Microchipping

Although not currently law it is advisable that your horse is microchipped. This means that individual horses can readily be uniquely identified by anyone with an appropriate scanner. In the future it may become a legal requirement for all horses to be microchipped.

The microchip is a small integrated circuit encased in medical grade glass, no bigger than a grain of rice. It is inserted via a needle into the nuchal ligament of the neck from the left hand side. It is virtually impossible to remove even under surgical conditions. The microchip is programmed with a unique number which can be read by a radio scanner. When the microchip is inserted your veterinary surgeon will ask you to fill out a form with all your and your horse’s relevant information. This information is then stored on a database along with your horse’s number. In any situation where the horse needs to be identified the database can be contacted and your details retrieved.