| There are so many horses out there; some with | | | | many more do not. Even when horses are registered |
| papers, some without. When you look them over, it is | | | | it is not uncommon for the papers to be lost, or remain |
| impossible to tell at a glance which ones are in fact | | | | behind with old owners who for one reason or another |
| papered, and which are not. Indeed, as many horse | | | | choose to retain them. |
| people love to say, it is not the papers that you ride, it | | | | So, what makes the cost of registration worthwhile? |
| is the horse. So why is it so important to register? | | | | If you have ever gone shopping for a horse, you have |
| In an ideal world all horses would receive registration | | | | probably noticed that you are more likely to look at a |
| papers when they were foaled. Having papers allows | | | | horse that has papers than one that does not. If you |
| horses to be traced and identified. It keeps them from | | | | are selling a horse, having one with papers can often |
| being lost without any way of knowing who bought | | | | make the difference between a sale and being stuck |
| them, or where they have gone. | | | | with the horse for many more months. |
| If all horses had papers, everyone would expect to | | | | Registered horses generally sell for more money than |
| receive papers when they buy a horse. If keeping | | | | unregistered horses. They tend to be bought by more |
| papers up to date with current ownerships were | | | | serious horse people, and have a better chance than |
| mandatory, it would be possible to trace any horse to | | | | grades of avoiding the meat truck. Even horse |
| its current owner, and keep track of everywhere it | | | | rescues are more inclined to rescue a registered horse |
| has been. No longer would name changes and | | | | than a similar grade one, knowing that the registered |
| "accidental" losses of papers trouble breeders when | | | | animal has a better chance of finding an adoptive |
| tracking their youngstock. All horses would be | | | | home. |
| traceable in a single database. | | | | Of course, there are other advantages of registration. |
| In the food industry any animals used for human | | | | Many breed registries hold shows that are only open |
| consumption must be registered or marked so that | | | | to horses registered with them. Others have incentive |
| they can be traced. For the same reason it has been | | | | programs where you can earn rewards for successful |
| proposed that horses be given life numbers that would | | | | performance records. If you are advertising your horse |
| mark them permanently, should they make their way | | | | for sale, some registries have special classifieds |
| into the meat market. While such a system makes | | | | sections just for animals registered with their group. |
| sense for the meat industry, a universal registration | | | | Having papers makes even a plain horse seem to be |
| system for horses could greatly benefit the horse | | | | worth more. If your foal is able to be registered, it is |
| industry itself. | | | | worth spending the few dollars it takes to get his |
| Unfortunately at present registration does not work | | | | papers. Those papers might just save his life some |
| this way. While some horses become registered, | | | | day. |