Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon has launched a new booklet entitled ‘All you need to know about Equine Identification and Traceability’.

Its objective is to support horse owners and keepers and all involved in the equine sector in meeting their legal obligations in relation to traceability.

The booklet provides clear and accessible information under five key headings:

Identification and registration;
Record keeping;
Buying and selling horses;
International movement of horses;
End of life.

The publication, showcased at the Dublin Horse Show, is the latest action to improve Ireland’s equine traceability system based on the recommendations of Prof. Paddy Wall’s report.

In launching the booklet, Minister Heydon spoke about why the Dublin Horse Show was the perfect event for this initiative: “The Dublin Horse Show is a cornerstone of Ireland’s equestrian calendar and an important international showcase for the world-class talent of our sport horse sector.

"Protecting this reputation means ensuring all our horses have the highest welfare standards and this is only possible through robust traceability.

"This new booklet is part of my department’s ongoing commitment to improving our equine traceability system so that our deserved reputation for producing high-quality, well cared for horses is assured.” 

The booklet is now available in both print and digital formats and will be available at Dublin Horse Show through relevant stakeholders including Horse Sport Ireland, the Irish Horse Board and Teagasc.