The Importance of Microchipping Your Horse

Many pet owners understand the importance of microchipping a cat or dog, but did you know that you can microchip your horse?

Take a look at some of these incredible benefits!

It’s permanent – Microchips don’t fade or distort like tattoos and brands.
Microchips help positively ID your horse during natural disasters, disease outbreaks, theft, Houdini paddock escapades, and more!
Some brands link directly to your horse’s medical history, allowing veterinarians to provide critical care when you’re unable to be contacted.
Accurately ID your horse at competitions, ensure your competition record is linked to your horse!
Microchips count as equine legal identification for sales documentation and transfers.
Enroll your horse in Full Circle programs that list previous owners, rescues, or individuals interested in providing a home or safe landing should the horse become at-risk.
Low cost, low pain, low maintenance: chips are implanted by a veterinarian via syringe during routine visits for $35-$60 and require no upkeep. Since microchips last at least 25 years, this one-time fee should be valid for the life of the horse.

Additional facts:

Microchips are difficult to remove. This makes it difficult for criminals to remove a microchip and provides for simpler identification of a missing or stolen horse.
Magnets will not deactivate the chip. Microchips are read-only and provide only the animal’s identification number. No additional information about the horse is stored on the microchip, and they do not have a power supply.
According to a study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, microchips implanted in the nuchal ligament do not migrate.
Extensive studies both here and in England over the last 20 years have demonstrated that microchips do not cause cancer.
Microchips are read-only and do not contain a GPS.
Starting in January 2017, the Jockey Club requires all Thoroughbred foals be microchipped. Beginning December 1, 2017, all horses competing in U.S. Equestrian Federation-licensed and/or U.S. Hunter Jumper Association-sanctioned competitions with hunter-jumper seat equitation classes must be microchipped.

For more information please visit the American Association of Equine Practitioners “Chip Your Horse“