National individual identification of horses.

This research article presents current methods of horse identification and introduces a new, unchangeable method of marking horses using freeze marking. The researchers also developed a system to apply unique registration numbers, including numerical and alphabetical symbols, to each horse.

Equine Identification Methods

• The research discusses existing methods of identifying horses, such as signalment, blood typing, tattooing, and freeze marking. Signalment refers to the description of a horse based on standard features such as breed, sex, age, and color. These characteristics collectively form a profile that can be unique to an individual horse.
• Blood typing is a method that involves the examination of the antigens present in a horse’s blood. Every horse carries unique blood antigens, which serve as an effective means of identification.
• Tattooing and freeze marking represent physical marking techniques. The former places a permanent complex code under the horse’s upper lip, while the latter uses extreme cold to alter the horse’s coat color, creating a unique, detectable pattern.

New System of Identification

• The researchers propose a novel system that uses an unalterable freeze mark to individually identify horses. This method ensures the mark remains consistent and untouched over time, unlike traditional physical markings that may fade or be altered.
• This new method increases the durability and reliability of physical identification markings, making it easier to maintain and access identity records for each horse.

Numerical and Alphabetical Symbols

• For further improvement in the identification process, the researchers present a system to apply unique registration numbers to each horse. This involves the use of unalterable numerical and alphabetical symbols.
• These unique identifiers act as a ‘tag’ for individual horses and can be included within the freeze mark, providing additional individual horse identification points.
• This system facilitates easy tracking and referencing of horses, supporting efficient management, breeding decisions, ownership authentication, and theft prevention.