Passports for show ponies

All foals and yearlings must have a breed passport to be registered with Ponies (UK) from 1 January, 2001.

Announced at the recent AGM, the move will mean animals under four years old without the relevant paperwork will not be eligible for Ponies (UK) registration by 2005.

Ponies (UK) chairman, Davina Whiteman explained: “This rule is designed to protect the breeder. We all know that if our good, sound bloodlines are lost, then the effect on our ponies, which are the envy of the world will be disastrous.”

Ultimately the aim is for every pony will have a passport proving its identity and breeding.

John Careless, chairman of the National Pony Society commented: “I think this is a brilliant idea. It will discourage indiscriminate breeding and also make people all along the line take care of a pony’s paperwork. At the moment, papers are lost all too often.”

Carol Phillips

H&H website editor

Carol is an experienced journalist and editor, who is also a passionate amateur rider and dedicated horse owner, having ridden since childhood. She has a particular interest in the emotional well-being and ethical training of horses, alongside veterinary matters, having garnered extensive first-hand experience of numerous equine health conditions through more than 30 years of horse ownership.