# Tips on buying/registering/transfering horses



## Songcatcher (Jun 28, 2008)

We have quite a few new members on here lately and I thought it might be a good idea to post these thoughts for new owners as well as people who might have just been lax on getting their horses transfered/registered.

When buying a new horse, make sure it is registered and the papers are up to date with the current owner. Otherwise, you could experience MAJOR headaches. If you cannot see the papers in person, get someone to check the Studbook for you OR call AMHA or AMHR and check with the office to see if the current owner has the papers up to date.

If buying a foal, the papers may not be back yet depending on how long it takes in the office. If having a foal DNAed at the time of registration it may take quite a while (I know form experience) due to no fault of AMHA, but the lab that does the testing. As a result, some breeders sell on application rather than registering foals before sale. If buying on application, and if you do not know the seller well, it is a good idea to get a WRITTEN GUARANTEE that the foal can be registered. Again, do the research on the parents and make sure their papers are up to date with the current owner.

Once you have bought your horse and have the papers or application, get it transfered or registered ASAP! If you wait around two or three years, you may have difficulty getting the registration/transfer processed. Honest mistakes can and do happen. God forbid, if the seller should die or move, it can be extremely difficult to straighten out a mistake. If you wait beyond a certain point, the horse may have to be DNAed and Parent Qualified in order to be registered. If the sire or dam has died or been sold and lost track of during that time, it may be impossible to get the necessary hair samples to do the tests. Also, if you had a written guarantee that the foal could be registered, you could possibly lose your legal rights by waiting too long (that can vary by state).

I have been fortunate in never having had a problem in getting a horse registered or transfered, but I have heard of many who have. This is all intended as advise to prevent misunderstandings and heartache down the road. Please do not reply with specific names so that this thread will not be removed to protect the guilty. Good luck to all.


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## Jill (Jun 28, 2008)

Good post!

I'd like to add that the only papers that matter are AMHR and AMHA papers when it comes to miniature horses. Do not be duped into thinking that Gold Seal or WCMHR ("World Class") are meaningful, because they are not. Unless a miniature has AMHR and/or AMHA papers, it should be considered unregistered and grade.


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## love_casper (Jun 28, 2008)

I'm sure a lot of people wish they had read something like this ahead of time lol!


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## dannigirl (Jun 28, 2008)

Well said, Songcatcher. I wish everyone would transfer into their own names as soon as they get the horses. Have had a few people finally track me down after I sold a horse 3 or 4 years previous and ask for a transfer form signed because they just purchased one of "my" horses and wanted it in their names. I try to trust people, but how can I be sure they got the horse honestly and aren't just getting me to help them get the horse in their names.


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## Just Us N Texas (Jun 28, 2008)

Very good topic to put on here. Friends who are newbies bought some horses right before we met. They found that they have had to do multiple transfers on one, and one was not A/R as they were told. She has spent a lot of extra time on paperwork and running down people. She did buy one mare from you, and everything was as stated. Thank you for being honest. Just thought I had to add that in!


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## Jill (Jun 29, 2008)

Thanks, Mary Lou!!! This is for sure something for people new to miniatures to read


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## Charley (Jun 29, 2008)

Look closely at all the paperwork involved. Make sure any markings or pictures match the horse you are buying. Make sure the description of the horse and name of horse on the coggins papers match the horse before you make final payment. Sometimes people are selling more than one and the paperwork can get crossed up. It is also a good thing to get a vet reference and check on the individual horse.


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## minimomNC (Jun 29, 2008)

Make sure all guarentees are written, not just implyed. If a mare is in foal, get a guarentee on a live foal if the seller will do that and get it in writing what recourse you have if something doesn't work out with the horse your bought, say the foal doesn't PQ. If its a young horse and you are buying for show or breeding, get height and breeding gurantees and again what recourse you have should the horse go oversize or not be breeding sound, ie... one or no testicles, sterile and so for. Always get anything agreed upon by buyer and seller in writing.

One tip on buying a mare in foal, don't buy just for the foal, you will be disappointed at some point. Buy only if you would also buy the mare open.


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## shelly (Jun 29, 2008)

OK...here is my question. I bought a rescued mare with no papers and no parentage info at all. I want to get her registered and I was told that World Class was the only way I could go. I have sent for a DNA testing on her and am still waiting for results. I would love to register her with AMHA as she is 32" but I WON"T spend $600 to hardship her...that is OUTRAGIOUS!!!!






What are some other options for me if I don't get a match with DNA?


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## minimomNC (Jun 29, 2008)

What do you plan to do with the mare? Add the cost of what you paid plus the cost to hardship, would you have bought the mare at that price in the first place? If your answer is no, then World Class is your only option and those papers are only good for showing at open shows that require a mini to have papers (our state fair does this) or to show at the World Class show. Thats it. If your answer is yes, then hardship the mare into AMHA if she is 5 or over and then she can be hardshipped into AMHR.

Anytime hardshipping a horse comes into play, ask your self if you would pay the same money (purchase price plus hardship fees) if the horse was already registered.


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## Songcatcher (Jun 29, 2008)

minimomNC said:


> One tip on buying a mare in foal, don't buy just for the foal, you will be disappointed at some point. Buy only if you would also buy the mare open.


How very true! I once bought a mare (32 inch) bred to what I considered a fabulous stallion (28 inch) in large part for the resulting foal. The mare had a terrible discotia and I lost the foal and nearly lost the mare. I had bought the mare with no guarantees and did not expect any. Breeding is a great gamble and on that one, I lost.

I have also recently purchased a very nice mare (not picked up yet) with a very colorful colt at side, for a very reasonable price. I sent a check for the full purchase price. After receiving my check, the seller informed me that the colt had been stepped on and died and offered to return my check. I felt that was very generous on the part of the seller, as I believe standard practice is that buyer assumes all risk of loss at time of agreement. However, I was buying for the mare, not the foal and felt she was a bargain even without the foal. I told them I did not want my check back and even purchased another mare in addition.


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## Westwood Farms (Jun 29, 2008)

Some people go ahead and transfer the foal they are selling into the buyers name. That can take away some confusion, and does ensure that the horse does indeed get transferred!


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## Becky (Jun 30, 2008)

> I would love to register her with AMHA as she is 32" but I WON"T spend $600 to hardship her...that is OUTRAGIOUS!!!!


Actually, I think it's quite a bargain! I'm assuming you don't have much invested in your initial purchase since you said she's a rescue mare. Most of the mares that I have hardshipped into AMHA, I have less than $1500 invested in including hardshipping. If she's not worth that much money to you, then she for sure isn't worth hardshipping!!! BTW, my harshipped mares have made me many thousands of dollars.

And back to the topic on hand, absolutely make sure all of the paperwork is up to date. All transfers signed by owner of record, etc. Unless purchasing from a very good friend, never buy on application only. You will get burned at some point that way.


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## Maxi'sMinis (Jun 30, 2008)

How would you get burned if you bought on application only? Just wondering to be aware of possible problems here.Great thread Freeland!


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## Jill (Jul 1, 2008)

Anyone can fill out an application. It doesn't mean the horse is truly eligible to be registered Some people are dishonest or just misinformed and may have used an AMHR only stallion with an AMHA only mare, the stud reports may not have been filed, they may not have been the owner of the mare at time of service (so no authority to sign the application), etc.

I have bought on application a few times, BUT it was from people who have sterling reputations and are trustworthy to a fault.


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## ruffian (Jul 1, 2008)

I think this was mentioned in another thread, but DNA testing doesn't look for who the parents are, but only can confirm who they are if they have also been DNA tested. So unless you know, or think you know who the parents are, the DNA won't help you get her registered any way other than hardship.

I have a colt from a mare I bought last year that was sold as open. I have to DNA the colt, the mare, and the stallion that we think he's by. If the DNA proves otherwise, we have to request comparison against the seller's other stallion to see i f that is the sire.



> OK...here is my question. I bought a rescued mare with no papers and no parentage info at all. I want to get her registered and I was told that World Class was the only way I could go. I have sent for a DNA testing on her and am still waiting for results. I would love to register her with AMHA as she is 32" but I WON"T spend $600 to hardship her...that is OUTRAGIOUS!!!!


That's pretty cheap for a mare that if registered could be shown at breed shows, and her offspring registered. It would also enhance her value. If the only thing you want are papers so you can say she's "registered" then WCMHC or Gold Seal are the way to go. Just remember, you get what you pay for. What's sad is she may have had AMHA or AMHR papers at one time that showed her heritage, and she may be bred to the hilt, but because of stupid people who neglected or abused her, that could be lost forever. Congrats on the rescue!!


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## shelly (Jul 2, 2008)

ruffian said:


> I think this was mentioned in another thread, but DNA testing doesn't look for who the parents are, but only can confirm who they are if they have also been DNA tested. So unless you know, or think you know who the parents are, the DNA won't help you get her registered any way other than hardship.
> 
> I have a colt from a mare I bought last year that was sold as open. I have to DNA the colt, the mare, and the stallion that we think he's by. If the DNA proves otherwise, we have to request comparison against the seller's other stallion to see i f that is the sire.
> 
> ...


I will be hardshipping her with AMHA but I don't know when I can afford to do it. How much time after purchase do I have for that? I really feel she was from great breeding lines and I want to be able to sell her foals so that they are able to be registered AMHA, and also possibly show her someday.


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## minimomNC (Jul 2, 2008)

You can hardship anytime after a horse is 5 years old. There is no time limit unless she is in foal. If you want to register a foal then the mare needs to be registered before the foal is born, if you wait until after the foal is born it will cost half the hardship fee for whatever the foal is, colt or filly.

Good luck, I hope it all works out for you and your mare.


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## shelly (Jul 2, 2008)

Well, I'm hoping she took when she was bred the 2nd. week of June...so I guess I had better get on it.





She is due to come back in any day now...I keep teasing her with my gelding whom she loves!!!! This morning they sniffed noses and he talked to her like a stud, then she squealed and turned away. I will keep it up all week and hopefully she won't come into heat.


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## Lewella (Jul 3, 2008)

Speaking of stud reports - any time I buy a mare who is exposed I have the seller fill out a stallion report along with the stallion service certificate and I personally mail the stallion report for that mare into the ASPC/AMHR. That way I know the stallion report has been properly filed for my new mare. I started doing this after having to get a stallion owner to file an amended stud reports because they forgot to include the mare that they had sold to me on the stallions report when they sent their paperwork in at the end of the year.


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## Denise (Jul 15, 2008)

I sure wish I would have known half of the things in this post a few months back. Still waiting on papers on a filly I paid off in April 2008 from an LB member.

Got any ideas on how to force her to reply and give me my papers? She again is ignoring my emails.

Called both registries yesterday and there is no paperwork in process.

I did contact a lawyer today to see what my next step should be.


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## Joann (Sep 1, 2008)

Denise said:


> I sure wish I would have known half of the things in this post a few months back. Still waiting on papers on a filly I paid off in April 2008 from an LB member. Got any ideas on how to force her to reply and give me my papers? She again is ignoring my emails.
> 
> Called both registries yesterday and there is no paperwork in process.
> 
> I did contact a lawyer today to see what my next step should be.


I too have had this problem. my stallion and a mare an not be reg in amhr cuz the previos owners said paperwork at the registry, but registry said neber reeived it. Have tried to contact the previos owners but never anwer my email etc. any suggestions?


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## krissy3 (Sep 5, 2008)

I would totally spend the money and hardship her...if anything its like an insurance policy.If something ever happens to you and she must find a new home , people will be waiting in line to have her , and you could pick the best home possible. If she is not registered , and something happens to you , you might have to "settle" for the best home, and you dont want to do that. I never thought I was going to move to Switzerland , and I had to find a home for my hardshiped AMHR, because he was so well trained and in shows , I was able to choose from a lot of exceptional homes for him....what a relief. when you can afford it ..just do it , you will be glad later, and have some fun at the shows


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## ChrystalPaths (Sep 5, 2008)

Always, always have a contract. My 3 are leaving and tho the deal was exchanges; I still will have a contract and bill of sale/transport. Be sure of everything and anything and put it in writing.


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## Songcatcher (Sep 21, 2008)

Denise said:


> I sure wish I would have known half of the things in this post a few months back. Still waiting on papers on a filly I paid off in April 2008 from an LB member. Got any ideas on how to force her to reply and give me my papers? She again is ignoring my emails.
> 
> Called both registries yesterday and there is no paperwork in process.
> 
> I did contact a lawyer today to see what my next step should be.


If it is an active LB member, contact Mona (if you bought it through the Sales Board or LB Auction). I had to do that a few years ago with a situation I had. I got my correct paperwork shortly. If that doesn't work, I would lodge a formal complaint with the registries.


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## FrostyMeadows (Jul 5, 2011)

This is very interesting, I am in the process of purchasing a colt from out of state who will not be weaned for a couple of months. The seller wants full payment up front ( I was expecting a deposit). It also says that he is eligible for papers (A & R), I assume that means that I will have to file for them after I pick him up.

What is the usual process in this type of circumstance? Is it out of line for me to ask that I be given a refund if something happens to him before he is weaned?

How would you handle this type of transaction? 

I really appreciate any advice.


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## bluebird (Jan 18, 2012)

Very good to know for when I am ready to buy. Thank you!


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