AMHA Changed their Color Policy!

[rabbitsfizz]

It doesn't sound at all snide- it is a very relevant question- my ENTIRE problem is not, at the moment with the AMHA' not being accurate.

It is with the AMHA attempting to get people to inaccurately register their horses, for convenience sake.

It is bad enough that mistakes get made, but if they are honest mistakes- well, this sort of thing happens.

You cannot tell me that this attitude is right- I know you are not trying to but , honestly, I am flabbergasted that something like this could even be considered.

I have always put no name change, no colour change- I do not give a second name, even, I am happy to wait or even pay more to be consulted at every stage of the procedure.

And, No, they are little better than AMHA for accuracy.

The important difference is that the colour put on the papers is the colour indicated by the breeder- therefore it is the breeders responsibility.

We are not given colour choices, per se, we choose the colour of the horse.

So we are not just told "these are the choices"

 

[Songcatcher]

My opinion, for what it is worth, is that at this point, we are all second guessing who did what. OFFICE WORKERS are NOT supposed to make major decisions on policy changes. That should be done by OFFICIALS such as Presidents, Chairmen, or Boards. HOWEVER, office workers may at times misunderstand instructions and implement wrong procedures.

I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR AN EXPLANATION FROM AN OFFICIAL IN CHARGE OF MAKING SUCH A CHANGE rather than hearing from the hired help or hearing guesses regarding what was done from someone who heard what someone else thought. I'm not putting anyone down here. I just want to know the facts from someone with authority and responsibility. I hope this analogy does not offend anyone or sound like I am trying to put someone down, but I am not going to ask a janitor for an explanation of the school's curriculum or ask a stable hand to explain to me a breeder's or trainer's actions.

I am still holding out hope that what one person said is not what another heard and there is a misunderstanding somewhere in the process.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Freeland I agree completely- although the same story has been given to more than one person.

 

[shalamara minis]

I guess that if we want to accuratly represent our horses and are worried about what there papers say, then all minis should be geneticly tested for color and a copy of that test attached to the registration. Then It won't matter what the office uses for colors we will have test results to prove what color we say our horses are. Of course this will be another cost that we will all have to put up with.

 

[RockRiverTiff]

Oh man... :no: We just finished a stack of paperwork, and you're telling me it's going to get to the office and after making sure we had everything perfect THEY are going to misrepresent our horses??? We have four silver bays here, so this is a very distressing development. Think of all the people that come to the forum trying to figure out what color their horse is--most often confused because the sire and/or dam's color was incorrect--and now that's going to be the norm! Why don't we just start calling the horses whatever primary color they're closest to? The computer system should be able to handle red, yellow, and blue. Right...?

 

[backwoodsnanny]

I didnt mean to say that it WAS the computer system, only that it was a distinct possibility that the new system couldnt handle the response Silver Bay. I dont work for AMHA and I also have a horse here who is registered Sorrel who should have been Silver Bay in the first place. My response was just one possibility of why they are saying they are not doing Silver Bay at least not right now. I have seen it happen in other genres of computer systems and thought that was ONE explanation of why they cant do it right now. I also agaree that it is unacceptable if this is the reason.

 

[R3]

I don't KNOW the reason they are no longer accepting Silver Bay, but I DON'T think it is because of the new computer system.

I was at the AMHA Annual Meeting, back in February, where they were introducing the new computer system. I was talking to the computer guy and, if my memory is correct, he was saying that the new system would be able to list MORE colors than were currently available. It should have been able to give us additional choices, such as champagne and perlino, etc.

So, I really don't think it is a 'problem' with the new computer system. BUT, I have no idea what IS going on.

 

[RockRiverTiff]

My point was whatever the problem is it's ludicrous, computer or otherwise. Silver bay is a very common color, and I don't understand what issue could help the committee to rationalize that accuracy is unnecessary.

 

[blueprintminis]

When I wrote earlier this morning after reading this post, I addressed my email to the following:

Pam Pruitt - Registration Supervisor - [email protected]

Marsha Bartlett - NewFoals - [email protected]

Melissa Powell - Status - [email protected]

Christy Scott - Assistant - [email protected]

President Mike Want - [email protected]

Vice President Bob Kane - [email protected]

Director at Large Tom Roberts - [email protected]

I figured by contacting these, surely one or more would be the right one.

It's been a long time since I've posted on here, but this issue really has me upset. I personally am going to write/email the above people plus anyone else "in power" whose email addresses I can find in The World. There is NO logical reason to exclude silver bay as a color option, for all the reasons already mentioned in the other posts on this topic. WE ARE AMHA!!! They work for us!!!! Contact your area reps and tell them that this is not acceptable and that you demand that your silver bays be accurately recorded as such in the studbook. Phone calls by each and every one of us to the association would probably go a long way in getting their attention that this is a big problem that will not be ignored. Could someone in Texas contact a local judge to get an injunction filed against the AMHA registration department to stop ALL registry work until this issue is settled? That certainly would light a fire under a lot of people's hind ends. Well, gotta go and send off "heated" emails demanding the registry get it's head out of its hind end.

 

[blueprintminis]

Here's the email I just sent to AMHA and our president, vice pres, dir at large. I'll also be forwarding a copy to each regional director around the country. I would ask that each of you at least contact your regional directors to let them know how you feel about this. Together, we can get this resolved!

I just heard a terrible rumor that AMHA registration is requiring members to fraudulently represent our silver bay horses when filing for registration. I've heard that "silver bay" is "no longer an option" and people are being told to register silver bay horses as plain bay or worse, as chestnut. There is NOTHING chestnut about a silver bay horse and this is very much a misrepresentation of the animal and of its color genetics.

As an AMHA member, I AM THE AMHA!!! I will not knowingly misrepresent an animal when registering it. Is it not grounds for suspension/termination of member priviledges to knowingly misrepresent an animal when registering it? Can I not register my light bay foals as buckskins and my light sorrel foals as palominos? Lord knows the market is better for buckskins and palominos than for bays and sorrels. Can I not permanently register my 35" mare as 34" because she "looks" to be 34"and it's more convenient for me to do so? Doing either of these is gross misrepresentation of the animal I am registering and WOULD result in a severe penalty by the association. Knowingly registering a silver bay as a sorrel with flaxen mane/tail is just as gross misrepresentation and now it is being required by the registration department.

If this is NOT a rumor then it needs to be corrected and it needs to be corrected IMMEDIATELY!!! It is not acceptable even for "now" to not have silver bay as an option. I don't need to hear how or why or when this came about, I only need to hear acknowledgement that it is a big mistake and will be corrected immediately.

Will it be necessary for the membership to file an injunction against the association to halt all registry work until such fraud can be rectified? I'm not sure who is responsible for fixing this mistake, but I will keep emailing to keep this issue alive and in front of the membership. It will not be quietly swept under the rug and ignored.

Please respond and let me know that indeed, this is just a rumor, a practical joke, and that no one is ignorant enough to think that it is "OK" to register silver bay as anything but silver bay.

Laura C. Rothfuss, Hamilton, Ohio

 

[ThreeCFarm]

This is from Marsha in Registration at AMHA:

We do have a lot of questions about the SILVER BAY. You can contact the person over the Genetics Committee. His name is John Eberth at [email protected].

She is the one that is working my silver bay filly's registration, as a "regular" bay. John will be receiving an email from me!!!

 

[Songcatcher]

This is from Marsha in Registration at AMHA:

We do have a lot of questions about the SILVER BAY. You can contact the person over the Genetics Committee. His name is John Eberth at [email protected].

She is the one that is working my silver bay filly's registration, as a "regular" bay. John will be receiving an email from me!!!

My email to him has just been sent. REMEMBER FOLKS, PLEASE REMEMBER TO BE POLITE IN YOUR LETTERS. Firm convictions do not need to be rude.

 

[ThreeCFarm]

Excellent point, Freeland!! We'll get farther, faster, if we remain reasonable!!

I just sent my email to John as well.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Reasonable, yes, humble??

NO way!!

I think Blueprints e-mail is perfect.

 

[Dona]

I also applaud Laura's (Blueprints) letter. :aktion033: I don't think it was being rude at all, to state how passionate she is about this issue. I am with her....110%, and will be forwarding my letter to John as well. SOMEBODY has to do something about this! :no: It if falls on John's shoulders...so be it.

 

[Songcatcher]

I also applaud Laura's (Blueprints) letter. :aktion033: I don't think it was being rude at all, to state how passionate she is about this issue. I am with her....110%, and will be forwarding my letter to John as well. SOMEBODY has to do something about this! :no: It if falls on John's shoulders...so bit it.

Please do not misunderstand. I was not accusing anyone of being rude and made no reference to anyone. I was just cautioning. If someone starts ranting at me, I'm likely to turn a deaf ear, even if they are right. You draw more flies with honey than with vinigar.

 

[Dona]

I also applaud Laura's (Blueprints) letter. :aktion033: I don't think it was being rude at all, to state how passionate she is about this issue. I am with her....110%, and will be forwarding my letter to John as well. SOMEBODY has to do something about this! :no: It if falls on John's shoulders...so bit it.

Please do not misunderstand. I was not accusing anyone of being rude and made no reference to anyone. I was just cautioning. If someone starts ranting at me, I'm likely to turn a deaf ear, even if they are right. You draw more flies with honey than with vinigar.

I DO understand, and I agree.

: But we have to get across just how upset & passionate we are about this. And of course, it can be done without being rude or hateful....but we need to be LOUD.

"the sqeekiest wheel gets the oil".

:

 

[Songcatcher]

I also applaud Laura's (Blueprints) letter. :aktion033: I don't think it was being rude at all, to state how passionate she is about this issue. I am with her....110%, and will be forwarding my letter to John as well. SOMEBODY has to do something about this! :no: It if falls on John's shoulders...so bit it.

Please do not misunderstand. I was not accusing anyone of being rude and made no reference to anyone. I was just cautioning. If someone starts ranting at me, I'm likely to turn a deaf ear, even if they are right. You draw more flies with honey than with vinigar.

I DO understand, and I agree.

: But we have to get across just how upset & passionate we are about this. And of course, it can be done without being rude or hateful....but we need to be LOUD.

"the sqeekiest wheel gets the oil".

:

Agreed!

 

[Robin1]

I haven't read all the responses so I may be duplicating.

UNTIL they bring back the silver bay color as an option why not register them as bay with flaxen mane and tail?

Just a thought.

Robin

 

[Mona]

I haven't read all the responses so I may be duplicating.

UNTIL they bring back the silver bay color as an option why not register them as bay with flaxen mane and tail?

Just a thought.

Robin

Actually, that is a good idea...better than registering a silver bay as a regular bay or a chestnut anyway!