2Piper 408 Report post Posted November 19, 2019 Exported standardbreds will shortly be required to be microchipped. From next season they will be microchipped and freeze branded . The following season the plan is to have them microchipped only. Only negative thing I see about that is when buying a said standardbred I will unlikely buy the horse I'd I don't see a freeze brand to refer to unless I have a microchip reader. How much will the new costs of registering a horse be and the cost of a microchip reader be? Another thing from next season you will have to register a horse before you can sell it (and transfer to new owner ). This has not neccessarily been the case in the past. The new inititives are so the horse can be tracked easier . Your thoughts and do you agree with some or all the changes ? I hope they keep the freeze brand , along with the microchip. Microchipping might stop horse rustlers from stealing standardbreds but only if you can visually see that they are standardbreds. ( from branding ). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty 575 Report post Posted November 19, 2019 Personally I don't mind the upcoming changes, as it is a small step (maybe just a bit more than tokenism?) in the right direction for animal welfare. Some of those scenes in the states of ex (standardbred) race horses, being held in the stalls are just awful. This is when their previous owners finally realise that they are done as a racing proposition. Often the horses are already identifiable with their brandings, and all to often one can see on Facebook appeals for "Franco (insert name here) NZ" to be returned to NZ or shipped to be a better home. When they include photos of the said horse from years gone by, winning a race in NZ it makes you stop and think. More thinking is done when every week you hear of more and more kiwi horses being exported to the states. Just yesterday I heard the handy but overrated "Stungun" was sold to the states.... couldn't help but think what will happen to him in 4 years from now.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
2Piper 408 Report post Posted November 30, 2019 I'm not sure how the phasing out the freeze brand helps in the welfare of standardbreds . I remember Frth was stolen in Aussie and would think if only being microchipped she would have been found. Also here in North Canterbury there was a horse rustling ring active. It cost me $3000 to get my stolen horses back, and little help from the police . One could hardly walk. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
