NEW MICROCHIPPING RULES & VERY OLD EQUINES

olderridercg

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Presumably your ancient pony is unlikely to leave the field (never ridden and too arthritic to jump), and even if the gate was left open wouldn't be up to wandering off, so I assume no need to be scanned to confirm identity, not going to be sold and will remain in situ till he pegs it
Hi. there is a pony that almost fits your description in a yard opposite my field. I guess that across the country there are many more like that. Perhaps that would be grounds for exemption?
 

TheresaW

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I didn’t get my 30yo microchipped, he was pts in November. I have a 26yo that I won’t be rushing to get chipped either. She is freezemarked and passported, and to be honest, it’s another 20 odd quid I’m just not prepared to pay out. She’s not going anywhere other than the great horse paddock in the sky. If she was stolen, what are the chances that the microchip would bring her back to me if the freezemark won’t?
 

scruffyponies

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Haven't read the horse rules, but dogs can be exempted on veterinary advice for a number of reasons, including age, health and predisposition to cancers. There is evidence that microchipping can case tumour formation, as well as problems with immune response more generally, which answers the 'why would you not' question above.
 

Gloi

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We have two 30 year olds who are unlikely to be here in two years time so they won't be getting chipped. They have breed passports.
 

Shay

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I don't intend to chip my 27 year old either. But does anyone imagine this is going to be any better enforced that the current passport laws? On sale, at high level competition, on international transport - yes. For a retiree who will only leave the yard on death and not for human consumption... I doubt it.
 

jofwigby

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I plan to delay microchipping my 2 till the last possible date in case a politician decides that equines with up-to-date passports will be exempt LOL
The Politicians did not understand the first or this second raft of Legislation, neither do the people advising so I wouldn't hold your breath for any last minute reprieve.

Retrospective Microchipping was included in the Legislation at the behest of the Horse Charities, who of course, we all know, know best. The fact that oldies are the safest in terms of theft, straying etc was apparently not as important as creating the ideal system - the same system that is sabotaged at every step by those who want us to continue chucking our money away.

Microchips are the way forward now that we can all buy a scanner for a tenner - scan our own chips, or get your vet to do while doing routine stuff #CheckthatChip - and check the information held on our horses ourselves, and correct if necessary. Get the Chip information correct as that is what is present with your horse at all times. https://www.equineregister.co.uk/home
 
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ElleSkywalker

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I didn’t get my 30yo microchipped, he was pts in November. I have a 26yo that I won’t be rushing to get chipped either. She is freezemarked and passported, and to be honest, it’s another 20 odd quid I’m just not prepared to pay out. She’s not going anywhere other than the great horse paddock in the sky. If she was stolen, what are the chances that the microchip would bring her back to me if the freezemark won’t?

This. I was one of the first people to get passports before the first deadline so was able to template both of the ponies I had then myself. When deadline was extended they changed it to vet needing to template. I'm not in any desparate rush to get my one not microchipped but freezemarked pony done as I suspect the deadline will change again 😏
 

whiteflower

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I won't be getting my early 30's old guy chipped. He's needle/vet phobic and it would be a big ordeal for him and need sedating to insert chip then get near enough to check it. He won't leave the yard, he's retired and is kept in a secure environment where he couldn't stray. Stupid law, they can't be far off most horses being of an age they should have been chipped due to previous legislation. Maybe they should put their efforts into dealing with those who flout the current microchip laws first......🙄
 

Greylegs

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I’ve clearly missed something here. My lad will be 20 in May. Do I now need to get him chipped? (Have absolutely no intention of doing so ..... )
 

Cortez

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As keen as I am for all horses to be chipped and identifiable, I'm pretty sure that if I had a very old horse that was never going to be sold or leave the farm again I wouldn't bother doing it. I'm debating this with my mule at the moment who is violently needle-phobic, and won't be sold either...
 
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It will only be regular horse owners who will be fined if they don't have a chip. I highly doubt someone is going to make sure all of the travellers ponies have chips. They aren't going to walk round Appleby handing out fines for every unchipped pony - even though they could make a years wages doing it! Once again it will be one rule for one and one to be blatently ignored by the others.
 

splashgirl45

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how many of us have ever had their passports checked? the only person who ever saw my horse's passsport was the vet for her annual jabs... its only us idiots who rushed out and spent money to make sure we were legal who will also get theirs microchipped....the ones who cause all of the trouble with dumping dead and dying horses and leaving hordes of horses to starve will never get passports or microchip so the whole thing is a waste of time IMO..
 

Quadro

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My passports were check once. I was pulled over in the lorry (black smoke coming out of the exhaust). Two policemen, one piped up about passports, i had a bay and a chesnut on board. Handed the chesnuts normal passport to one, and FEI one to the other. They flicked through through and handed them back, none the wiser(did have a passport on me for the bay). Was totally pointless as neither had a clue what they were looking for
 

Cortez

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how many of us have ever had their passports checked? the only person who ever saw my horse's passsport was the vet for her annual jabs... its only us idiots who rushed out and spent money to make sure we were legal who will also get theirs microchipped....the ones who cause all of the trouble with dumping dead and dying horses and leaving hordes of horses to starve will never get passports or microchip so the whole thing is a waste of time IMO..

Not a waste of time, no. Only if people comply will it be possible to move on those who don't. Passports are for the benefit of the horse, never mind if they are not routinely checked - your passports are not checked unless you travel abroad, are they?
 

Snowfilly

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We passported our horses early on and they've never been used...lots of shows, lots of travelling and nothing aside from vets writing vacs in. Even the two transport companies we've used haven't asked. We've brought horses who hadn't had details updated for years, and couldn't get hold of previous owners.

We've had several put down without their passport being seen by the vet and the hunt were out just before Christmas for my big lad. They didn't ask, see or check any paperwork at all.

I think the passport scheme is a joke really. Everyone knows the trouble makers won't have them and won't be checked up on, and it'll be the same with the chips.
 

meleeka

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Not a waste of time, no. Only if people comply will it be possible to move on those who don't. Passports are for the benefit of the horse, never mind if they are not routinely checked - your passports are not checked unless you travel abroad, are they?
It’s not law for people to have one though. I haven’t had a passport for twenty years!
 
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The racehorses passports get checked regularly. First time running, first time out for a new trainer and a random check every year to make sure the vaccs are up to date and correct. Their microchips get scanned into the racecourse stables and They get scanned again as they head out to get saddled - there have been cases of the wrong horses being saddled and running in the wrong race unintentionally, the trainer and stable staff didn't know which was which. Got both at the sales the same day, both plain bay geldings and no one kept tabs on which was which. Both ran for the first time the same day. Horse 1 ran in horse 2's race, won and went to the dope box where it's chip was scanned and found to be the wrong horse. So now we scan on the way out of the stable yard.

As to my own lot - the only time a passport and chip has been checked for something other than vaccs was when the vet did the stallions licence. Never had another one looked at or scanned.
 

olderridercg

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Haven't read the horse rules, but dogs can be exempted on veterinary advice for a number of reasons, including age, health and predisposition to cancers. There is evidence that microchipping can case tumour formation, as well as problems with immune response more generally, which answers the 'why would you not' question above.
It’s not law for people to have one though. I haven’t had a passport for twenty years!
I am sure it is law to have a horse passport. Your comment has made me question this. Will have to do some checking.
 

Gloi

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