Equine Passport Rules

Equine Passport Offers for Pony Club Members

PLEASE VISIT THE PONY CLUB WEBSITE FOR LATEST INFORMATION ON EQUINE PASSPORTS.

There is a great deal of confusion and uncertainty regarding equine passports, but the position as far as The Pony Club is concerned is as follows:

  • All equines are now required to have obtained a passport by 30 June 2004, a change from the original date of 31 December 2003
  • There are some 75 Passport Issuing Offices (PIO’s) authorised by DEFRA to issue passports and collect the data for a National Equine Database.
  • The Pony Club is not an Issuing Office, ie The Pony Club will not be issuing passports. However, we have been discussing with some of those who are Issuing Offices the best deals possible for Pony Club Members, as we are aware that this is an additional cost that many could do without.
  • Also, through our discussions, it has become very clear that sometimes the ‘add on’ costs are as great as the cost of the passport itself – for example, with certain Issuing Offices which require the diagram of the horse/pony’s silhouette filled in by a Vet.

In making your decision which PIO to go to, you should bear in mind that each time the owner changes address, or the pony is sold, or there is a major change in the ID of the pony, or when it dies, the passport will have to be sent back to the same Issuing Office for updating – and there may be a charge, which again will vary from PIO to PIO, and presumably from time to time.

It would be inappropriate for The Pony Club to ‘recommend’ particular Issuing Offices, and the decision regarding which PIO a Member chooses to go to is entirely individual choice – for example, many will wish to go to a breed society. Others, however, may wish to consider one of the options below.

**STOP PRESS**

We have just been informed by DEFRA with the weight of a bombshell, that it is likely that whereas silhouette self-certification, as used by BHS and the Pleasure Horse Society, is currently acceptable, in the future it is likely that this will only be acceptable where a horse is also micro chipped!! (Guidance notes are being prepared by DEFRA for immediate publication) I expect the notes to include details about the micro chip issue. These details will be forwarded to you A.S.A.P.

For full comprehensive information on Horse Passports, please visit the DEFRA Website at www.defra.gov.uk or Public Enquiries: 08459 335 577

Gordon Wesley FABRS
Chairman, British Horse Society (BHS)

Offer

Passports for horses / ponies of unknown Breeding owned by Pony Club Members

Costs (last updated 2011)

£22.00 per passport
£1.50 for recorded delivery post for return of passport.
£5.00 for change of owners address (inc. recorded delivery post)
£13.50 for change of owner (inc recorded delivery post)
£18.50 for re-issuing lost or stolen passports (inc recorded delivery post)
£9.50 for correction on passport if owners fault (inc recorded delivery post)
Free of charge – notification for death of animal.

How to get Passport Application Forms:

Send an A4 stamped addressed envelope to:

The Passport Office
British Horse Society
Stoneleigh Deer Park
Kenilworth
Warwickshire CV8 2XW
Tel: 01926 707 700

The BHS regrets it cannot offer further discounts to Pony Club Members unless they are registering a minimum of 10 horses or ponies under the same ownership. In that instance, please tell the BHS Passport Office when requesting the Application Forms.

What to return to BHS:

Completed Application Form and original identification chart, counter signed by DC / Secretary or enclosed and Vet and relevant amount of money.

Offer:

Deal on individual and bulk passport orders from Pony Club Branches for all ponies with unrecorded pedigree, including mares and only applicable for ponies up to 15hh (153cm)

Costs:

Single order of 1 to 10 passports from any one Branch £10 per passport
Single order of 11 to 20 (inclusive) passports from any one Branch £9 per passport
Single order of over 20 passports from any one Branch £8 per passport
Individual cheques should be pinned on to the ID and Application form relating to that particular pony’s owner.

How to get Passport Application Forms:

Passport Application forms can be downloaded from this website or contact the organisation direct:

Mrs Sarah Steggall
New Barn Farm
Piddington Road
Ludgershall
Bucks HP18 9PJ
Tel: 01844 237 708
Fax: 01844 238 385

What to return to SPSS:

Completed Application Form – the identification chart must be signed by a veterinary surgeon, unless a photocopy of a previous vaccination certificate signed by a veterinary surgeon can be supplied in its place and the relevant money.

Offer:

The Pleasure Horse Society is offering to Pony Club Members a free EU approved Pony Club branded passport with their first year’s Pleasure Horse Society membership. In recognition of The Pony Club’s contribution to the training of young riders and its Charitable status, all Pony Club members and their families qualify for a special rate.

Costs:

£15.30 per horse / pony.
The Pleasure Horse Society will be making a donation to our The Pony Club Training budget based on the number of passports issued.
£5.00 for updating the passport and there is no requirement for the new owner to be a member unless they wish to.

Benefits of membership of The Pleasure Horse Society will include discounts and special offers on a choice of equestrian goods and services, communicated in regular newsletters and on their websitewww.pleasurehorsesociety.co.uk Continued membership is optional.

Another cost saving benefit of this relationship is that Veterinary completion of the silhouette is not required (the recommendation is to copy out your vaccination silhouette) and a bespoke Pony Club application form can be downloaded, along with question and answer details to help you fill in the forms, by clicking here.

How to get Passport Application Forms:

The Pleasure Horse Society website – www.pleasurehorsesociety.co.uk or apply in writing to:

The Pleasure Horse Society Ltd
Victoria House
Desborough Park Road
High Wycombe
Bucks HP11 2NF

What next ?:

Passports will be sent back by First Class Post (not recorded) within 10 – 14 working days of receipt of application.

Offer:

Equine Passports to all Pony Club Members at reduced rate.

Costs:

£15.00 per passport for Pony Club Members who are also Members of the BSJA
£16.00 per passport for Pony Club Members who are not Members of the BSJA
£5.00 for any amendments to passport (ie. change of address, change of owner etc. including special delivery postage.
£5.00 for the insertion of Section IX in existing passports from other non UK EU Countries including

How to get Passport Application Forms:

Passport Application forms can be downloaded from this website or visit the BSJA Website at www.bsja.co.uk

What to return to BSJA:

Return with completed Application Form, with identification signed by either a Vet or BSJA Identity Panelist, relevant money. Non BSJA Pony Club Members need to send proof of PC Membership – signature from either the DC or Secretary or an up to date Membership Card to:

BSJA
National Agricultural Centre
Stoneleigh Park
Kenilworth
Warwickshire  CV8 2LR
Tel: 02476 698 800