How to Identify a Thoroughbred for Registration Purposes

One of the steps towards registering a thoroughbred foal with the Jockey Club is to identify his color and markings and document that both with words and with photographs. The registration papers will follow your foal throughout his lifetime so it is important to correctly identify his characteristics. Read on to learn how to identify a thoroughbred for registration purposes.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• A camera

1. Start with the coat color. The thoroughbred can be bay, dark bay, brown, black, gray, roan, chestnut, white or palomino. To be considered black the horse can not have any brown hair on his body, including the muzzle. Brown muzzle on an otherwise black colored horse would be considered dark bay. To be considered white the horse can not have other colors anywhere in his coat. Refer to the Jockey Club website for specific information about coat color.
2. Describe the head markings. Those range from scattered white hairs all the way to bald face. Refer to the Jockey Club website for specific information about describing the markings on your horse's head.
3. Describe the leg markings. This ranges from few white hairs to full stockings. Sometimes there are spots the same color as the coat in the white part of the legs. These spots must be described as well. Refer to the Jockey Club website for specific information about describing the markings on your horse's legs.
4. Describe any body markings or distinguishing characteristics of your horse. These range from scattered white hairs to swayback. In cases of horses with no white markings and no distinguished characteristics the Jockey club may request pictures of the horse's night eyes, otherwise known as chestnuts. These are found above the knee on the front legs, and below the hock on the hind legs. They are sort of like fingerprints because they are unique to every horse and do not change shape or size as the horse grows. Refer to the Jockey Club website for specific information about describing your horse's body markings and characteristics.
5. Now you need to photograph your horse to visually document the descriptions you have written above. Stand the horse on level ground. Have someone hold the horse while holding a sign with the horse's registered name on it. If the horse is not named yet, put the sire and dam and the year of birth on the sign. Take a picture from each side and the front and the back. Make sure that all identifying characteristics are easily seen. That may mean pulling the forelock aside to see the outline of an irregular star for example. The Jockey Club requires four pictures, but will accept extras if needed to show details. Take a close up of anything that doesn't show up easily in your profile shots.

Tips & Warnings

• The Jockey Club is the only organization allowed to issue official registration papers for a thoroughbred. It is important that you follow their instructions completely and exactly.
• Once you get your registration papers from the Jockey Club, go over them carefully to make sure everything is correct. If you wait until the horse is ready to get tattooed at the track to make corrections, not only will there be an additional fee, but you could miss a race waiting for them to be corrected.