Photo credit Vicki Wright
For many years, you could easily recognize a Standardbred by the five-digit freeze brand on its neck, but that is changing. In 2019 a new policy made microchipping the primary identification method for the breed. Freeze branding as additional identification is still available as an option, but it comes with an additional cost.
Microchipping may at first seem like a better way of identifying a horse, and it is efficiently used at racetracks. Unfortunately, the microchip does not replace the freeze brand as a way of identifying a Standardbred at a distance or in the turmoil of an auction pen.
Standardbred horses have a fan base that goes beyond the racetrack. There are several rescue organizations that specialize in finding new careers and new homes for these horses.
“People are interested in their ‘no drama’ personality. They are smaller than Thoroughbreds and calmer with denser bone. They are already broken to drive and generally can learn how to carry a rider pretty quickly,” said Standardbred freeze brand advocate Ellen Harvey. “There are people and organizations that are specifically looking for that breed. That brand tells you that horse was bred for athletic ability, that horse has been excessively handled, probably broken to drive already, probably loads on a trailer, and is probably fine with trucks going past them.”
For the past 25 years, those looking specifically for Standardbreds at auction have been able to spot a freeze brand, even in a crowded pen. Once they see the brand number they are able to look up that horse’s identity, finding his age, pedigree, and racing record.
That still holds true for today’s horses that have ended their racing career and end up at auction where they face the possibility of being sold for slaughter. For horses born in 2019 or more recently, the visible identification that could save their lives is probably is not there.
In 2019 microchipping became a part of the US Trotting Association (USTA) registration process along with DNA testing and recording of markings. The freeze brand remains as an option, but only at an additional cost. As a result, most foals registered since then are lacking freeze brands.
Sea of Brown Horses
“For folks that buy or acquire horses at places like the New Holland auction--excluding the Haflingers and the paints, it’s a sea of brown horses. They’re shoulder to shoulder on the wall or turned out in a pen in the back,” Harvey said.
Harvey noted that even if you have a chip reader, you need to be about six inches from the horse you want to check.
“What you get on your scanner is for 90 seconds is a 16 digit number,” she said. “These are not environments where you can control the flow of the horses.”
Harvey is not opposed to microchipping but sees the freeze brand as an important backup. She and three others have co-sponsored a rule change that will be considered at the USTA meeting in March. Her hope is to get freeze branding restored as a part of the registration process.
In addition to helping Saddlebred rescues, the freeze brand is helpful in identifying horses at the farm. Since there are so many similar horses the brand is a help to make sure the right horse is getting attention.
When discussion of the switch to microchipping came up in 2017, Harvey expected there would at least be a period when freeze branding and microchipping overlapped to see how the system worked in practice.
Harvey points out that the USTA has done a good job of promoting the abilities of the Standardbred beyond the racetrack. After encouraging horsemen to consider Standardbreds, the move away from freeze branding could be seen as an obstacle to finding these horses new careers
“Our horses most typically go from the racetrack to the Plain communities, and when they can no longer carry their weight in the Plain community that’s when they are in peril,” Harvey said. “That (freeze brand) is the only defense they have at the last juncture in their lives where they can get help.”
The cost to register a Standardbred foal was $150, which included DNA testing, recording of markings and microchipping. If you choose a freeze brand only with no microchip at that time of registration the cost is an additional $75. This includes the cost of having a microchip implanted by a future owner of the horse.
If the freeze brand is requested and done at the same time as the microchipping the freeze brand fee is $40 in addition to the $150 registration. An older horse that has been freeze branded only can have a microchip inserted for a fee of $35.
Ellen Harvey is the fifth generation of her family to make a living with horses and the second to do it with Standardbreds. Her father is Hall of Fame driver/trainer Harry Harvey and she herself worked in the public relations field for the USTA for 22 years before retiring.
Harvey encourages USTA members who are concerned about the issue to contact the directors that represent them and let their feelings be known.
When contacted for comment, USTA Executive Vice President/Chief Executive Officer, Mike Tanner replied:
“There are several rule change proposals concerning microchips and freeze brands that will be considered by the USTA Board of Directors at their annual meeting in March. Presently, the USTA rule mandates microchips as the primary means of identification of Standardbreds registered with the Association, but also provides members with the option of freeze branding their horses as well. To my knowledge, the USTA is one of only two major horse breed registries in the world to provide this service, a decision that was made in 2018 after input from Ellen and others was relayed to the Board, and also in service to the Amish community involved in harness racing. (Standardbred Canada reinstituted the freeze brand option a month or so ago, but at a much higher price than the USTA). Last year, the Association applied freeze brands to more than 2,600 horses.
“Unlike the Jockey Club (T-breds) or just about any other horse breed registry, the USTA encourages rule change proposals from its members, takes those proposals through an entire district meeting process where other members and directors can discuss, debate and vote upon them, and then, through a simple majority vote by its 60-person board, decides whether to accept them or not.”