I've been thinking lately about a way to aid in identifying my horses in the event of a catastrophe or their being lost or stolen. A chip or freeze brand comes to mind. Does anyone have experience/knowledge with either?

I plan on chipping Solo before too long.  While I have never microchipped a horse, I have certainly done it hundreds of times to snakes and fish for research, so I like the technology and it is very effective for putting a long term mark on an animal that can track individuals.

Mine are microchipped with AVID.  I bought the chips through www.netposse.com and had my vet put them in.  I think he only charged me $5/per horse and it was worth it because that insertion needle is huge.

Freeze brands would be good, but the real downer to them is that there isn't a national data base.  Anyone can create a brand and have their horse branded with it and have it "registered" somewhere in their state.  But take that horse out of state and tracking it thru it's brand is near impossible.  Google "do you know this brand?" and a LOT of horses' pa-toot's will come up with brands that no one recognizes

 There are also no provisions for transferring that same brand to a new owner if the horse gets sold.  We can transfer registration papers but again, there is no database for transfer of brands.

 Any breed registry that exists should have got on the TB Tatoo bandwagon within their own breeds.  It isn't 100%, but it's still a whole lot better than localized brands, freeze marks, and tatoos, that can't be traced.

All my critters are mirochipped. You could consider lip-tatooing and I think you mentioned freeze-branding. In my state you have the regster brands in individual counties. So like the previous poster said-no national data bank.

 Thanks for the great feedback. It sounds like micro chipping is the way to go. Jan

I just found this info on another site. Thought it might interest someone. I think I'll chip. There seems to be a lot of discussion, both ways, about if it hurts or not.

Quote:

My older horse has been freeze marked since he was 4, now 20.

The lite colored horses are freeze marked until the hair folicle is destroyed.

There is a difference between freeze branding (uses your brand or design). The brand ordesign could be altered.

Freeze marking: uses the system the Arabs and Mustangs do.

The first symbol indicates breed, the next is year of birth and finally the underlined portion is the horse's unique registration number.

The symbols can't be changed or altered.

The breed registration receives a copy of the paperwork indicating brand, along with the owner receiving a laminated card with a drawing of the 'horse' including whirls, cowlicks, scars, white/dark colored areas noted.

I have done some research recently on freeze marking, which is different from freeze branding. Freeze marking uses the angle symbols. The Arabian Registry said to contact Kryo Kinetics Assoc, Inc., located in Tuscon, AZ. Their phone # is 520-293-5448. I have not gotten around to it yet, but plan on freeze marking both our horses. If a horse which is not registered with a breed registry is freeze marked, a number will be assigned to it which is recorded with the company doing the marking along with all the other body markings unique to that horse. The freeze mark can be transferred with the horse if it's sold. As for pain, they say it does not hurt because they use liquid nitrogen which is extremely cold. I had my Arab mare freeze marked in the 80's and she did react, but I don't know if it was pain or just a sensation to the cold. Either way, it healed and the benefit far outweighed any pain, IMO.

 As for micro chipping, what I have found is that there are 3 different chip manufacturers which have their own readers. Each company's reader can only read their own chip. So if your horse is chipped with ABC Company's chip and he's stolen and goes to an auction who is using XYZ Company's reader, it will not pick up the chip. As for pain on this one, they say it's no more painful that getting a shot.

 Hopefully this will help someone out there!!