The Studbook “How To” Guide tells you how to register any changes with the studbook, such as transfers of ownership, imports, or foal registrations. If any questions remain, please get in touch with the Studbook Registrar, Freija Glansdorp using this contact form.

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.

Introduction

This guide has been produced to help members understand the important procedures that need to be followed to ensure the accuracy of the data in our studbook. These procedures are compliant with the EU and UK legislation on Horse Registration and Identification, and they are also compliant with the requirements of FEIF (the international umbrella organisation for Icelandic horse societies). Without these processes we would quickly lose the necessary traceability of our horses back to Iceland, and the proof of being pure- bred.

1. Transfer of ownership within the UK

Seller

Buyer – WITHIN 30 DAYS:

  • Sign bottom half of form.
  • Send form AND the passport AND £20 (members) or £40 (non-members) payable to IHSGB Ltd to the Studbook Registrar.

2. Death of a horse

WITHIN 30 DAYS:

Return the horse’s passport to the Studbook Registrar, including a note with the date of death. The rescinded passport can be sent back to you, marked as “Invalid”, if you request it at the same time. There is no charge for this service.

3. Import of a horse into the UK

WITHIN 30 DAYS:

  • Download Import of an Icelandic horse form from the website.
  • Complete import form and send it AND the passport AND evidence of sale / transfer of ownership (if a transfer of ownership has occurred) AND £20 (members) or £40 (non-members) payable to IHSGB Ltd to the Studbook Registrar.

4. Export of a horse from the UK

  • When a horse is permanently exported from the UK, the owner should notify the Studbook Registrar of the export.  The Studbook Registrar will record the movement of the horse in the WorldFengur database.
  • The new owner in the receiving country will need to register the import and transfer of ownership in their country.  If they are unsure of the procedure in their country, they can check the list of WorldFengur registrars on the FEIF website and contact the registrar for their country for further information.

5. Change of name or address

If you change your name or permanent address, the horse passport should be forwarded to the Studbook Registrar to be updated WITHIN 30 DAYS.  Download the Change of name and/or address form from the website. Send the form AND the passport AND £10 (non-members) payable to IHSGB Ltd to the Studbook Registrar. For members this service is free of charge.

6. Updating human consumption status

If a horse has received medications which are not permitted for animals intended for slaughter for human consumption, the owner/keeper must inform the Studbook Registrar 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 to the Studbook Registrar at studbook@ihsgb.co.uk.

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 Studbook Registrar and the IHSGB will endorse the owner’s signature; this should be done WITHIN 30 DAYS of the change occurring.

7. 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 is not microchipped yet, you will need to have your horse microchipped before 1 October 2020. We would suggest you have you horse microchipped as part of your horse’s routine vet visit. 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 Studbook Registrar WITHIN 30 DAYS at studbook@ihsgb.co.uk.

If your horse is already microchipped, but was microchipped after its passport had been issued, the IHSGB may not be aware of the microchip number and hence the microchip may not be linked to the passport. In that case, we will need to be made aware of the microchip number and update our database accordingly: please email a scanned copy of the passport page with the microchip barcode to the Studbook Registrar at studbook@ihsgb.co.uk.

If your horse has a microchip but you are unsure whether their microchip is linked to their passport, please contact the Studbook Registrar at studbook@ihsgb.co.uk.

8. Castration

If your horse has been castrated, we will need to be made aware of this and the passport needs to be updated, as well as our database. The castration can be recorded in the passport by your vet; for passports issued after 1 January 2016 this should be done in Section I Part C.

If the castration has been recorded in the passport by the vet with the vet’s stamp/signature, it is acceptable for the owner to email a scan/photo of the relevant page to the Studbook Registrar at studbook@ihsgb.co.uk.

If the vet has not indicated the castration in the passport, the physical passport should be sent in to the Studbook Registrar together with evidence of the castration from the vet, and we can update the passport. There is no charge for this service. The evidence of the castration from the vet can for example be a letter from the vet confirming that the horse is gelded, a receipt from the vet for a castration operation, or other documentation where the vet has confirmed that the horse is a gelding and signed the document, e.g. for a vetting.

9. Updating colour

Since horse passports are issued before a horse reaches maturity, this can result in the registered colour becoming incorrect over time. In that case, request a letter from your vet confirming any colour changes and send it to the Studbook Registrar together with your horse’s passport. We will then be able to update our database as well as adding additional details to the passport. For any passports issued after 1 January 2016 this will be in Section I Part C. Any updates to a passport must be endorsed and dated with our official stamp. There is no charge for this service.

10. Requirements for stallions

If you have a registered entire male horse that is at least 2 years old, you will be sent a Stallion Serving Record. If you have not received a record by end October please download it from the website or contact the Studbook Registrar.

BY THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR:

  • Return the Stallion Serving Record to the Studbook Registrar – even if the horse has not served any mares. You will also see a section asking you to confirm that the horse is entire or gelded. Please include all servings even if you believe that the serving did not result in conception. The date of foaling of any resulting foals must align with a Stallion Serving Record supplied in the previous year by the stallion owner. Failure to comply with all conditions will render a requirement for proof of parentage of the foal by DNA analysis.
  • Stallion Veterinary Certificate (available from the website or from the Studbook Registrar) issued by a Veterinary Surgeon qualified to practice in the United Kingdom must be lodged with the IHSGB Studbook Registrar. This must certify that the stallion does not suffer from any congenital defect, which is likely to affect the performance by that horse of basic functions such as sight, mastication, support, locomotion and reproduction. This should be completed prior to first covering and must be submitted not later than the end of the calendar year in which the stallion first serves any mares.
  • All stallions born in the year 2003 and thereafter must have proof of parentage by three-way DNA analysis. DNA needs to be tested for the stallion, its father and its mother, after which the lab can compare the three DNA profiles to each other to confirm the parentage. To establish a three-way DNA proof of parentage, contact the DNA Registrar to check which DNA samples are already on file and which DNA tests have already been done. The DNA registrar will then contact you to explain which DNA samples and tests are still required to establish the proof of parentage. DNA tests cost £55 per sample. This should be completed not later than the end of the calendar year in which the stallion first serves any mares.

Note: All stallions presented at FEIF International Breeding Assessments must have full proof of parentage, not just a completed DNA profile. In addition all stallions are required to have full hock X-rays taken and assessed by a person or laboratory approved by IHSGB, prior to assessment.

11. Registration of a foal & issue of IHSGB passport

As mentioned under section 5 above, the Stallion Owner must return the Stallion Serving Record to the Studbook Registrar by the end of the year in which the serving took place.

When a foal is born the Mare Owner must notify the Studbook Registrar in accordance with the requirements below within 6 months of the foal’s birth or by the 30th November of the year of birth, whichever is the later. The date of foaling must align with a Stallion Serving Record supplied in the previous year by the stallion owner. Failure to comply with all conditions will render a requirement for proof of parentage of the foal by DNA analysis.

The Stallion Owner must give the Mare Owner an Application form for foal registration & issue of passport. The Stallion Owner completes and signs Part One (the top bit) to certify the serving and the date of serving. The form can be downloaded from the website or obtained from the Studbook Registrar.

The Mare Owner will be sent a bag for a hair DNA sample from the foal (and an additional bag for the mother if not previously collected). Please contact the Studbook Registrar if you have not received any DNA sample bags by end October.

If the serving took place outside the UK, in the absence of a Stallion Serving Record from the previous year to match up with the foaling, please (i) provide the Studbook Registrar with any available evidence of the serving taking place, (ii) fill in Part One of the Application form for foal registration as far as possible, and (iii) follow further instructions as set out below for the mare owner.

MARE OWNER:

WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF BIRTH OR BY THE 30TH NOVEMBER OF THE YEAR OF BIRTH, WHICHEVER IS THE LATER:

  • Fill in the remainder of the Application form for foal registration & issue of passport (Part Two).
  • Arrange for A VET to fill in the horse registration description page (Part Three) and microchip the foal. The description page must have a minimum of 3 whorls plus any significant marking, such as a star, and any colour variations e.g. skewbald.
  • Ask the VET to put a barcode of the microchip on the description page; obtain a spare barcode to send to the Studbook Registrar for the passport.
  • Ask the VET to take the hair from the foal and place in the DNA sample bag. If we do not yet hold a DNA sample for the mother, please ask the vet to take a hair sample from the mother as well and place in a separate bag. The VET must sign the sample bag(s) as evidence of identity.
  • Send the completed Application form for foal registration & issue of passport AND the DNA Sample bag(s) AND the spare barcode AND the appropriate fee to the Studbook Registrar.
  • Fees – cheques payable to IHSGB Ltd:

Standard feesDiscounted fees for IHSGB members
Foal Registrations & Issue of Passport
Both parents FIZO conformation assessed at 8.0 or more£60£30
Both parents FIZO conformation assessed at 7.5 or more£80£40
One parent FIZO conformation assessed at 7.5 or more£100£50
Neither parent FIZO conformation assessed at 7.5 or more£120£60
Late registration charge£50
Duplicate Passport£120£60
Transfer of Ownership£40£20
Registration on Import (with or without transfer of ownership)£40£20
Change of address / name in passport£10FOC
DNA analysis per sample (or at cost if higher)£55

  • Under current horse passport laws, owners are required to ensure that completed passport applications are received by the deadline of within 6 months of birth or by 30th November of the year of birth, whichever is the later.

Please Note:

If the above requirements are not met on time, i.e. WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF BIRTH OR BY THE 30TH NOVEMBER OF THE YEAR OF BIRTH, WHICHEVER IS THE LATER, an additional late fee of £50 will be charged per foal at registration.

If the passport is issued later than 12 months from birth it will be issued and marked as a “Duplicate” and the IHSGB will have to stamp the passport that the horse is not intended for slaughter for human consumption , as required by current horse passport laws.

An IHSGB passport will be issued within 20 working days, unless the Studbook Registrar makes contact with regard to any problem.

12. Registering a stud name

The Rules regarding the format and appropriateness of stud names are detailed in the Studbook Rules. New stud names are allocated by the Studbook Registrar. Check first that the name that you would like is available.

13. Lost or damaged passport

A duplicate passport can be obtained from the IHSGB, if the original passport is lost or damaged.  Before a duplicate passport can be issued, the owner will need to sign a declaration confirming that the original passport is indeed lost, the horse must be microchipped, and a vet will have to fill in a new identification description of the horse.  Please contact the Studbook Registrar for further details and a copy of the appropriate form.  For Icelandic horses born in GB, the cost is £60 for members or £120 for non-members; please contact the Studbook Registrar regarding the cost in other cases.

The IHSGB will have to stamp a duplicate passport to declare that the horse is not intended for slaughter for human consumption.

Complaints and appeals procedure

We hope that you will be happy with any studbook work we do for you and with the way you are treated. Please keep in mind that we are all volunteers doing this work in our limited (we all have horses too) spare time!

However, if you did wish to make a formal complaint regarding a studbook issue which cannot be resolved with the Studbook Registrar and/or the DNA Registrar, it is possible to submit a written complaint to the Breeding Team. The Breeding Team can be contacted as set out on the Contact the Breeding Team page. Written acknowledgement of receipt of the complaint will be provided by return. Written confirmation of how the complaint is to be dealt with will be provided within 15 days. Written confirmation of the outcome will be provided, including the procedure for appeal.

If you are still dissatisfied after following the complaints procedure before the Breeding Team, it is possible to appeal to the Board of Trustees. The Trustees can be contacted as set out on the Trustees page. Written acknowledgement of receipt of the appeal will be provided by return. Written confirmation of how the appeal is to be dealt with will be provided within 15 days. Written confirmation of the outcome will be provided.

Contact details IHSGB Studbook Registrar:

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

Contact details IHSGB DNA Registrar:

Christine Driver, IHSGB DNA Registrar, Badger Lodge Farm, Meadow Head Lane, Darwen, Lancs, BB3 0LQ.     Email: chrisicelandic@gmail.com