What happens next...

[Keira 8888]

Hi guys,

Sobas many of you know (due to my mega lengthy previous thread about my new horse Prince), I bought him from Ireland several months ago and my vet discovered he had two microchips during a routine vaccination appointment.

unfortunately my vet wrote the number down wrong so I have t been able to trace it up till now. Finally yesterday, I now have the correct 15 digit number and called the passport issuer - Leisure horse Ireland - to see if I could find out anything about Prince from that first chip. They were quite guarded on the phone and said that they needed my vet to officially email them to tell them about the situation and also send photos of the two chip readings. The lady said “once we have that information from the vet we will decide on the best way forward from there..” So I tried to get an understanding of what she meant but she just kept repeating - once we have the official email from your vet we will then let you know how we will proceed.

As a professional worrier I’m now very anxious about this. Stupid question I’m sure - but surely I won’t be in trouble for buying a horse that had two microchips (that I never knew about?) and my biggest fear, they couldnt take Prince away from me could they?
Sorry to be a neurotic worry wart, I just would love some reassurance from you guys that Im being an idiot and it won’t mean he could be taken from me.

Thanks guys
Keira x

 

[Polos Mum]

If you like the horse, and don't have concerns about his age, person you bought him from etc. I personally would totally ignore it. It's rare to have a chip scanned - not usual practice for vaccinations.

IF it ever became an issue then deal with it - but it certainly wouldn't be your fault! If you keep digging you might fine things you don't want to know - wrong age / even that he's stolen !!

 

[ihatework]

Whatever it is, it’s better to know than not know.

It’s quite possible that Prince has a dodgy past, there are multiple scenarios that could play out. But I would want to know the background to better inform my decision making for the future.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I think that you have reached the point where you need to know what is going on. Knowing the truth surely can't be worse than not knowing and wondering?

The rules are here. https://www.bhs.org.uk/advice-and-information/horse-ownership/horse-passports/faqs

 

[Feral]

You definitely need to know if there is anything suspect. Might just help you to piece together what has happened to this horse and if he has any problems.

Worst case, legally, I do not think anyone would be able to take him away and don't see why anyone would want him back, unless he is stolen which I very much doubt.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

I'm sure it's just their standard answer on the phone for GDPR.

It might just be that the person on the phone is concerned about a mountain of complicated paperwork to get two chips registered to the same horse and passport.

 

[KittenInTheTree]

Just get your vet to provide what they've asked for. In the meantime, you can also check the microchip number using the search function on the homepage of Leiure Horse Ireland's website. That should tell you what name the horse has for each microchip number - LHI insist on horses being named before they can be passported.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Keira88 I think in light of the fact that all horses are supposed to be chipped so ownership can be tracked and verified I think it’s important you get to the bottom of the two chips and previously linked ownerships. Is it this October which is the deadline for making sure chips passports and owners “match”?...or by next March I might be confusing deadlines. It’s like a detective story..I’m interested in how it all came about.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

The only reason for you to lose the horse, that I can think of , is if he was stolen previously and the rightful owner wants him back. You wouldn't be in trouble for buying him in good faith but the dealer would have to recompense you what you paid and unless the dealer was the thief, claim what she paid for Prince. There should be a trail back to the thief, if that is what happened.

However that is the worst case scenario as far as you are concerned, it is most likely a far more innocent explanation. I would want to know, personally

 

[Keira 8888]

Just get your vet to provide what they've asked for. In the meantime, you can also check the microchip number using the search function on the homepage of Leiure Horse Ireland's website. That should tell you what name the horse has for each microchip number - LHI insist on horses being named before they can be passported.

Thanks for your reply! I went ahead and did this and it just says “unregistered animal” - I was hoping it would come back with a bit more info haha! Hopefully leisure horse Ireland will be able to shed some more light on things once my vet has emailed them. Keira x

 

[paddy555]

as far as LHI goes you could be anyone ringing to try and find info. There is nothing to say P is your horse even from their POV. I wouldn't expect them to give out details of any previous owners or anything else in fact just from a phone call. They need to authenticate who you are and what has happened from your vet..

Possibly the best way forward to them is simply having one chip and one passport for P. I think there may be significant benefits in finding out more about P if you can. Imagine if you were able to speak to one of his previous owners.

See if your vet will ask them to send a scanned copy of the original passport when he replies.

ETA presumably this means you are madly in love with P and he is going nowhere.

 

[Roxylola]

As someone who works in customer service te translation of that response is
"I've no idea what the official response should be.
I cant tell them anything due to data protection anyway and we'll need a paper trail of this request. If I tell them to email it someone who is not me can have the time to deal with it without a customer on the phone there and then.
I wont commit to anything definite as I've no clue what we will actually do with it"

 

[Keira 8888]

as far as LHI goes you could be anyone ringing to try and find info. There is nothing to say P is your horse even from their POV. I wouldn't expect them to give out details of any previous owners or anything else in fact just from a phone call. They need to authenticate who you are and what has happened from your vet..

Possibly the best way forward to them is simply having one chip and one passport for P. I think there may be significant benefits in finding out more about P if you can. Imagine if you were able to speak to one of his previous owners.

See if your vet will ask them to send a scanned copy of the original passport when he replies.

ETA presumably this means you are madly in love with P and he is going nowhere.

Yes very good point! You’re right - as far as they’re concerned they have no proof of who I am! Yes Paddy! Decided to keep Prince and he is doing SO well. Madly in love ? x

 

[SpotsandBays]

No idea regarding your situation, but if it makes you feel better my horse has two microchips! Both on his passport. This was done in error by the vet at the time of passporting as a foal. (I purchased straight from the breeder). I’m thinking maybe he put two in as my boy was unhandled at this point so possibly he reacted and the vet didn’t think it had gone in? (Although I would have thought ihe would have scanned it). I have no idea how but I guess we’re double secure now!

 

[Winters100]

I would not get too worried. I think it is just like when you find a dog, you cannot be given the information from the chip yourself as the vet has to deal with it due to privacy issues.

I do not believe that you can be in trouble for buying him with 2 chips, and I think the most likely scenario would be that you find out that he is a different age / with a different history. If he is stolen that is more complicated, but I also know that what you really want for Prince is a happy ending. It is a miniscule chance that this happens, but if it did turn out that he has an owner who would want to pay to transport him back home, then the only reason would, to my mind, be that they loved him and wanted to care for him. He is not, at least in monetary terms, valuable and while I know that you would be heartbroken I think that in time you might come to see that this would actually be a happy resolution. But, as I said, this is very unlikely, and it is more probable that you discover that he has been given a new passport to change his age, or perhaps his name if he was raced.

Good luck and don't be too stressed about this. You are a wonderful owner to Prince and it was truly his lucky day when he arrived to your care.

 

[Keira 8888]

I would not get too worried. I think it is just like when you find a dog, you cannot be given the information from the chip yourself as the vet has to deal with it due to privacy issues.

I do not believe that you can be in trouble for buying him with 2 chips, and I think the most likely scenario would be that you find out that he is a different age / with a different history. If he is stolen that is more complicated, but I also know that what you really want for Prince is a happy ending. It is a miniscule chance that this happens, but if it did turn out that he has an owner who would want to pay to transport him back home, then the only reason would, to my mind, be that they loved him and wanted to care for him. He is not, at least in monetary terms, valuable and while I know that you would be heartbroken I think that in time you might come to see that this would actually be a happy resolution. But, as I said, this is very unlikely, and it is more probable that you discover that he has been given a new passport to change his age, or perhaps his name if he was raced.

Good luck and don't be too stressed about this. You are a wonderful owner to Prince and it was truly his lucky day when he arrived to your care.

Yes, this is so very true. If the WORST happens and he was stolen - and the owners wanted him back then it would mean that they miss him and it would be a happy ending. Hopefully it won’t be long till I can solve this mystery! My vet will hopefully get that email across ASAP - although I know how busy he is (speed is DEFINITELY not one of his virtues ?) Once I discover more I will be excited to share it with you! X

 

[Mari]

Do keep us informed. I have a pony that previous owners & their vet (so not the private home, aka dealer, that I bought from) refused to release vet records when requested by my vet. They had the pony for 5 yrs. I bought pony as a 7 yr old & ‘private person’ only had pony for a few months. We know from the pony s behaviour that something has happened but we don’t know what.

 

[Dave's Mam]

Oh please do keep us posted. I am more than curious!

 

[Buster2020]

To be honest you need to solve the mysteries of the second chip. It could unlock his history and explain the issue you are having with him. You could get into contact with his previous owners and they could give you tips on how to fix his issues. So it could turn out to be a brilliant.

Worse case scenario if he turned out to be stolen at least you would now. I heard of a story of a girl that accidentally bought a stolen horse but when they found out. The previous owner didn’t want the horse back they allowed the girl to keep the horse they were just happy the horse was wall cared for and was happy. To be honest most horses that are stolen end up as horse meat in Ireland. It highly unlikely that the horse is stolen.

I completely get what you worried though I was like that when I got my first horse. You sound like you clearly love this horse which is amazing to read.

Edit please keep us updated

 

[SEL]

We had one on the yard which scanned with 2 chips and vet said 3 was her record.

For the one on the yard chip #1 was Dutch and had obviously been put in as a foal. Best guess is passport got lost (she was on a petplan one rather than the Dutch breed society) & she got another chip to get her a passport in the UK. Owner was able to track back to breeder in Holland and found out she'd had 2 foals which was nice.

Apparently sometimes they don't scan so vet thinks no chip and does another.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Is there any update OP?

 

[tristar]

please carry on with finding out more, if he was stolen and you put the shxts up the thieves, it might be an article in the Irish field paper to deter others from stealing.

a friend had a horse stolen many years ago never found out what happened to it, i still wonder even now

 

[Keira 8888]

Hi all,

Prince is doing very well thank you!

Am still awaiting a call from Leisure horse Ireland but my vet has sent off his official findings.

Just a waiting game now.

Thanks so much for checking in x