Horse passports and microchips in Ireland
Updated · HorsesalesIreland.com
Every horse, pony and donkey in Ireland must have a passport and a microchip. It's the law, and it's also the single best protection you have that the horse you're paying for is the horse described. Here is what the paperwork is, how to check it, and what has to happen when a horse changes hands.
The passport
An equine passport is a booklet issued by an approved passport issuing organisation (in Ireland these include Horse Sport Ireland, the Irish Horse Board, breed societies such as the Irish Draught Horse Society and the Connemara Pony Breeders' Society, Weatherbys for Thoroughbreds, and others). It records the horse's unique equine life number, microchip number, a written description and diagram of markings, its breeding if known, vaccination record, and whether the horse is excluded from the human food chain. It must travel with the horse and be shown to a vet when the horse is treated.
The microchip
Since 2016 every equine in Ireland must be microchipped, and the chip number must match the one in the passport. The chip is implanted in the neck and read with a scanner. Vets, many farriers and most sales yards have scanners; ask the seller to scan the horse in front of you, or have your vet do it at the vetting.
Checking the passport at a viewing
- Does the diagram of markings match the horse? Look at whorls, white markings on the face and legs, and any scars.
- Is the microchip number in the passport the number the scanner reads?
- Is the named owner the person selling? If not, ask why, and ask for proof they have authority to sell.
- Are vaccinations recorded and signed by a vet, if the horse is said to be vaccinated?
- Is the "not intended for human consumption" section signed? If it is, the horse can never enter the food chain, which affects which medicines a vet can use. Most owners sign it.
Transferring ownership
When a horse is sold, the new owner must send the passport to the issuing organisation to record the change of ownership, generally within 30 days. There's a small fee. Until it's done, the previous owner remains the registered keeper, which matters if the horse is found straying, involved in an accident or needs to be traced for disease control. Sellers: don't hand over the horse without the passport. Buyers: don't accept a horse without it, whatever the excuse.
A horse with no passport
It happens, especially with older horses and ponies that have changed hands informally. A horse without a passport can't legally be sold, moved or slaughtered, and a vet is restricted in how they can treat it. A replacement or duplicate passport can be applied for through an issuing organisation, with the horse microchipped and its markings certified by a vet, but it takes time and the horse will almost certainly be excluded from the food chain. Factor that into the price and the timing, or walk away.
Common questions
Can I sell a horse without a passport on HorsesalesIreland.com?
No. Every horse must have one by law. If yours is missing, apply for a replacement before you list.
Who transfers the passport, buyer or seller?
The new owner is responsible, but a good seller hands over the passport with the horse and makes sure the buyer knows what to do.
What if the microchip can't be found?
Chips occasionally migrate or fail. Scan the whole neck on both sides. If nothing reads, the horse should be re-chipped and the passport updated before sale.