIOR figure in endurance who falsified horse passports has been suspended for 20 months.

The FEI Tribunal found Pierre Arnould, former Belgian endurance national team leader and member of the FEI endurance committee, used FEI vet Peter Wijnendaele’s old stamp and added a forged signature to four horses’ FEI passports; “undoubtedly amounting” to fraud and bringing the FEI and/or equestrian sport into disrepute.

In April 2020, Dr Wijnendaele discovered a Belgian horse’s passport contained his name and stamp, although he had left Belgium in 2005. He found further instances of his stamp being used, and informed the FEI. In October 2020 Arnould was told of FEI disciplinary proceedings relating to four endurance horses.

The FEI’s case was that the horses were trained by Arnould and in his care at the time of the vaccinations, which were validated by the same stamp and signature, and the passports did not contain vial labels. The FEI said Arnould’s conduct was “very serious”, breaching important FEI rules. Dr Wijnendaele told the FEI he recognised the writing in the four cases as Arnould’s.

One of the horses, Sonschein, participated in four international competitions, including the 2018 World Equestrian Games, with a passport vaccination entry of 21 April. Arnould said, as with many horses in his stable, this horse would “in general” be vaccinated by vet Stefan Midgen – but would not stay long since the arrangement was to return the horse to its owner for rest periods. He said this horse was vaccinated as it competed and nobody “raised any issue” in relation to the vaccinations.

The FEI stated the passports were “unlikely” to be the only ones falsified, and the organisation had evidence of further cases. The FEI said failure to vaccinate is an offence for “obvious health and biosecurity reasons”, adding that forging passports also risked undermining the credibility of FEI procedures.

Arnould said Dr Wijnendaele “voluntarily” gave him the stamp in the presence of witnesses, and told him that “in case he needed to arrange a vaccination passport, the stamp could help him”. Arnould added this could not be considered fraud as he had Dr Wijnendaele’s permission to use it and added because the horses were vaccinated, there was no mistreatment of them. He testified he used the stamp in December 2012 “five or six times”, told Dr Wijnendaele via telephone beforehand, and the stamp was used for “convenience or emergency”. Arnould confirmed when he used the stamp, the horses were duly vaccinated. Dr Wijnendaele said he had never given any stamps to Arnould and had not given anyone permission to use his stamps.

One of Arnould’s four witnesses, Dr Midgen, confirmed he performs vaccinations at Arnould’s stable. He said he does not keep records of horses he has vaccinated and had no recollection, for example of having vaccinated one of the horses in the case, but said its name was familiar to him. Dr Midgen said whenever he vaccinates, he checks the passport, sticks the vial label in, dates and signs it.

Arnould submitted he had never been subject to any sanction during his equestrian career. He was a member of the FEI endurance task force from 2007 to 2009, and in 2020 was put forward by the Belgian national federation for the FEI endurance committee chair position. He argued the case against him was “driven by people motivated by jealousy of his achievements”.

The Tribunal said Arnould is not a vet, so had no legitimate use for the stamp and there was no other credible explanation than the passport entries were made by Arnould to fraudulently claim the horses had received vaccinations from an FEI vet. The panel considered Arnould’s involvement as a leader and official in the sport, and that he is held in high regard by the Belgian national federation. He was suspended for 20 months and fined 5,000 Swiss francs (£3,917) and must pay 7,000 francs (£5,485) toward FEI legal costs.

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All UK studbooks will be recognised by the EU after the end of the Brexit transition period, it has been confirmed.

The announcement means horses with studbook passports will be considered “registered”, and so can travel to EU states without an extra UK Government-issued ID document. Had the EU not recognised British studbooks, only sport horses with an FEI wrap on their passports, and those registered with the Hurlingham Polo Association, would have been seen as registered from 1 January.

Horses with studbook passports will also be able to travel via border control posts specifically approved for registered equines.

Any registered horse travelling to the EU, for up to 90 days, must have been living in the UK, or country with the same health status, for 40 days beforehand. It must have had a blood test for equine infectious anaemia within 90 days of departure, and stallions who do not meet vaccination requirements must also have a blood test for equine viral artertitis within 21 days of departure.

Horses will have to have export health certificates, signed by an official vet, and extra supporting documents.

Unregistered horses without a studbook passport, classed as ungulates, will need Government-issued supplementary travel ID from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (Great Britain) or Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Northern Ireland), in addition to their passports. This ID will be supplied by an official vet, along with an export health certificate, when the horse is checked before travel. There are also rules on residency and disease testing that differ to those for registered horses.

Continues below…

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Extra export and transport documents must be completed for registered and unregistered horses, and those transporting them.

A British Equestrian spokesman said: “It is advisable to engage an approved shipper to help with the process, at least for the first few journeys, even if you are experienced in travelling horses.”

Travelling horses between the UK and EU will be more complicated from January. More information is available on the BEF website, but the federation has strongly advised against moving horses to the EU during the first few weeks of 2021, owing to the risk of long delays.

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

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As the throughbred world strives for improved traceability of its equines throughout their lives, Weatherbys has announced its e-passport will go live to the UK and Irish thoroughbred market in 2021. H&H finds out more about the benefits it will offer...

THOROUGHBRED owners are being urged to ensure their horses are correctly registered as the industry pushes to improve traceability.

It is a legal requirement for the new owner of any horse to update its passport with the relevant passport-issuing authority (PIO) within 30 days of purchase.

The racing industry is pushing for greater awareness and compliance of this, regardless of what a horse’s post-racing career is, or is hoped to be, as the industry tries to better understand what happens to thoroughbreds throughout their lives, before, during and after racing.

Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) and Weatherbys both have plans to help improve traceability.

On 24 September, Weatherbys announced it is more than two years into producing an e-passport, which will go live to the UK and Irish thoroughbred market in 2021.

It is designed to provide “a single, secure platform for all regulatory and legislative requirements relating to identification, health, welfare, movement and ownership”. The digital document will also include stallion, mare and foal registration, pre- and post-racing vaccinations and medications, ownership updates and full identification details.

The e-passport is also hoped to improve compliance with owners reporting horses’ death to the PIO, by making this easier.

Weatherbys stud book director Simon Cooper told H&H elements of the technology are already in use, including functions around vaccinations and movement of horses that support Britain and Ireland’s “return to racing” protocols.

Mr Cooper said the e-passport will ensure change of ownership is “not only easier, but more secure and accurate”.

“This will require both the vendor and the buyer to submit, like change of ownership for a car. While the paper passport remains a legal requirement, these will be required to be sent to the PIO for verification of change of ownership,” he said.

Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association CEO Claire Sheppard said the e-passport is central to a number of projects it is working on with Weatherbys.

“The equine movement element of this technology was vital at the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic as it was used to track the movement of thoroughbreds during the breeding season,” she said.

RoR is urging all owners to ensure they comply with the legal requirement regarding updating ownership details and is also encouraging owners of horses who do not compete in its series to register with them for free, so it can help improve traceability of more thoroughbreds.

One of the ideas RoR is looking at is implementing a search facility on its website, using information from its own database. The aim is to help horses’ previous owners and racing connections find out where they are now, and vice versa. The organisation is looking at GDPR-compliant ways of helping both sides get in touch with each other.

British Horseracing Authority director of equine health and welfare David Sykes told H&H ensuring horses bred for racing can be traced across their entire lifespan is a key priority in the industry’s Horse Welfare Board strategy.

“The systems in place to trace thoroughbreds are as advanced as for any sector of the horse population, but we are constantly working to improve the capture of relevant data to more accurately represent outcomes for retiring horses as part of our ongoing commitment to traceability,” said Mr Sykes, adding a simplified online process for retiring racehorses – a separate process to updating ownership details – was launched in February, designed to maximise traceability and improve data and understanding of how horses retire from racing.

“This aims to make the process easy and simple to follow and assist owners in ensuring they meet their legal responsibilities, but we need their help to ensure this system is used as widely and comprehensively as possible.”

H&H 1 October 2020

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It is hoped the proposed digital passports would “ensure efficient cross-border movement of sport, racing and breeding horses” after the end of the Brexit process. H&H speaks to experts in government, governance and equine welfare about the issue...

PROPOSALS for digital horse passports have brought fresh hope of easing movement of horses between the UK and EU nations after Brexit.

The idea comes from the International Horse Sports Confederation (IHSC) taskforce for Brexit and EU animal health law, which comprises representatives of sport horse, breeding and racing bodies.

It is hoped it would “ensure efficient cross-border movement of sport, racing and breeding horses” after the end of the Brexit transition period in December.

It would allow free movement of horses between Britain and Europe, and would also meet – and go beyond – requirements of new EU animal health law, which comes into force in January.

Digital passports would give authorities “fail-safe” information on horses’ identity, real-time monitoring of movement and ownership, plus up-to-date vaccination and medical records.

The long-term aim is to create a network of databases which registers horses’ identity, enables them to be easily located and identified, and ensures secure movement anywhere in Europe.

Concerns have been raised over how the new EU animal health legislation could affect movement of horses, and FEI veterinary director and IHSC task force chairman Göran Akerström said it is “imperative” systems and processes are put in place to ensure efficient and safe cross-border movement of horses.

“This digital passport would play a key role in that,” he added. “Any obstacles to the cross-border movement of horses and associated personnel would result in huge economic losses to Britain, Ireland and France, as well as other EU member states.”

British Equestrian CEO Iain Graham told H&H it is a “great innovation” in principle and the organisation is working with the FEI, IHSC and British Horse Council to learn more.

A Defra spokesman said Britain’s breeders and equine industry are “the envy of the world”, and Defra knows how vital movement of horses is to the sector, adding: “That is why we are working closely with them to ensure they are ready for the end of the transition period and that movement of horses is unaffected.”

A British Horseracing Authority spokesman told H&H its view, shared by European and breeding bodies, is that the racing-related exemptions to the animal health law that have already been agreed “do not go far enough”.

“They do not reflect the high health and welfare standards in the thoroughbred sector or meet the unique requirements of our industry,” he said, adding that a task force of representatives from the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, FEI, European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and Weatherbys has submitted an overview of challenges and proposals to EU negotiators on Brexit and others at the European Commission.

“The digital passport solution could facilitate the movement of horses between Britain, France and Ireland – which is essential for our closely linked racing and breeding industries – while remaining in line with the new animal health law.”

Easing concerns

World Horse Welfare CEO Roly Owers said digital passports have the potential 
to ease legitimate movement of horses and reduce concerns over the end of the Brexit transition.

“We believe this would also prove beneficial for all horses 
if such a system were extended to them, as they too could benefit from greater ease of movement if travelling compliantly,” he told H&H, adding it would 
also help authorities quickly identify horses moved “below 
the radar”, such as those transported non-compliantly 
for sale and slaughter.

“This would help prevent disease spread while allowing for any future animal transport legislation, including a potential ban on horses being exported from the UK for slaughter, to be effectively enforced.”

He said a system would need to hold up-to-date information and be integrated with border systems across the UK and EU, but it is the “logical next step from demonstrably fallible paper passports” after Britain’s microchipping deadline.

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As new equine microchip and passport deadlines loom, owners are reminded of the requirements for those horses who do not hold UK passports.

H&H reported last week that as part of government efforts to tackle horse theft and improve traceability, biosecurity and welfare, all equines in England must be microchipped by 1 October and by 12 February 2021 in Wales. In Scotland, the deadline is 28 March 2021.

But for equines who have been imported from EU countries (including Ireland) and do not have British passports, an extra step is required in order for their details to be uploaded to the Central Equine Database (CED).

Defra guidance states horses who have arrived in the UK should be registered with a UK passport-issuing organisation (PIO) within 30 days. This will ensure the CED is updated and the relevant non-UK PIO is alerted of the change of record. If the horse is based in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, the passport will be overstamped, but for horses kept in Scotland the details will be recorded on the ScotEquine database and the CED.

There are a number of UK PIOs, including those that manage breed studbooks, including international breed societies that have representation in the UK such as the British Hanoverian Society. There are also PIOs that do not manage studbooks but are authorised to issue passports, such as the British Horse Society. The full list of the UK PIOs can be found here.

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World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers told H&H the CED has the potential to be an “invaluable” one-stop shop for verifying the identity of a horse.

“But, as ever, to be able to fulfil this vital function, the information on the system needs to be correct,” he said.

Anyone who has bought a horse is also reminded it is their responsibility to change the ownership in the passport with the relevant PIO within 30 days, or face penalties.

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World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers has warned that trafficking of horses with forged documents is only “the tip of the iceberg”, with the activity also linked to other illicit trades. H&H finds out more...

A Europol investigation that found competition horses with forged passports are making their way into the food chain has only uncovered “the tip of the iceberg”.

The six-month Opson IX operation, targeting slaughterhouses in Ireland, Belgium, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands, found some 20% of foreign horse passports showed signs of forgery. The investigation led to both live horses and more than 17 tonnes of horsemeat being seized.

World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers told H&H the findings came as “no surprise”, as there is a “huge” black market in forged equine passports.

“We have seen empty lorries returning to the UK from Europe with horse passports and cash on board – it’s no great leap to imagine those passports making the journey multiple times with different horses,” he said.

“A slack equine identification system allows horses to be traded like commodities in a murky underground world. Many of these horses will be retired sports and pleasure horses at the end of their careers, but there is little doubt some will be stolen animals.”

The majority of competition, leisure and racehorse owners sign their horses out of the food chain to allow vets to administer a full range of drug treatments, as horses destined for slaughter cannot be treated with common medications such as phenylbutazone (bute). It is demand for horsemeat in Europe, combined with the “chronic shortage” of meat declared safe for consumption, that is thought to drive this illegal trade.

But Mr Owers said the trafficking of horses with forged documents is only “the tip of the iceberg”, with the activity also linked to other illicit trades. Lorries with livestock are less likely to be searched as rules discourage their being held at border crossings, meaning criminals can take advantage – there is anecdotal evidence that horse urine masks the smell of narcotics against sniffer dogs, he added.

The Opson IX operation, a follow-on from previous efforts to target the trafficking of counterfeit and sub- standard food and drink, was co-ordinated between Europol’s intellectual property crime coordinated coalition and Interpol.

Despite interruption from the Covid-19 pandemic, enforcement authorities from participating countries were able to go ahead with checks of documents from more than 157,000 horses from eight countries, as well as inspecting around 117 tonnes of horsemeat.

Europol executive director Catherine De Bolle said: “In times of crisis, criminals always look for new ways to abuse consumers and increase their illegal profit to the harm of public safety.

“Counterfeit and substandard food is not only deceitful to consumers but can also pose a significant threat to their health.”

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The final countdown to the requirement for all equines in Britain to be microchipped and registered on the Central Equine Database via a British passport-issuing organisation is underway. H&H finds out more...

Owners have been reminded of their responsibilities ahead of new equine microchip and horse passport legislation deadlines.

As part of the Government’s move to tackle horse theft and improve traceability and welfare, all equines in England must be microchipped by 1 October and by 12 February 2021 in Wales. In Scotland, the deadline is 28 March 2021.

The UK’s chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss said microchips will not only help police and local authorities, but also support efforts to ensure better control over disease outbreaks.

“This new legislation will ensure irresponsible owners are held accountable for any low standards of welfare,” she said.

World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers told H&H being able to identify every horse – and owner – is “fundamental” to protecting welfare.

“There have been significant improvements in identification since the 2013 European horsemeat scandal, when no enforceable legislation was in place, but creating an effective equine ID system is very much a journey and not a destination,” he said.

“One key development is the establishment of the Central Equine Database, which has the potential to be an invaluable one-stop shop for anyone who wants to verify the identity of a horse. But, as ever, to be able to fulfil this vital function, the information on the system needs to be correct and there needs to be a simple way for owners to update their details.”

Mr Owers said enforcement of the new legislation is “critical”.

“The ability of local authorities to issue fixed penalty notices to owners who do not comply is an important step in the right direction, but again this relies on having the correct information on the database,” he said.

“We will be working with Defra through the British Horse Council to ensure maximum take-up, which means having a system that is easy and cost-effective. For sure, there will be teething issues, but we hope these will be ironed out by April, by which time all equines in Great Britain will have to be microchipped, including those born before 2009.”

Following confusion on the topic of imported horses, H&H clarified with the Scottish government and Defra that owners of horses who have been imported from an EU country and hold EU passports must send the passports to a UK passport-issuing organisation for the horse’s record to be uploaded to the Central Equine Database.

The Scottish government sent guidance to all owners in Scotland, highlighting the requirements and fixed penalties, and the introduction of the ScotEquine card. This ID card can be applied for, allowing owners to transport horses in the country without carrying their passports.

Helene Mauchlen, British Horse Society’s national manager for Scotland, told H&H the society has worked with the Scottish government on the identification initiative.

“The investment the Scottish government is making with biosecurity and traceability is good for all equines and will help prevent diseases,” she said.

The Welsh government has issued guidance to owners (in Wales) encouraging them to get new passport applications and changes to passports in early, as well as ensuring transfer of ownership is updated within 30 days of buying a new horse.

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News from the National Equine Forum included the introduction of the Central Equine Database’s ‘digital stable’, which has been welcomed by both World Horse Welfare and the British Horse Council...

A “visionary” change to the Central Equine Database (CED) has the potential to benefit owners, businesses, sports and, most importantly, the horses themselves.

Defra minister Lord Gardiner announced at the National Equine Forum on 5 March that owners will be able to change passport information themselves through the CED’s “digital stable”, free.

While owners may still update details through passport-issuing organisations (PIOs) as they can currently, the changes are aimed at making it easier for them to ensure that information held by PIOs on themselves and their horses is correct.

“The digital stable is protected by rigorous security and identity checks to ensure owners’ information and equine records are safe,” a spokesman for the CED told H&H. “It is designed with owners in mind to make it easy to manage and keep records legal and up to date.”

Once updated, the digital stable will automatically notify the relevant PIO of the changes, so owners no longer have to send passports back to the PIO. The digital stable will send a digital record to the owner’s smartphone, which will be valid to confirm a horse’s identity while it remains in the UK.

“This new digital approach will see the UK at the forefront of equine traceability and enable more effective biosecurity, disease control, fraud management and human food chain safety,” the spokesman said. “It will also enable owners to take control of their horses’ information and manage it in real time, as they do with other online accounts.”

Asked at the forum whether this change would make a difference, World Horse Welfare CEO Roly Owers said he thinks it will be “transformational”.

“You can’t hold people to account for the way they treat their horses if you can’t prove ownership,” he said, adding that people need to understand the benefits of the CED and digital stable to the “everyday horse owner”.

British Horse Council chairman David Mountford told H&H the council is “thrilled” by the news.

“A functioning and accurate equine database has the potential to bring huge benefits to owners, sporting bodies, equestrian businesses and, most importantly, to horse health and welfare,” he said.

“As owners, we have historically been pretty awful at keeping PIOs appraised of changes such as address, ownership, gelding or death; we’ve also frequently ignored the requirement to register imported horses. Now, we will have no excuse for ignoring our legal obligations – updating our records and registering horses passported in Ireland or other EU countries will be easy and free.”

The changes are expected to come in this month, alongside a government campaigning promoting it and the October deadline for chipping all equines in England.

Stewart Everett, CEO of Equine Register which operates the CED, said: “Owners can still contact PIOs to make changes, but our initial tests show less than 10% of the data supplied to the CED by PIOs is likely to be correct. Aside from putting owners and horses at risk, if a horse gets loose or is stolen, this increases the risks to horse health and disease containment.”

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New laws surrounding equine identification came into force in England today (1 October).

Defra’s new equine identification regulations legally require every horse, pony and donkey to be microchipped and possess a valid UK passport, with details stored in the Central Equine Database (CED).

All horses born after 30 June 2009 are already required to be microchipped. Owners of horses born before this date will have two years from today to get their equines microchipped.

Any changes in a horse’s ownership or status — for example, if they are put down, lost, stolen or signed out of the food chain — will need to be notified to the passport-issuing organisation. The organisation will then have 24 hours to update the CED.

The British Horse Council has welcomed the new regulations, hoping they will deter theft and fraudulent sales as well as being helpful in managing disease outbrakes, mapping the horse population and ensuring rapid communication with owners.

“Previous legislation has been half-baked but the new regulations are not only positive for horse owners, but are a significant boost for equine health and welfare,” said British Horse Council chairman Jeanette Allen.

“Having all up-to-date data recorded on the CED will help us better protect our equine population in the event of a disease outbreak, as well as providing essential tools to help owners find their horses in the event of theft or straying.

“It should also give owners confidence that horses which have previously been signed out of the human food chain never end up in the abattoir.

“However whilst this legislation has huge potential to benefit all of England’s horses, its success is critically dependent on horse owners along with law enforcers recognising that, without them playing their part, our horses will continue to face totally unnecessary risks.”

British Equine Veterinary Association chairman David Mountford added he hopes the regulations will ensure essential equine medicines remain available to vets.

“Certain veterinary medicines can only be administered to a horse if it can be identified, if treatment is recorded in the passport and/or if we can see that it is signed out of the human food chain,” said Mr Mountford.

“If the passport is not readily available at the point of care then the treatment options are limited, errors in medicines records are possible and the authorities will seek to restrict medicines availability.

“Under the new ID regulations vets will be able to positively identify the horse, check its status online and therefore use the most appropriate medicine with confidence. Vets want to do what is best for the horse and the new regulations will help ensure this is possible.”

World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers added the ability to accurately link every horse to an owner is the “cornerstone of responsible ownership”.

“It increases traceability and ensures owners can be held accountable in the case of welfare problems or abandonment, rather than simply discarding their unwanted animals with no consequences,” he said.

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“Welfare organisations and local authorities will now be more able to tackle the problem of unidentified horses and ponies, and local authorities should be better placed to enforce the legislation as they can now issue civil sanctions, such as fixed penalty notices, for non-compliance.

“It will also help ensure that any horses that have been illegally taken into another’s possession can be identified and returned to their rightful owner.

“For the first time, the CED will give a clear and accurate picture of England’s equine population which will help the industry to ensure equines are properly recognised and their welfare protected by Government through policy and legislation.”

Thoroughbred Breeders Association chief executive Claire Sheppard also welcomed the news.

“A robust system of identification for all the UK’s horses and ponies will underpin traceability, equine welfare and protection from disease,” she said.

“Whether this is for the largest thoroughbred stud or the owner of a single horse or pony, we will all benefit.”

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Rebecca Stojak, an associate solicitor specialising in equine law, explains the steps you need to take in order to prove the ownership of a horse or pony

In the UK we don’t currently have one single document that proves ownership of a horse or pony.

A horse’s passport may be proof of identity of the horse, but it does not confirm ownership. So the question is, what does prove ownership of a horse?

In an ideal world, when you buy your horse you will have a dated receipt for any deposit and the purchase price of the horse. This should also detail who sold and bought the horse, for how much and how the purchase price was paid.

There should also, ideally, be a contract for the purchase of your horse. The contract doesn’t have to be a long document but should, for maximum protection, be drawn up by a specialist equine solicitor. The contract should contain the following, among other things:

• The date the agreement/contract is made
• The names and addresses of the seller and the buyer
• Details and a description of the horse, which could include:
  • The name of the horse
  • Passport number
  • Freezemark number (if your horse has one)
  • Microchip number (which matches the microchip number on the horse’s passport)
  • Height of the horse
  • Colour of the horse (and any distinguishing markings)
  • Sex of the horse
  • Age of the horse
• That the seller confirms that they own the horse and that all the details given (above) are accurate and true;
• Details of the deposit (if there was one) for example, how it was paid and when it was paid
• Details of sale price, the date it must be paid by and again how it is to be paid.

If you don’t have a contract for the purchase of your horse, there are other documents which, in the eyes of the English courts, could be used to help prove that you own your horse. For example these documents include your historic bills and/or records for your horse in relation to their insurance (if your horse is insured), their livery, farrier and any veterinary treatments (e.g. their flu and tetanus vaccination booster).

You should also ensure that you keep copies of correspondence with the sellers of the horse together with the original advert. I would recommend that you ensure that these records are as up to date as possible, for example on your vet’s records your horse’s name and identity is clear (i.e. cannot be mistaken for another horse).

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On 25 June 2018 it was also announced that new legislation is coming into force, which confirms that all horses (even those born before 30 June 2009) will need to be microchipped by 1 October 2020. There will also be a new Central Equine Database, which it is currently understood will contain the details of the horse’s microchip number together with the details of the horse’s owner.

When you buy a new horse I would recommend that you keep all documents relating to the horse in a safe place and ensure that electronic copies of documents are backed up, on a USB drive for example.

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Owners who do not microchip horses, ponies and donkeys in England by October 2020 could be fined £200, Defra has announced.

A law requiring owners to ensure equines are chipped has been introduced today (25 June), to “prevent abuse and improve welfare”.

Previously, only those equines born since July 2009 had to be chipped, but the new law comes into force in October 2020, allowing owners of older horses time to comply.

“The government shares the British public’s high regard for animal welfare and it is completely unacceptable that hundreds of horses and ponies are left abandoned every year by irresponsible owners,” said animal welfare minister Lord Gardiner.

“That is why we have today laid new regulations in parliament requiring horses to be microchipped. This will bolster the ability of local authorities and police to identify abandoned animals, ensuring these beautiful creatures receive the care they deserve and that those who mistreat them will face the consequences.”

Once the law is in force, the Central Equine Database will enable local authorities and police to track down the owners of dumped horses and “make sure they are punished and the animals given the care they deserve”.

Owners of non-microchipped equines could face local authority sanctions including compliance notices or, as a “last resort”, fines of up to £200.

Defra believes the move will also mean lost and stolen horses can be reunited with owners more easily.

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“We are working closely with vets and the British Horse Council to highlight the change in regulations, explaining that horse owners have until October 2020 to make sure that all horses are microchipped,” said a Defra spokesman.

“This extra time will allow horse owners to combine microchipping with a routine visit to, or from, their vet with the procedure costing around £25-30.”

H&H reported in April that the law was to be introduced.

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All horses in England will have to be microchipped under new rules to be due to be laid before parliament as soon as is practical.

The regulations, drawn up by Defra following consultation with the equestrian industry, apply to all equines except semi-wild moorland and New Forest ponies.

The extension of the current rules, under which only equines born since July 2009 must be chipped, has been welcomed by the industry, as it should help reduce the chance of fraud and improve disease control.

“I’m pleased we’ll be laying new regulations on equine passports as soon as practical,” Defra minister Lord Gardiner said at the 2018 National Equine Forum last month. “And, having listened to the sector, we intend to extend microchipping requirements to all equines of all ages.”

The regulations, which set out how EU passport legislation is implemented, also include civil sanctions for those who breach them, for which, Lord Gardiner said, there was “strong support” within the industry.

Serious or serial offenders could still be prosecuted, but the new civil sanctions are designed to “encourage compliance”.

The details of the sanctions will be set out in the new regulations but enforcement will remain the responsibility of local authorities.

World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers said the charity is “very encouraged” by the extension of microchipping requirements and the introduction of civil sanctions.

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“The equine sector has been unequivocal in our collective view that the new equine ID regulation needed to be enforceable and enforced and that retrospective microchipping and fixed penalty notices are fundamental to achieving that,” he told H&H. “Most critically these proposals will give local authorities a simple mechanism to ensure owners respect the regulation.

“We look forward to hearing more about the proposals, including a timeline for implementation. We have been in an identification no-man’s land for too long and this new legislation cannot come into force quickly enough.”

Owners will be given a period of grace to comply with the regulations once they are laid before parliament.

For more on the extended microchipping requirements, and the civil sanctions for breaching the regulations, see the current H&H magazine, issue date 29 March.

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Leading industry figures have raised concerns that horse identification laws, which were due to be updated on 1 January 2016, have not yet been formally introduced by the government.

Defra has failed to implement domestic legislation that allows local authorities to enforce passport and identification rules, which means that owners cannot be prosecuted for failing to have the appropriate equine paperwork.

The Equine Sector Council said it is “immensely disappointed” that there will be no enforceable equine identification legislation in England for over 18 months, adding that it has “made its feelings clear” to Defra.

Roly Owers of World Horse Welfare, a member of the group added: “We cannot understand why an interim extension of the previous regulation could not have been put in place to cover this void.”

H&H has also received correspondence from concerned readers.

Mr Owers added: “It is imperative that the updated regulation will work in practice, be enforceable and be enforced. We will continue to work with Defra to try to reach this goal. Even if local authorities cannot take an owner to court for failing to have valid ID, it is still a legal obligation under EU law to have this ID in place once the EU law is implemented in the UK later next year.”

Many regulations still require a horse to be appropriately identified — such as those those going to an abattoir or competing in FEI events.

The regulations state that all horses born after 1 July 2009 have to be microchipped, so their records can be checked and updated and serve as a passport.

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A Defra spokesman told H&H that the EU regulation would be fully implemented by 2017 but did not explain the delay.

She added: “The new regulations provide an opportunity to make long-term improvements which is why we are working closely with the Equine Sector Council to develop the best possible equine ID regime in England.

“We will consult on options available for new domestic legislation in summer 2016. This will include the possibility of extending the requirement for microchipping to include older horses and tougher enforcement powers for local authorities.”

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A horse trader from north Staffordshire who used a registered vet’s details fraudulently to obtain passports to sell his animals has been ordered to pay more than £3,500 in compensation, writes Amy Mathieson.

Mark Allman, 54, of Madeley Heath Farm, Madeley, pleaded guilty to 11 counts of fraud at Stafford Crown Court on 15 October.

Allman used the registration details of Moorlands vet Ian Elkington and a business stamp from Mr Elkington’s practice, Moorlands Veterinary Centre in Leek, to obtain horse passports from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Allman was handed a two-year prison sentence — suspended for two years on each of the 11 offences — plus 200 hours unpaid community work, to be done in 12 months.

He was also ordered to pay £4,226 costs and compensation totalling £3,720.

The prosecution was brought by Staffordshire County Council’s Trading Standards animal health team, which was alerted when one of the victims tried to trace a horse they had bought.

The signature on the horse’s passport had apparently been signed by vet Ian Elkington, but further investigations revealed that Mr Elkington had been on holiday on the date the passport was signed, meaning he could not possibly have signed it.

“Mark Allman went to great lengths to obtain passports for the horses he sold, using the name of a reputable vet and even going to the lengths of getting a business stamp made,” said county councillor Gill Heath.

“Horses cannot be bought or sold without a passport by law, so by getting these passports, Mr Allman was able to sell a total of 10 horses and make an estimated £29,000.

“We are grateful that due to the vigilance of one buyer, we have been able to bring him to justice and alert the public to these issues.”

Ref: H&H 3/12/15

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Investigators who spent nearly a year on a horse passport fraud enquiry failed to interview the horse’s best-known former rider, it is alleged.

The FEI’s equestrian community integrity unit (ECIU) looked into claims that the registered Bavarian warmblood, Wily Earl (pictured), and the younger Belgian warmblood Golden Coin 4, were the same horse after complaints in January 2012.

That November an ECIU investigator told an interested party he had approached “many” people, but witnesses wished to remain anonymous.

But H&H has learned that Dressage At Hickstead supremo Dane Rawlins, who competed Wily Earl for two years, was not interviewed by the ECIU.

“The first I have heard of this is your call,” Dane told H&H. “I would have been happy to help — but was never asked.”

H&H sent Dane pictures of Golden Coin 4 with his current rider, Yuko Kitai of Japan.

Dane said: “Looks good. That’s him — or his twin.”

Mrs Kitai this week identified pics of Wily Earl as her Goldy.

Earlier this month the FEI revealed the collapse of the Marmoog horse-swap enquiry on a legal technicality.

But it also said “loopholes” had been exposed, and that a major review into FEI horse ID processes had been launched.

A chestnut called Wyatt Earp 25, a Bavarian by Weltrang L and born on 1 March 1995, was originally purchased for Dane by a sponsor. They legitimately renamed him Wily Earl and competed him internationally for two years. Dane part-exchanged him via Dutch and German dealers at the end of 2008. There is no FEI record of Wyatt Earp 25/Wily Earl competing ever again.

On 5 January 2009, FEI records show a change of ownership of a Belgian-bred 11-year-old called Golden Coin 4 to Japan, involving one of the same dealerships that handled Wily Earl. Unusually, his birthdate is 1 January 1998, and there is no pedigree or previous competition record.

The Belgian warmblood studbook also has no record of Golden Coin 4. Nine months later, Golden Coin 4 appeared in grand prix classes in Tokyo with Mrs Kitai. They participated in the Japanese championships earlier this month, of which a report on eurodressage.com references his unusual history.

The FEI declined to answer whether Dane had been approached by the ECIU. An FEI spokesman said: “This was reported to the ECIU in 2012. It was fully investigated at the time, and no action was taken.”

Ref: Horse & Hound; 18 December 2014

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A new Europe-wide equine database is to be introduced by 2016 to try and prevent a repeat of last year’s horsemeat scandal.

The European Union (EU) Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health announced the changes earlier this month (12 September), which means that every foal will have to be issued with a single passport and unique identification number before its first birthday.

Under the new regulations all horses born after 1 July 2009 will have to be microchipped so their records can be checked and updated and serve as a passport.

It will be compulsory for this information to be stored on a centralised database for all EU member states.

The regulation will apply from 1 January 2016. However, EU countries that do not already have a centralised database will have until 1 July 2016 to put one in place.

Currently 25 out of the 28 member states have a database, but the UK does not — following the closure of the National Equine Database in 2012 due to lack of government funding.

Last year’s horsemeat scandal highlighted the failure of current regulations, leading to the industry calling for a review of the “broken passport system”.

EU commissioner in charge of health Tonio Borg said: “As promised, this is another lesson drawn from last year’s horsemeat fraud: the rules endorsed by the member states will strengthen the horse passport system in place.

“I believe that closer co-operation will enhance the safeguards which prevent non-food quality horsemeat ending up on our plates.”

Equine charities welcomed the move, having been campaigning for tougher regulations to improve horse welfare (news, 16 January).

“Horses in the UK will especially benefit from these tougher laws as the UK’s system of equine identification could arguably be said to be one of the most complex, and abused, systems in Europe,” said World Horse Welfare’s Roly Owers.

Currently there are more than 75 passport issuing organisations, yet no central database in the UK.

“We have always been clear that a central database is a fundamental element in building a system that is more workable and enforceable, which can better protect our horses,” Mr Owers added.

Potential pitfalls

Although this move has been seen as a huge step forward, concerns have been raised as to whether these new rules can be effectively introduced and policed.

Two previous equine databases have already failed in the UK.

In 2001 the British Equine Database — which recorded data for sport horse breeding — closed after eight years when British Showjumping withdrew from the scheme.

The National Equine Database (NED) was launched in 2008 but folded in 2012 after Defra withdrew funding saying that it was “not effective”, a measure that was slammed by vets and welfare groups (news, 23 August 2012).

Industry professionals are also worried whether the new measures can be practically introduced.

H&H veterinary consultant Karen Coumbe said: “As an equine vet in practice, I still come across horses and ponies with no passports, as well as those with multiple passports and variable numbers of microchips, some of which are registered and some not.

“The current situation is a mess and I totally agree that every effort needs to be made to improve this. Unfortunately, realistically it is going to be an enormous challenge to do so.”

Equine charities have also warned that the new rules will only work if they can be enforced.

“The new regulations will help, but they alone will not solve the problem. A law is only effective if it is enforced, and this is especially true for identification,” said the Horse Trust’s Jeanette Allen, who is also a member of the Equine Sector Council, which has been campaigning for the tightening of regulations for years.

“The government must support better enforcement, which has been a low priority.”

The root of the problem

An independent government report into the horsemeat scandal by Professor Chris Elliott was published earlier this month (4 September) and stated that “urgent and comprehensive changes” to the way the UK food system is policed are needed to “protect consumers from serious organised crime”.

However, there is a fear that appropriate funds have not been allocated in order to achieve this.

“A lot will depend on what happens at the next election,” a source close to the enquiry told H&H.

“There is no money available so any action that the government takes will have to be paid for by taking money from another project.

“There is an appetite to deal with it but the government is hamstrung as they don’t have the money to pay for it.”

There is also concern from the industry that while supermarkets continue to drive down prices, due to consumer demand, food fraud is more likely to happen.

Much of the meat that was found to be contaminated during last year’s scandal was in low cost “value” products. One of the contaminated ready meal lasagnes cost just £1.60.

Low priced beef products are still available from all major supermarkets. Iceland sells eight British beef burgers for £1.50 while Asda’s cheapest 300g lasagne is 71p.

“There is no sign of the price war ending,” the source told H&H. “With Tesco’s recent drop in profits it is looking to make more and more price promises.

“Ultimately in order to achieve this they will have to take a hit on their margin or ask suppliers to pick up the tab.

“With margins being squeezed throughout the supply chain the temptation to cut corners is always going to be there.”

This news story was first published in H&H magazine on 25 September 2014

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OPINION

Among the thousands descending on Yorkshire ahead of the Tour de France grand départ this weekend, 200 were in to a different type of riding.

The young Yorkshire-based Mount St John dressage stud was holding its second open day to showcase this year’s mares and youngstock (pictured above, the stud’s grey Dimaggio competition mare Keystone Diaz with her embryo transfer foal and surrogate dam).

The line-up was impressive; breeders had flown in from Denmark, Germany and Holland, while others had driven down from Scotland or up from the Westcountry.What owner Emma Blundell has built in a short space of time – the business is only three years old – is also impressive.

Her vision was to use the best mares Europe has to offer and, while plenty of people have thought about doing it, Emma actually has the nouse, the drive and the cash to make it happen.

British dressage breeding has come on in leaps and bounds. Although Emma’s mare base is continental and she continues to use European stallions, she and other progressive breeders are producing a new wave of British sport horses capable of holding their own on the international stage.

She’s spent a lot on mare power — sometimes six-figures — but she’s been rewarded with exquisite foals that have attracted international buyers. Having previously sold a few foals abroad, this year representatives for Paul Schockemöhle came calling and have snapped up six colt foals as stallion prospects in partnership with Lone Bøegh Henriksen, owner of the superstar stallion Furstenball.

British team riders Emile Faurie and Michael Eilberg have bought from Emma, and this year World number one Charlotte Dujardin has acquired two colt foals (by Negro and Charmeur). What a boon it would be to have the whole British team riding British-bred horses. It could happen — though they aren’t likely to have British passports.

While what Emma is doing with the stud is exciting, slick and well thought through, it is a bit disheartening that it’s still preferential to register all the foals with foreign studbooks; usually Oldenburg, but this year also KWPN. I see why she does, but I wish there was a British studbook that was attractive enough to breeders that they would seek to register their top class foals with them, even when they are eligible for one of the big-hitting European studbooks.

Britain has five World Breeding Federation (WBFSH) approved studbooks; the Warmblood Breeders Studbook-UK (WBS), Scottish Sports Horse (SSH), Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain (SHB), the Anglo European Studbook (AES) and the British Hanoverian Horse Society (BHHS).

But until all these British passports afford as many opportunities as, for example, a KWPN passport, where’s the incentive for ambitious breeders using the best dressage bloodlines to register with British-based studbooks?

A (hypothetical) young British-bred colt from European lines with an Oldenburg passport can go to the BEF Futurity youngstock evaluations; he can be assessed (and overstamped) by WBS or another British-based book and licensed to breed. He can also be presented to his studbook of origin for grading. All doors are open to him, so where’s the advantage in giving that horse a British passport that could limit his entitlements?

As it stands, Germany and Holland will be taking credit for any of these British-bred horses registered abroad who compete at the World breeding championships for young horses in Verden. That doesn’t seem right, but there isn’t currently a magic wand. And the inescapable fact remains that buyers currently put a premium on foreign registered foals.

The answer probably lies in somehow persuading at least two of the best British studbooks to amalgamate, improve transparency and communication and, crucially, to start collecting and collating meaningful data on all horses forward for any sort of registration or assessment. And perhaps the BEF’s Futurity scheme could play its part here too.

The Hanoverians have tried a different tack and set up a daughter studbook in the BHHS. However, not all horses are eligible for entry and although BHHS horses and members can take advantage of the parent studbook’s organisation, grading and branding tours and expertise, the BHHS is not a stand-alone British entity.The UK’s current system is too fragmented to gain the momentum and communal power and impact that a larger, single, coherent organisation can.

The paperwork in Britain has not kept pace with the dressage foals now being bred here. Britain is not Germany; we aren’t breeding thousands upon thousands of dressage foals every year, but now that we have the best riders in the world in all three Olympic disciplines and it’d be nice to think there’s a studbook on the horizon capable of consolidating British breeders. It’s a pricey prospect and fraught with difficulty. Is there anyone brave out there with a spare million or two?

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The passport system looks set to be simplified after surveys found that current regulations are confusing vets and enforcement authorities as well as owners.

The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) commissioned a survey of 600 members in the wake of the horsemeat scandal earlier this year, which found that 84% found the regulations problematic to understand and 90% believed the system does not prevent unsuitable carcasses from entering the food chain.

BEVA is now pushing for legislative changes at national and European levels to make the system more workable, in conjunction with the Equine Sector Council for Health and Welfare, which also conducted surveys among 3,000 horse owners, 100 local authority enforcement agents, 600 veterinary surgeons, 54 passport issuing organisations and two abbatoirs.

“Understanding and compliance are poor across the entire equine sector,” said outgoing BEVA President, Keith Chandler.

World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers added: “The surveys are incontrovertible evidence that most parts of the system have failed to some degree. [They also] show what we need: a simple system for identifying equines that is easy to understand, comply with and enforce, and inspires public confidence.”

Targets include microchipping, a central database and cross-border communication.

H&H vet Karen Coumbe said she would “welcome a standardised system that worked more effectively”.

She added: “The vast number of passports and issuing organisations makes the system confusing, as each one is different. Another huge concern is the lack of a national database.”

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Should horse passports be held by the owner or kept at the place the horse is stabled? Obviously if your horses are at home this isn’t a problem, but for those stabled away from home, this is less straightforward.

According to Defra the passport should be with the horse at all times, so unless you are travelling, this means at the yard.

Lee Hackett from the British Horse Society says: “We understand some owners are worried about leaving the passport. However, remember it’s not a legal proof of ownership, but it is vital that a vet can access it.”

Passports are needed to ensure horses treated with certain medication don’t end up in the food chain and to stop stolen horses being sold on.

Essential for vets

Vets need to check a horse’s passport before it is treated. Any drugs should be recorded, unless the horse has been signed out of the food chain.

Once a passport has been checked initially, many vets keep records of passport details on file, but it is essential that the passport is there the first time the horse is examined.

H&H vet adviser Karen Coumbe stresses that having a passport to hand speeds up treatment.

“Being well organised and keeping your passport in a secure place on your yard will benefit your horse and save you time, hassle and money, while keeping within the law, too,” she says.

Julian Marczak, of Kings Barn Equestrian in West Sussex, keeps all passports, for both riding school horses and liveries, at the yard on the advice of his vet.

“Every passport is in the office, in case we have a sick horse who needs emergency treatment.”

The concerns

One owner admits to H&H that, although she keeps her passport at her current yard, in the past she has not been so trusting, preferring to leave it at home.

John Shenfield of the British Hanoverian Horse Society — a passport issuing organisation (PIO) — understands that people can be wary about parting with their passports.

“If you have a horse from the EU, it can be an expensive process to replace a lost passport,” he says. “But common sense says the passport should be near the horse.”

Karen adds that clients often keep a photocopy of the passport, which can be left in a safe place at home, while the original remains at the yard.

The full Ask H&H article about passports was first published in H&H magazine (27 June 2013)

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In the wake of the horse meat scandal, a survey has uncovered further evidence that the horse passport system needs a massive overhaul.

Eighty per cent of respondents believed the current system “does not fulfil its purpose”.

Nearly 4,000 people — including owners, vets, passport issuing offices, abattoirs and vets — completed the survey sent out by the Equine Sector Council for Health and Welfare.

The results show a “dramatic lack of confidence” in the system, said the group.

“This puts us in a much better position to show the scale of misunderstanding of the rules,” said sector council chairman Jeanette Allen. “We need to move forward now to create a simpler system and ensure that communication is improved.”

Last month a letter was sent out to the UK’s 75-plus passport issuing organisations (PIOs), outlining the Europe Commission’s plans for member states to implement a single PIO and central database (news, 9 May).

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound magazine (6 June 2013)

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Is the end in sight for the UK’s 75 passport issuing organisations (PIOs)?

In the wake of the horse meat scandal, plans to tackle the issue of horse passport fraud are under way. A single passport issuing organisation and a new central equine database may be in the pipeline.

The European Commission wants member states to make a national database mandatory. It also wants to transfer the responsibility for issuing passports to one “competent authority” in each country.

The aim is for the database and single PIO to be brought in by the end of the year.

But PIOs contacted by H&H say this would be a “nightmare” to implement.

All 75 PIOs recently received a letter from Defra, outlining the Commission’s plans. Defra says that “timescales are unclear”, but it is in favour of the proposals “in principle”.

“We agree there should be a centralised passport issuing office,” a Defra spokesman told H&H. “This is something we explored in 2010, but were restricted by EU legislation.”

Overhaul needed

Last year vets and welfare organisations were “concerned” when the National Equine Database (NED) folded (news, 24 August 2012) just four years after it was launched, due to lack of government funding.

NED held basic identification details and voluntary pedigree of over a million horses, but it had flaws as horses’ deaths were often unrecorded.

At a recent meeting between the Equine Sector Council for Health and Welfare — an umbrella group for the UK horse industry — and Defra, it was agreed an “overhaul of the system was desperately needed”.

Jeannette Allen, leader of the sector council, said it supports the new EU proposal.

“It’s an excellent step, but if new regulations are to be written in such a short time, we need to ensure they are as tight as they can be,” she said.

She added that passports will only need to include regulatory information — microchip numbers, silhouttes and owner details.

But John Shenfield from the British Hanoverian Horse Society thinks it will be a “slow process” and has concerns about the cost, especially with the earlier loss of NED.

“Defra failed to implement the policy [to issue all passports] before and would possibly fail again,” he said.

Janet George of the Irish Draught Horse Society added she thought a single PIO “could not and would not work”.

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound magazine (9 May 2013)

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Owners vets, passport issuing offices, auctioneers, dealers and enforcement agencies are all to be surveyed about the current passporting system.

Roly Owers of World Horse Welfare, a member of the industry group the Equine Welfare Sector Council, told H&H the group has compiled a list of questions, some generic, others tailored to specific groups, to go out later this week.

“We are not asking for recommendations for change, but we want to assess the understanding of passport regulations as a whole and how well people think they work,” he said.

“Most think the system is in disarray, so with this we will have hard evidence for Defra.”

He added there will be a short time frame, with no more than four weeks to complete the survey.

At the National Equine forum on 5 March, Secretary of State Owen Paterson agreed the passport system was “less than perfect”.

He added that he’d be pushing to make some changes within a few months.

“We will work together to introduce new quality standards for passports, making them more difficult to tamper with,” he confirmed.

Owners can complete the survey at: www.horsesurvey.co.uk/owners. Other groups will be contacted directly.

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound magazine (21 March 2013)

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A widespread review of the “broken” horse passport system is planned by government, horse groups and local authorities, following the discovery of horse meat in some “beef” products.

Secretary of State Owen Paterson called a meeting on 21 February, after it became apparent that failings in the UK horse passports system have allowed unsuitable horses into the human food chain.

Defra aims to repair the system with the Equine Sector Council for Health and Welfare — an umbrella group for the UK horse industry that includes representatives from the Thoroughbred Breeders Association, the British Equestrian Federation and the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA).

At the meeting, they agreed on the need to overhaul the system for horse identification, to take steps to restrict unnecessary movements of horses across borders and improve traceability. These steps will help to improve both food safety andhorse welfare.

“This was a very productive session,” said a Defra spokesman, who confirmed that a further meeting was planned within the next three weeks.

“We are pleased that the equine sector agreed on the need to tighten and investigate ways to improve the horse passport system.”

The UK has more than 75 PIOs (passport issuing organisations) and the standard of the service they offer is very variable. So says Jeanette Allen of the Horse Trust, who leads the steering committee of the Equine Sector Council.

It has been too easy for owners deliberately or unwittingly to obtain duplicate passports for horses, which the system has then been largely unable to detect.

And owners need to be targeted as part of the review, said World Horse Welfare’s Roly Owers.

Compliance with passport rules is poor, even among the responsible horse-owning public. Few remember to transport their horses with passports or to update information.

All drugs given to horses need to be recorded on their passports, unless an owner states on it that the horse is not to enter the food chain. But this does not always happen and random tests in recent years showed that 2-5% of horse carcasses tested positive for phenylbutazone (bute).

David Mountford of BEVA said: There are documents out there that are either out of date or missing vital parts, which makes it difficult for vets.

“Owners need to have their passport ready every time their horse is seen by the vet.

“For the system to work, it must have the understanding and confidence of horse owners, vets and the general public. We need to change the system, but we also need to re-establish its integrity with greater compliance and appropriate enforcement.”

This story was first published in Horse & Hound magazine (28 February 2013)

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Vets have been warned by the Government that they face fines of up to £5,000 if they fail to record that a horse has been given bute on its passport.

And owners who stockpile the drug and use it without a prescription are reminded that they are also breaking the law.

The warning comes in the wake of the horse meat in processed food scandal.

Last week the Food Standards Agency (FSA) found that some Findus frozen beef lasagne contained 100% horse meat.

In January it emerged that some beef burgers contained 29% horse meat.

These revelations have led to concerns that horses treated with bute could end up in the food chain. Just one dose of bute in a horse’s lifetime means it must not go for meat.

In a letter to vets, Defra’s chief veterinary officer Nigel Gibbens wrote: “A number of veterinary medicines commonly used for the treatment of horses, for example phenylbutazone [bute], if consumed, can be harmful to human health.

“Small numbers of horses [slaughtered for human consumption] are testing positively for the presence of phenylbutazone.”

The FSA will now test all meat from horses slaughtered in the UK for human consumption — around 8,500 a year.

Until now it has tested meat from just under 2% of horses. Eight horses that were tested in 2012 had been given bute.

British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) chairman Keith Chandler told H&H that his members were well aware of the rules surrounding bute.

But he felt that those vets who do not deal with horses regularly would benefit from the reminder.

He added that the problem of clients self-prescribing bute for their horses is widespread.

“Bute is a dangerous medicine and must not be distributed to your horses like aspirin, but only under a vet’s supervision,” he said.

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (14 February 2013)

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A gypsy cob dealer from Wales has appeared in court to answer horse passport charges.

Tom Price, of Glamorgan Horse Traders Ltd, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on 10 December, where he pleaded not guilty to 17 counts of failing to return equine identification documents.

A trial is due to take place at the same court on 29 April.

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A man from Northern Ireland has been convicted of illegally transporting horses into Scotland and causing the animals unnecessary suffering.

Laurence McAllister, 56, of Doag Road, Kells, County Antrim has been banned from transporting horses for three years and fined £13,500.

“We welcome this outcome, which is the culmination of months of work gathering intelligence on McAllister’s activities,” said Scottish SPCA’s Mike Flynn.

McAllister — who is currently serving a five-and-a-half-year prison sentence for drug offences — was found guilty of six charges yesterday (30 October) at Stranraer Sheriff Court.

They include causing horses unnecessary suffering by failing to provide veterinary care and adequate farriery and transporting horses without a passport.

He also pled guilty to possessing and importing veterinary prescription medicines.

On two occasions in May and June 2011 McAllister transported unfit horses and donkeys into Scotland from Northern Ireland via Stranraer.

Undercover Scottish SPCA officers seized10 horses, one foal and two donkeys on his second journey.

“All the animals we found were taken into Scottish SPCA care where they have been recovering from their ordeal. Some of the horses required veterinary treatment for a range of injuries and illnesses,” said Mr Flynn.

“Unfortunately a very young foal that was being transported with his mother had to be put to sleep despite having undergone lengthy specialist veterinary treatment.

“We will ensure that all the surviving animals will be found loving homes with responsible owners.”

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Drop-in events where horses are issued with passports and microchipped in an attempt to combat fly-grazing have been hailed a success by some welfare agencies.

But others are questioning their efficacy.

H&H reported in March that fly-grazing had become an “epidemic” in south Wales. In May, equine lawyers said they were receiving an increased number of calls on the issue.

Many of the animals are owned by travellers.

The British Horse Society (BHS) has been running microchipping and passporting sessions for about two years. Head of welfare Lee Hackett said they “definitely had an impact” on fly-grazing and abandonment, although he could not provide any statistics.

David Collier, chief rural affairs adviser at the National Farmers’ Union, has surveyed his members, who say that fly-grazing has worsened in the past three years.

“Whether it [a drop-in session] will reach the people who really need to be reached, I don’t know,” he said.

Nicola Markwell from the charity Redwings shared his reservations. She said the microchipping scheme relied on “responsible owners coming forward and those who fly-graze are not responsible”.

World Horse Welfare ran a session with Buckinghamshire County Council on 6 October, chipping around 40 horses.

The charity’s field officer Nick White said the events helped to discourage fly-grazing.

“They save police time identifying loose horses,” he added.

Equine lawyer Sarah Jordan of Clarke Willmott solicitors has proposed a more radical solution. She is calling for a change in the law to allow landowners to passport and sell dumped horses.

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (18 October 2012)

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A man from Essex has been fined £10,000 for illegally exporting horses to Holland.

James Harbour, 42, of Acacia Road, Basildon, admitted transporting horses through Harwich without correct documents.

Hundreds of animals were transported between August 2010 and February 2011.

On 29 June, Harbour pleaded guilty to a charge of transporting horses in an uninspected vehicle; two charges of having incomplete export licences; a charge of not having passports for six horses, and 14 charges of failing to get an export licence.

Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard that Harbour was trying to cut costs but was also illiterate, so could not fill out the forms.

Harbour denied a further 10 charges, which were dropped by prosecutors acting for Essex Trading Standards and Defra.

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (5 July 2012)

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Imagine checking your horses and finding 60 yearlings have been dumped in your field overnight.

That was the situation for a Welsh breeder and one many more people could face, say two equestrian law firms.

Sarah Jordan of Clarke Willmott solicitors in Southampton told H&H that, until six months ago, she would receive a couple of calls a month about abandoned horses. Now she gets the same number each week.

She wants the law changed to allow landowners to passport and sell dumped horses. Currently they find themselves in limbo – passports can only be applied for by the owner.

“There seems to be a loophole in the law and it’s allowing people to take advantage of land that does not belong to them,” she said.

One of her clients, who does not want to be named, has had a group of 21 gypsy-owned horses fly-grazing her Somerset land for 18 months.

“Our fences have been stolen, the barbed wire cut and the police tell us there is nothing they can do because it’s a civil matter,” she said.

Vets have refused to passport the animals because she does not own them.

Matthew Knight, of Knight’s Solicitors, Tunbridge Wells, also receives two or more calls a week, but in his area the horses are more likely to be dumped than to be illegally grazing.

He said: ” I think it’s a combination of the expense of passporting and microchipping a horse and the economic downturn.”

Both law firms work with specialist bailiffs who will take over the legalities of removing the horses, for a fee.

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (17 May 2012)

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The National Pony Society (NPS) has urged horse owners to familiarise themselves with passport legislation, after it was found that a show horse had two passports – in two names.

Shelly Pritchard and Barrie Jones of Carnsdale Show Horses bought DJP Royal Heir as a three-year-old and re-passported him as Carnsdale Showtime before selling him on.

But breeder Daniel Park realised what had happened and took it up with the NPS.

The second passport has now been revoked and the horse’s name reverted.

Mr Park told H&H: “You don’t make money as a breeder. He’s a lovely horse and I want him to carry my prefix, that’s my recognition.

“When I sold him he had a NPS passport, but when he was sold by Shelly it was with a Horse Passport Agency passport.”

NPS chief executive Peter Durrant said: “We would only change the name with the agreement of all parties. Owners have a responsibility to understand passport legislation.”

Ms Pritchard told H&H she often changed horses’ names to her prefix, but did not usually apply for a new passport. She said she was unaware that applying for a second passport was against legislation.

Ms Pritchard added: “I usually buy from Ireland and they are all microchipped, so I pay the Irish Horse Board to change the name.

“This was the only horse I bought in the UK this year and as it did not have a microchip I thought I could get it a new passport. I did not realise I was doing something wrong.”

The confusion came to light after the horse was sent to Jerome Harforth to produce. Mr Harforth recognised the breeding and contacted Mr Park.

“I was lucky,” added Mr Park. “Most breeders would not know it was their horse coming out under saddle as they’d last seen it as a foal.”

This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse and Hound (3 November, 2011)

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Thirty-four more travellers’ ponies have passports and microchips after a day-long welfare event in Harlow on 6 July.

The RSPCA, World Horse Welfare, Redwings, the Ada Cole Rescue Centre and the British Horse Society, joined forces with Harlow Council and veterinary drugs company Merial to target travellers’ horses in the Essex town.

Owners of horses tethered on common land at Latton Common, Harlow Common and Collins Meadow were invited to get their animals passported, wormed and microchipped and were advised how to ensure they complied with the Animal Welfare Act.

RSPCA inspector Stephen Reeves said: “The way the majority of owners tether and look after their horses here is acceptable.”

But of the 36 horses and ponies found in Harlow, only two had passports and one was chipped.

Claire Gordon, World Horse Welfare field officer for the area, said travellers’ ponies sometimes “slipped through the net”.

Harlow Council insists all horses on council land are chipped or wear a tag so owners can be identified. It hopes to repeat the scheme.

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A decision to extend the National Equine Database’s (NED) contract until September 2012 has been welcomed by passport issuing organisations (PIOs).

Defra and PIOs will have more time to discuss what to do with the system when the government stops funding the database.

An umbrella group for PIOs — the Passport Industries Group — was set up in March after Defra threatened to take passport issuing away from breed societies (news, 20 January).

Stephanie Evans of the group said: “We need to ensure that we keep a pedigree database and the funding for breed societies that currently comes from passport issuing. We shall meet Defra next month to discuss the way forward.”

A spokesman for Defra said: “This extension will enable us to undertake a thorough review of the government’s requirements in respect of horse passports.”

It plans a consultation on horse passports with the industry before putting the database out to tender.

A spokesman for NED said: “The extended funding means we shall still be in business and able to respond to this tender.”

NED chairman Graham Suggett has now retired after three years at the helm.

This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound (14 July, 2011)

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A shocking report commissioned by the Welsh Assembly has uncovered “significant welfare problems” in the UK horse industry.

It demonstrates how ill-equipped we are to fight an outbreak of serious disease and has been hailed as a blueprint for change.

The three-year project looked closely at the horse population across three counties and highlights concerns in all aspects of horse care — from breeding and stabling to feeding, passports and import and export.

Graham Capper of Wrexham Council’s trading standards team led the study, which ended in March, and found that while there is much responsible horse husbandry, parts of the horse industry are corrupt or negligent.

A roadmap for the equestrian industry

The report was described as “a roadmap for the horse industry” by Nic de Brauwere, chairman of the National Equine Welfare Council.

“The problems highlighted in Wales are common across the UK,” he said.

“There will be no surprises to those involved in horse welfare, but now we have figures and proof.”

The results will be reviewed by the Welsh government and Mr Capper is also presenting the findings to Defra.

Project officer Sarah Lee visited every horse property and venture she could find in Wrexham, Flintshire and Denbighshire, from racing yards and studs, to DIY liveries and even feed merchants.

Appalling breeding practices

Ms Lee assessed that “very high numbers of poor quality equines” are being produced.

Thirty-four per cent of the 101 breeding stallions she saw had poor conformation, as did 5% of broodmares.

Similar numbers were too aggressive or anxious to make good breeding stock.

Welfare standards were poor at 31% of breeding establishments, with inadequate fencing, grazing strewn with poisonous plants and safety hazards and no separation of stallions, mares, foals and youngsters.

Most transporters ‘illegal’

The researcher worked with North Wales police and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) to stop vehicles on roads across the area, including those coming from or to the port of Holyhead.

Of 60 vehicles inspected, only eight complied with transportation legislation.

And although nearly 62% of 1,384 horses checked complied with the passport regulations, 12.41% had no passport, 7.14% were registered to a previous owner and others appeared to be for another animal.

The Welsh Assembly government had been dissolved as H&H went to press, following elections on 5 May, but a spokesman said: “The project findings will be considered before recommendations are drawn up and put before the new government.”

This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound (12 May, 2011)

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Horse owners are being reminded to check their equine passports are valid — or face prosecution.

The warning comes after a dealer in the north-east was slapped with a fine after importing three horses into the UK with the wrong passports.

John Graham of Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, pleaded guilty to bringing three horses over from Holland without valid passports when appearing before South East Northumberland magistrates.

He was fined £250 and ordered to pay £720 costs.

Mr Graham, who owns Lintonville Stables at Ashington, bought six horses from a Dutch dealer in 2010. But three passports were for different animals and one of the non- passported horses was discovered to have equine infectious anaemia (swamp fever).

This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound (28 April, 2011)

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Passport issuing organisations (PIOs) are to present proposals for the future of passports to Defra following an about-turn.

Representatives from all the UK’s 70-plus PIOs met on 31 March and have formed a steering committee to identify the issues raised by uncertainty over their future.

Stephanie Evans of the British Driving Society said: “The meeting was very positive. We are all united to ensure we get the best possible result for breed societies, Defra and the UK’s horses.”

In January, Defra announced plans to reduce the number of PIOs in the UK from the current large number to one, which would also be responsible for a National Equine Database (NED).

This would mean Defra no longer paid for the NED.

The announcement caused a furore (news, 20 January), but the plan was retracted by Defra just eight weeks later (news, 17 March).

John Shenfield of the British Hanoverian Horse Society said: “The gut feeling of PIOs is that we must continue to have a national equine database. If there were a disease outbreak we need to know where horses are to allocate resources.”

PIOs were asked to send their views to the steering committee. These will then be discussed with Defra.

For more up-to-date news, see the current issue of Horse & Hound (28 April, 2011)

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A former police officer has been found guilty of nine horse passport offences and two cruelty charges, by Wrexham magistrates sitting in Mold.

Horse dealer Peter Kenneth Jones, of Plas Power Stables, Bersham near Wrexham denied 12 charges brought by Wrexham Trading Standards, but admitted selling a horse without a passport.

He was found guilty on 11 counts in a three-day trial that ended on 30 March and must pay £6,000 in costs and fines.

Mr Jones, who imports horses from the Irish Republic, also sold two horses with the wrong passports, bought a horse without a passport and failed to notify the passport issuing body within 30 days of a buying a horse.

Other offences he was found guilty of included failing to treat a gelding with a jaw absess and severely overgrown hooves, that also had strangles and causing suffering to mare that had open and infected wounds on her fetlock.

He is the first person to be charged with failing to isolate a horse with strangles, under sec 9 of the Animal Welfare Act, but was not convicted.

This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound (7 April, 2011)

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Defra has abandoned its controversial plan to create one single passport issuing organisation (PIO), which would have deprived many breed societies of vital income, but was supported by charities.

Agriculture Minister Jim Paice announced the U-turn at the British horse industry’s annual meeting, the National Equine Forum, last Tuesday (8 March), to audible gasps from the room.

Mr Paice acknowledged that tendering passport issuing to a single agency, which would also have run the National Equine Database (news, 20 January), had created a furore among breed societies.

But he warned them: “We have dropped that idea [of a single PIO], but it does not mean that the issue has gone away. I cannot say you have won. We still have to talk around this issue.”

In a letter to PIOs dated 8 March, Defra head of horse identification Donna Yates confirmed that the British Equestrian Federation’s (BEF) contract to run the NED will be extended by up to 18 months while new proposals are drawn up.

“The equine industry will be involved in the development work and we will be in contact with more details shortly,” she added.

The decision puts NED in limbo as it had planned to apply to be the single PIO and continue to run the database.

“[The future] is completely uncertain and that’s not a comfortable position,” said NED chief executive Nick Wallbridge.

A Defra spokesman added: “We’re not committed to any particular proposal at this stage. It’s too early to speculate about how passports may be issued and how information is collected and stored in the future.”

The breeding community is holding a meeting on 31 March at the NEC Birmingham to discuss the situation.

John Shenfield of the British Hanoverian Society said: “We have mixed feelings about this. Defra’s plan was not going to work, but the National Equine Database should be a function of the stud books, not the BEF [as it is currently]. We shall have to wait and see what happens.”

And Catherine Burdock of Sport Horse Breeding (GB) said: “There is a lot that needs to be done by Defra on this subject — passports are not being enforced.”

Charities are sorry the passport issue is on hold.

World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers said: “We had cautiously welcomed the change to the system. The reputation of passports could not be lower — people see them as bureaucratic nonsense — but they could be a very important tool against disease.

“The current system does not work and while the breed societies do very good work, it is not credible for us to carry on with 84 PIOs. The system was not set up to be an income stream for the breed societies.”

Horse Trust chief executive Jeanette Allen said she was “very disappointed” that Defra was not going ahead with the plans for a single PIO.

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (17 March, 2011)

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The Pleasure Horse Society (PHS) has transferred the maintenance of its passports to the Horse Passport Agency.

The deal, which was approved by Defra, means that the Horse Passport Agency (HPA) is now responsible for more than 208,000 horse passports.

HPA director Andrew Davis said: “We look forward to working with PHS customers.”

The PHS appears to have closed down on 24 December. When H&H tried to contact it, via website and phone, we were redirected to the HPA.

If you have a PHS passport visit: www.horsepassportagency.co.uk.

This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound (27 January, 2011)

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H&H can exclusively reveal that Defra plans to cut the UK’s 80 passport issuing organisations (PIOs) to one in a bid to slash Defra’s costs.

Funding to the National Equine Database (NED) would also be cut.

A meeting will be held on Monday (24 January) to explain the changes to PIOs.

Breed societies that currently issue passports say the plan has been sprung on them without consultation.

Irish Draught Horse Society trustee Janet George told H&H: “We know very little of how this will work or what the transition arrangements and costs will be.

“But we have been given less than two weeks’ notice of the meeting in London and will be required to provide written responses by the end of January. It is an obscenely short period.”

In a letter to PIOs, dated 12 January, Defra head of equine ID Donna Yates wrote: “As there is no legal requirement for the UK to maintain a central horse database, we must consider whether the government should continue to fund such a service in the current economic climate.”

She said the government intends to create a “single equine identification organisation” to issue and amend passports and manage a central horse database, at no expense to the taxpayer.

John Shenfield, of the British Hanoverian Horse Society, said: “Breed organisations will be virtually penniless if they take passports away.

“Defra says breed societies will continue to run stud books and pedigree databases, but how are they going to fund that? Societies will not do this for nothing.”

The news also came as a shock to NED Ltd, the British Equestrian Federation body that runs the current national horse database. They learnt about the changes last week.

Defra will start to invite tenders at the end of the month and the new body will operate from October if approved.

This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound (20 January, 2011)

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Stricter enforcement of passports, transport regulations and a halt to the trade in low-value animals are the only ways to stop exotic diseases infecting the British equine population, say leading vets, scientists and animal welfare experts.

This week, Defra confirmed to H&H that the horse destroyed after testing positive for equine infectious anaemia (EIA or swamp fever) in Devon had the disease before it was imported from Belgium in 2008.

But beyond that a Defra spokesman said the horse’s history is “unreliable”, because the Belgian organisation that issued its passport has been struck off for “irregularities”.

“Belgian authorities are investigating,” said the Defra spokesman, “but the horse may have originated from Romania.”

While the news is what most have expected, experts say confirmation that a horse that was infected, but not showing signs, has been in the country for two years is “another wake-up call”.

Professor Tim Morris, director of welfare at the British Horseracing Association and current chairman of the British Horse Industry Confederation, said it is a “huge concern”.

“It is normal for a horse with EIA to be perfectly healthy for some time,” he said. “So who knows whether it’s spread over that time.”

He said the chance that other horses infected with EIA are in Britain cannot be ruled out.

“Inappropriate health controls have been happening for some time,” he said. “We need to close the door to free movement — and there needs to be better enforcement of regulations.”

Animal Health Trust disease expert Richard Newton said the case can be “put into a measured perspective” by understanding that transmission from “subclinical cases” is relatively difficult.

But he too said screening for diseases needs to be improved, especially in European imports.

“The low-value animal trade is a particular Achilles heel for us,” he added.

Stopping the spread of disease was the core message at World Horse Welfare’s annual conference in London two weeks ago.

Chief executive Roly Owers told H&H that the trade in low-value animals in Britain is increasing.

“While people continue to buy these horses, the dealers will keep bringing them in,” he said.

“And if they come through France [under the Tripartite Agreement], we don’t have a clue where they’ve come from.”

Inadequate and forged passports are also to blame, said Wrexham Borough Council animal health and welfare officer Graham Capper.

Speaking at the World Horse Welfare conference, he said nearly a quarter of horses on vehicles stopped at ports in North Wales between 2008 and 2009 did not have passports.

Out of around 400 horses, 100 had no passport, 32 were registered to the wrong owner and 341 passports showed no record of what drugs the horse had been given, nor whether the horse was signed in or out of the food chain.

“The whole issue of passports is in disarray,” he said. “We are losing the history of these horses.”

Two horses on the yard where the EIA-infected horse was put down in Devon, and two donkeys on neighbouring premises, remain under surveillance. All will be retested next month.

Horses at the yard in Northumberland where a horse with EIA was destroyed on 7 September will be retested early in December before movement restrictions can be lifted.

A Defra spokesman said there were no plans to tighten the Tripartite Agreement, allowing free movement of horses between Ireland, Britain and France, but added: “We have increased post-import surveillance on consignments of more than four horses from the Continent.”

This article was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound, 25 November ’10

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