These notes were prepared to help you comply with the law regarding your Icelandic horse’s passport.  For more detailed instructions on studbook procedures, including how to apply for a passport for your Icelandic foal (passport applications to be received within 6 months of birth or by the 30th November of the year of birth, whichever is the later), please see the Studbook “How To” Guide.

Note regarding SIHA passports:  SIHA (Scottish Icelandic Horse Association) stopped functioning in 2009, and all old SIHA passports are now managed by the IHSGB.  If your horse has an old SIHA passport, please simply follow the instructions in the Studbook “How To” Guide for registering a transfer of ownership, death etc.

Note regarding horse passports without “human consumption” section (medicinal treatment): Under the current law, a horse passport is only legally valid if it contains a section where the horse can be declared as “not intended for human consumption”. To cover the possibility that there might still be a few old horse passports in circulation which do not contain this section, please check your horse’s passport to ensure that this section is present. If your horse’s passport does not contain this section, it is not legally valid; in that case please contact the Studbook Registrar.

General points

A horse passport proves a horse’s identity, and helps to make sure that horses which have been treated with certain medicines don’t end up in the human food chain.

The passport should accompany your horse at all times except when the horse is in a stable, grazing in a field, or being moved by foot, and the passport can be produced by you without delay. You can take your horse for short rides without bringing the passport.

You need to keep at least the following details in the passport up to date and correct at all times: ownership, eligibility for slaughter for human consumption, and the microchip code.

More information can be found on GOV.UK at www.gov.uk/horse-passport/overview.

Change of ownership

If a change of ownership takes place, the seller must give the passport to the buyer at the time of sale.  The buyer must notify the IHSGB within 30 days of the sale by sending in the passport, together with the relevant form and the appropriate fee.  More information can be found in the Studbook “How To” Guide.

Death of a horse

If your horse dies, you must return the passport to the IHSGB within 30 days of the death of the horse.  The rescinded passport can be sent back to you, marked as “Invalid”, if you request it at the same time.  More information can be found in the Studbook “How To” Guide.

Change of name or address

If you change your name or permanent address, the horse passport must be forwarded to the IHSGB to be updated within 30 days of the change, together with the relevant form and the appropriate fee.  More information can be found in the Studbook “How To” Guide.

Signing out of human food chain

If a horse has received medications which are not permitted for animals intended for slaughter for human consumption, you must inform the IHSGB within 14 days from the date of signature in the human consumption status section of the passport. In those cases, where the human consumption status section of the passport has been signed by both the owner/keeper and the vet, it is acceptable for the owner to email a scan/photo of the signed out page. If a horse has been signed out of the human food chain by the owner’s signature only (i.e. without a countersignature from the vet), the physical passport should be sent in to the IHSGB and the IHSGB will endorse the owner’s signature; this should be done within 30 days of the change occurring. More information can be found in the Studbook “How To” Guide.

Microchip

Since 1 October 2018, it is a legal requirement for all horses to have a microchip. For older horses born before 30 June 2009 which do not have a microchip, owners have until 1 October 2020 to get their horse microchipped. From 1 October 2020, non-compliance will be an offence. If your horse in not microchipped yet, you will need to have your horse microchipped before 1 October 2020. Once your horse is microchipped, please email a scanned copy of the passport page with the microchip barcode and the vet’s stamp/signature to the IHSGB within 30 days. If your horse has a microchip but you are unsure whether their microchip is linked to their passport, please contact the IHSGB. More information can be found in the Studbook “How To” Guide.

Contact details IHSGB Studbook Registrar:

Freija Glansdorp, IHSGB Studbook Registrar, Sunny Lawn, Tweentown, Cheddar, BS27 3JE.     Email: studbook@ihsgb.co.uk     Tel: 07855248575