Loan horse and passports

Equus Leather

Equus Leather

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I have a horse on loan, she's been with me since Christmas. Right from the start the owner has kept the passport, and this is also stated in the contract we have. I got the passport when the horses vax were due and have had it since then (mid march). Owner is asking for it back. I totally understand why they want to keep hold of it but my query is this: when you are transporting the horse to competitions/training etc aren't you meant to have the passport with you in the lorry??
 
yes you must have the passport when transporting, think you can be fined if you don't... Livery yard near me was told by DEFRA to have a photocopy of every livery's passport
 
A passport is not a proof of ownership. The details of the owner OR KEEPER (if the horse is in someone elses care) are recorded in it. The passport belongs to the registring authority and belongs with the horse. Every time a horse leavs the yard it should have its passport with it. They are checking at shows these days

There is simply no benifit to the owners to keep the passport! A loanee with a criminal bent could simply get another passport (most auctinon houses issue them instantly on the day of sale) So keeping the passport is no gaurantee of anything to them.... Indeed it could make the horses life a misery, say it needed treatment... some Vets will not deal with a horse unless it has its passport with it.

The only legal purpose of a passport is to prevent certain drugs and medicineds entering the human food chain. In law they stand for nothing else.
 
Here is an extract from The Horse Passport Agency:

[ QUOTE ]
Frequent Questions

I am the permanent keeper of a horse for example “On Loan” – am I responsible for obtaining the passport?


No. It is the responsibility of the horse owner to obtain a passport. If a horse is on permanent loan, the keeper should hold the passport. The ‘keeper’ means a person who is not the owner of a horse but is appointed by the owner to have day-to-day charge of that horse. There is no minimum age limit for applying for a horse passport.





[/ QUOTE ]
 
As far as I knew you could request a duplicate passport for these situations. Not sure if this is the case but either way you definately need a passport to transport a horse to and from events.
 
I am responsible for the insurance of the horse I loan out (my loaner pays half) and my insurance company required a copy of our loan agreement and told me to keep the passport as the horse is legally mine and to give my loaner a copy for travelling alongside our loan agreement. We have a separate vaccination book which she has.
 
The passport should be with the horse I think. When our pony was on loan they had her passport, and I kept a photocopy. I suggest you speak to the pasport issuing office and check your facts and then speak to the owners accordingly.
 
The Passport must be held by the 'keeper' that is, the person who is loaning it.
Splitting hairs Yorkshirelass, the Passport does not have to be with the horse every time it leaves the yard, only if it is being relocated, traveled by box/trailer or attending events.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I have a horse on loan, she's been with me since Christmas. Right from the start the owner has kept the passport, and this is also stated in the contract we have. I got the passport when the horses vax were due and have had it since then (mid march). Owner is asking for it back. I totally understand why they want to keep hold of it but my query is this: when you are transporting the horse to competitions/training etc aren't you meant to have the passport with you in the lorry??

[/ QUOTE ]

I think the owner is worried, he/she wants to hold onto something. explain to them that you can get fined for moving the horse without the passport, reassure them that you won't attempt to change the details in the horse's passport!
 
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