Shire Horse Registration and Passports

Have you Registered your Foals?
​Click here to complete your foal pre-registration 

​Please Note: All horses (except geldings) must be DNA tested. Please allow at least four to six weeks for testing to be completed (this may take longer during busier times). Foals entered in sales must have passports so please make your registration applications in good time.

This rule applies to all horses entering the Notified Colt, Filly (mare), Grading and Stallion Registers. The Rule will not apply to horses entering the non-breeding register, unless specifically required, and to horses being issued with basic ID only passports (shire type).

Please also note that horses should be passported by the age of six months or 31st December of the year of birth, whichever is the later date.

General

It is not necessary to be a member of the Society in order to register and have an entry in the Stud Book. However, fully paid up Members of the Society enjoy preferential fees.

Every animal must have a registered prefix. If new breeders do not already have a prefix, please contact the Society to ensure that no one is already using your choice. There is only one payment to register a prefix. Duplication of names is not permitted and numerical suffixes are not allowed.

Please ensure that the full date of birth is given for your animal. Refer to the Breed Standard for permissible colours.

All sections of all forms must be completed and if you are not the breeder, check with the Society that that the dam has been transferred into the ownership of the breeder.

All details of the sketch card must be fully completed, and the written description and the sketch must agree.

The mare owner’s copy of the Service Certificate should accompany the entry form. The name of each and every stallion serving a mare during a Service Season must be declared on the Stud Book Entry Form as the possible sire. DNA screening will then be carried out.

Before sending in registration forms, please check:

• If you are a Member of the Society, is your subscription paid for the current year?
• Has the registration form been signed by both the current owner and breeder?
• Has the sketch card been correctly completed and signed by your vet?
• Have you included the correct fees?
• Have you included the Stud Book Entry form, GDPR form, Service Certificate, and payment?

Please telephone the office on 01536 771611 to get a registration form. 

Fillies and Mares - Notes for Registration

Filly Foals for entry in Stud Book

Filly foals by a registered and approved Shire stallion and out of a fully registered or Grade B mare are eligible for registration in the Stud Book proper. Fillies to be registered during their year of birth. They must be sketched by a Veterinary Surgeon and a DNA sample must be taken from the foal (and sire and dam if not already held).

Filly Foals for entry in Grade B Register

Filly foals by a registered and approved Shire stallion and out of a Grade A Register or registered Clydesdale mare are eligible for registration in the Grade B register. Fillies must be sketched by a Veterinary Surgeon and a DNA sample must be taken from the foal (and sire and dam if not already held). Photographs of both sides and the front of the animal should accompany the registration form for inspection by the Editing and Training Committee.

Filly Foals for entry in Grade A Register

Filly foals, by a registered and approved Shire stallion and out of an unregistered mare are eligible for registration in the Grade A Register. Fillies must be sketched by a Veterinary Surgeon and a DNA sample must be taken from the foal and sire if not already held). Photographs of both sides and the front of the animal should accompany the registration form for inspection by the Editing and Training Committee.

Non Breeding Animals and Geldings

There is a Non Breeding Animal and Gelding Register for animals who are not to be used for breeding or geldings. Animals should be by either a registered Shire stallion or registered dam. The sketch of the animal must be completed by a Veterinary Surgeon.  DNA testing is optional but may be requested by the Society in some circumstances.

Colts and Stallions - Notes for Registration

Colt Foal Notification

Colt foals must be by a registered and approved Shire stallion and out of a fully registered Shire mare to be eligible for registration in the full Stud Book. Colt foals from unregistered mares and Grade A Register mares are not eligible for registration in the full Stud Book, They must be sketched by a Veterinary Surgeon and a DNA sample must be taken from the foal (and sire and dam if not already held). 

Grade C Colts

Colts for the Grade C Register must be by a registered Shire stallion and out of a Grade B Register mare. Animals must be sketched by a Veterinary Surgeon and a DNA sample must be taken from the foal (and sire and dam if not already held).

Grade C colts may be presented for the stallion approval inspection at the age of two years old. If they pass, their progeny (both colts & fillies) can be registered in the full Stud Book providing that they are out of full Shire Stud Book mares and service certificates have been issued in accordance with existing rules for stallions. The Grade C colts remain in Grade C for life (unless gelded) and are to be inspected again as a five year old. As with all other stallions they may be called for re-inspection at anytime during their lifetime, should the Society deem this to be necessary.

Grade colts should not be used on Grade A or B mares. If they are used, the resulting progeny can only be registered as Non-Breeding. Registration as Grade C will take place for colts born in 2024 onwards, and will not be done retrospectively for colts born prior to 2024.

Part Bred Shires

To be eligible for the Part Bred Shire Register, animals must have one parent (sire or dam) registered in the  Shire Stud Book and one parent (sire or dam) must be registered in the Stud Book of another breed. The sire must be approved for breeding and service certificate provided. Registration details and pedigree of the non-shire parent is required. Animals must be DNA tested to verify parentage.

Yearling Colts for Stallion Approval and Full Registration.

Notified colts may be considered for approval and full registration in the year following their birth, however it is more usual for this to be done in their second year, when they are more mature.

NOTE: Approved stallions are required to have a second inspection at five years of age.

Unapproved stallions of any age are not permitted to enter progeny in the stud book (except as Non-Breeding).

DNA Sampling

Sire and Dam – A DNA sample from the sire and dam of each entry in the Stud Book and Grade B Register (Grade A females – sire only) must be held at the DNA laboratory before any registration can be accepted.

For the animal being registered – a DNA sample is needed for all foals at the time of registration, (except Non-Breeding and ID Only passports). Samples must be taken and signed by a Veterinary Surgeon using the sampling kit provided by the Society in the registration application pack. Please check that the sample label is fully completed before sending to the Society's office. Please DO NOT attempt to send samples directly to the DNA testing lab, as samples must be accompanied by additional Society paperwork when they go to the laboratory.

Sampling Instruction

You will need:

• Self Sealing Sampling Packet (supplied by the Society)
• Clean hands
• Mane comb

1. Samples are the root ends from the horse’s mane hair.
2. Thoroughly wash and dry your hands. Clean comb by removing all hair and foreign matter.
3. Comb mane of horse being sampled to remove foreign material from the mane.
4. Pull (do not cut) 20 to 30 mane hairs by wrapping hairs around forefinger.
5. Grasp hair close to horse’s body to ensure roots are obtained. Pull straight towards your body. If you look closely at the ends, you will see the root bulbs on the hairs.
6. Place mane hair with root ends in the packet provided, having first completed the details on the outside of the packet (we must have the root ends to test.
7. Place packet in envelope with sketch card etc and send to The Shire Horse Society, The Old Dairy, Rockingham Castle, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 8TH
8. If sampling multiples horses, wash hands or put on clean surgical gloves before starting on the next horse. This will reduce the risk of cross-contamination of DNA samples.
9. For each horse repeat steps 2 to 6.
10. If the hair samples are being provided for foal parentage, please enclose samples from the dam also in a clearly labelled packet.

Fees

For information on up to date fees please see the table at the bottom of this page.

Horses bred outside the United Kingdom

Special Stud Book Registration Conditions will apply and animals may not be inspected by the Society. However, the Society reserves the right to inspect animals at any time and animals coming to the UK will be subject to inspection.

 Fees

Indemnity

Registration may be accepted from Members or Non-Members. Every owner and/or Member of the Society agrees to indemnify the Society against all loss and damage arising to it directly or indirectly from any inaccuracy in or omission from information which such owner and/or Member is obliged to provide to the Society in connection with the registration of any animal in accordance with the general conditions covering the Stud Book. Every owner and/or Member signs a Certificate to this effect when submitting a registration form.

Non-Members applying for registration agree to be similarly bound by the act of applying for registration.