Peter Webbon, Chief Veterinary Advisor to the English Jockey Club, confirmed that his organization is looking into using microchip identification of all Thoroughbreds in the near future. The committee charged with improving the current methods of Thoroughbred Identification were members of the English Jockey Club, Irish Turf Club, Wetherbys and Wetherbys Ireland, veterinary representatives from both countries, and Tattersalls.

The recommendations that the group made to the English and Irish regulatory bodies was to add microchip identification to the current passport that includes markings and blood typing for parentage. The microchip came out the first choice over branding and tattooing, said Webbon, because of the “speed and ease of reading them.”

Microchipping would be done at the same time foals have markings and blood drawn for the current identification processes, he added. The microchips also would allow authorities to keep other records, including vaccination and medical histories on each horse. The hand-held scanner that reads the microchips, which would be placed in the left side of the horse’s neck near the poll, also could flag anything that should be known about that animal, such as incidences of EIPH or ataxia after racing.

Some Thoroughbred foals and horses of racing age had microchips implanted starting in 1997 and 1998, said Webbon