Songcatcher
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- Jul 5, 2004
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We have quite a few new members on here lately and I thought it might be a good idea to post these thoughts for new owners as well as people who might have just been lax on getting their horses transfered/registered.
When buying a new horse, make sure it is registered and the papers are up to date with the current owner. Otherwise, you could experience MAJOR headaches. If you cannot see the papers in person, get someone to check the Studbook for you OR call AMHA or AMHR and check with the office to see if the current owner has the papers up to date.
If buying a foal, the papers may not be back yet depending on how long it takes in the office. If having a foal DNAed at the time of registration it may take quite a while (I know form experience) due to no fault of AMHA, but the lab that does the testing. As a result, some breeders sell on application rather than registering foals before sale. If buying on application, and if you do not know the seller well, it is a good idea to get a WRITTEN GUARANTEE that the foal can be registered. Again, do the research on the parents and make sure their papers are up to date with the current owner.
Once you have bought your horse and have the papers or application, get it transfered or registered ASAP! If you wait around two or three years, you may have difficulty getting the registration/transfer processed. Honest mistakes can and do happen. God forbid, if the seller should die or move, it can be extremely difficult to straighten out a mistake. If you wait beyond a certain point, the horse may have to be DNAed and Parent Qualified in order to be registered. If the sire or dam has died or been sold and lost track of during that time, it may be impossible to get the necessary hair samples to do the tests. Also, if you had a written guarantee that the foal could be registered, you could possibly lose your legal rights by waiting too long (that can vary by state).
I have been fortunate in never having had a problem in getting a horse registered or transfered, but I have heard of many who have. This is all intended as advise to prevent misunderstandings and heartache down the road. Please do not reply with specific names so that this thread will not be removed to protect the guilty. Good luck to all.
When buying a new horse, make sure it is registered and the papers are up to date with the current owner. Otherwise, you could experience MAJOR headaches. If you cannot see the papers in person, get someone to check the Studbook for you OR call AMHA or AMHR and check with the office to see if the current owner has the papers up to date.
If buying a foal, the papers may not be back yet depending on how long it takes in the office. If having a foal DNAed at the time of registration it may take quite a while (I know form experience) due to no fault of AMHA, but the lab that does the testing. As a result, some breeders sell on application rather than registering foals before sale. If buying on application, and if you do not know the seller well, it is a good idea to get a WRITTEN GUARANTEE that the foal can be registered. Again, do the research on the parents and make sure their papers are up to date with the current owner.
Once you have bought your horse and have the papers or application, get it transfered or registered ASAP! If you wait around two or three years, you may have difficulty getting the registration/transfer processed. Honest mistakes can and do happen. God forbid, if the seller should die or move, it can be extremely difficult to straighten out a mistake. If you wait beyond a certain point, the horse may have to be DNAed and Parent Qualified in order to be registered. If the sire or dam has died or been sold and lost track of during that time, it may be impossible to get the necessary hair samples to do the tests. Also, if you had a written guarantee that the foal could be registered, you could possibly lose your legal rights by waiting too long (that can vary by state).
I have been fortunate in never having had a problem in getting a horse registered or transfered, but I have heard of many who have. This is all intended as advise to prevent misunderstandings and heartache down the road. Please do not reply with specific names so that this thread will not be removed to protect the guilty. Good luck to all.