How to Find Saddlebred Bloodlines

American Saddlebreds are very athletic horses.

American Saddlebreds, known as ASBs or saddlebreds, are one of the most popular horse breeds in North America. The breed was developed in the U.S., particularly in Kentucky, using a combination of breeds such as thoroughbred, Morgan and the now extinct breeds Narragansett Pacer and Canadian Pacer. Noted for their beauty as well as their athletic abilities, saddlebreds are used for many horse sports and in programs for other breeds. However, some can be abandoned or relinquished to horse rescue organizations, and their pedigree papers may be lost. A horse's bloodline can be studied in order to choose its breeding partners.

Things You'll Need

• Saddlebred horse
• Veterinarian
• Last known owner's name and address
• Pedigree (if on hand)

Instructions

1. Examine the horse closely for identification marks, including brands, ear tattoos, upper lip tattoos and microchips. A veterinarian will examine the horse with a microchip reader. Occasionally, animal rescue organizations may have microchip readers. There are several different brands of horse-identification microchips, and it may be necessary to find the right microchip reader for the brand. If pedigree papers came with the horse, skip to step three.

2. Contact the saddlebred's last known owner to see if they have copies of the horse's pedigree. Verify these papers with the national saddlebred horse breed registries or contact the American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA), which is the international headquarters for the breed. If the papers have been lost, skip to step four.

3. Check the ASHA's pedigrees for your horse's last known generation. Usually pedigrees only go back to the horse's great-grandparents. Look up the pedigrees for these horses in either the latest copies of the breed's stud book or the ASHA's online database.

4. Contact ASHA with a thorough description of your horse, any identification markings and where the horse was bought, found or adopted. Also contact other breed registries that include saddlebreds in their bloodlines, such as the American Warmblood Society or the National Show Horse Registry. They often keep databases of stolen horses.

Tips & Warnings

• If all else fails, go to the American Saddlebred Museum in Lexington, Kentucky and go through their vast archives of studbooks and bloodlines.

• Keep in mind that the breed's history goes back before the American Civil War, so some bloodline records may be impossible to locate. ASHA did not publish the first stud book for the breed until 1891.

• Never trust a horse seller that only gives you the pedigree verbally.

References

• AHSA: American Saddlebred Registry: Overview
• National Show Horse Registry Breed Rules
• The American Saddlebred Museum: About Us
• American Veterinary Association: Microchipping Animals

Resources

• American Saddlebred Horse Assocation (AHSA)
• American Horse Association of Canada
• Saddlebred Rescue, Inc.