Equine Identification: The State of the Art

Since the dawn of civilization, human beings have sought ways to identify the animals they own in order to differentiate them from animals owned by others. In the United States, early equine identification consisted of a word description or graphic sketch of the animal. Hot iron branding, introduced by Spanish settlers in the early 1800s, was adopted chiefly by ranchers in the western states. Lip tattooing came into use in the late 1800s—first, in the U.S. Army, replacing the hot iron (Preston) brand, and subsequently in the tattooing of race horses (then called “speed horses”) at racetracks. The need for permanent, easily proven equine identification is a basic one throughout the equine industry. Yet the standard methods of horse identification and associated recordkeeping currently in use are too often rudimentary and fragmented. Reliable horse identification becomes especially critical in emergency situations. Lessons from Hurricane Andrew demonstrate that lack of permanent identification leads to theft and confusion over ownership as horses stray, are evacuated, or are otherwise separated from their owners. Horse identification is also important during outbreaks of serious infectious disease, as officials seek to ascertain which horses traveled where as well as to identify horses that may have been exposed to disease.