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Discovering details about a horse's bloodline holds immense value and intrigue. Genetic data offers insights into the horse's characteristics and serves as a means to identify hereditary conditions. Moreover, uncovering information about the horse's ancestors can unveil surprising connections; your horse might boast lineage tracing back to the legendary Seabiscuit! Today, a plethora of online resources exists for delving into your horse's bloodline. However, if modern methods fail, you can always resort to traditional approaches.
Steps
Utilizing an All Breed Pedigree Query
Head to the All Breed Pedigree website. Allbreedpedigree.com stands as an invaluable online platform for horse owners eager to explore their horse's lineage. This segment elucidates the process of conducting a pedigree query using this platform.
Input the registered name of your horse in the designated area. The official name of your horse should be indicated in the documents provided upon purchase or registration. Type this name into the search bar, ensuring accuracy in spelling according to the records.
Review the search results pertaining to your horse. If there is a single horse matching the name entered, the website will automatically direct you to its page. Otherwise, you will encounter a list of horses with identical names. Utilize the provided information to identify your horse, considering details such as:
- The horse's name.
- The year of birth.
- The horse's coat color.
- Sexual characteristics (including classifications such as gelding or colt).
- The sire (father) and dam (mother) of the horse.
- While the allpedigree.com database boasts extensive records dating back to the 1800s in certain cases, not all horses are included. Unregistered horses, in particular, may not be listed.
Select the horse's name to access its pedigree information. From the list of horses, click on the desired name to view the pedigree of that specific horse. This action redirects you to a page displaying the family tree of your horse.
- Your horse occupies the far left position, with its oldest ancestors located on the far right.
- You can click on any horse's name on this page to explore their pedigree.
Exploring Alternative Online Sources
Refer to the breed association's official website. Conduct a quick search engine query to locate the breed association relevant to your horse's breed. Many breed registry websites offer basic pedigree services free of charge, while others may require a nominal fee. This policy varies among associations. Some examples of breed association websites include:
- www.aqha.com — the official website of the American Quarter Horse Association
- www.morganhorse.com — the official website of the American Morgan Horse Association
- www.americanappendix.com/ — the official website of the American Appendix Horse Association
- A comprehensive list of other breed association websites can be found here.
Explore the Jockey Club site for thoroughbred horses. The Jockey Club administers one of the most extensive registries for American racing horses. If your horse or one of its ancestors has a racing history, you may find its pedigree here. Begin your search at www.registry.jockeyclub.com/Registry.cfm.
- An account creation is necessary to access the registry.
Utilize specialized registry sites. Smaller registries can be invaluable if your horse possesses unique characteristics or a special background. For instance, the International Champagne Horse Registry caters to horses carrying one or two unique 'Champagne' genes affecting their color. If these smaller registries don't advertise pedigree services, reach out directly to their leadership for assistance.
- The previously mentioned list of registries (accessible here once more) is useful for discovering smaller, specialized breed registries.
Exploring Equine Traits
Inspect racing horses for lip tattoos. American track-racing horses typically bear a tattoo on their upper lip. If your horse has such a tattoo, you're in luck. The Jockey Club provides a complimentary tattoo lookup service, accessible either through direct contact or their official website.
Decipher the symbolism of horse tattoos. The upper lip tattoos sported by racing horses often follow a distinct pattern — usually beginning with a letter or symbol followed by a string of numbers. Even without contacting the Jockey Club, you can glean valuable insights from this 'code':
- Thoroughbred horses start their tattoos with a letter, which corresponds to their birth year. Refer to this guide for the corresponding letter for each year.
- Horses with tattoos starting with an asterisk are appendix horses (a cross between a thoroughbred and a quarter horse).
Examine your horse's brand closely. Deciphering the symbols within a horse's brand can unveil insights into its age, breed, place of birth, and more. Brands can be unique to specific ranches or farms, while some breeders employ symbol systems to encode information. While there's no universal method due to the diversity of brands, initiating a search engine query or reaching out to your breed registry is a good starting point.
Interpret clues embedded in your horse's name. In the world of horses, names often carry significant meaning. Many horses are named after prominent sires or the locations of their upbringing. This naming convention varies widely across breeds and bloodlines.
- For instance, Shire horses commonly incorporate the name of their birthplace into their names.
Insights
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Some specialized veterinary facilities, such as the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory at UC Davis, offer DNA testing services for horses. Prices for these tests vary.
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Contacting the breeder from whom you purchased your horse is a reliable method for obtaining pedigree information. Breeders are obligated to maintain records of their horse sales.
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If your horse has been microchipped, a veterinarian can typically scan it to access vital information, particularly regarding any health conditions it may have.
