FAQ - Registry

Registration and Registry Related

Why should I Register my Morgan?

The value of a registered horse is much greater than if it is unregistered. It makes it possible for future owners to breed and register offspring from it. It also allows the horse to be shown in Morgan classes and to compete for Morgan breed awards in open competition such as Dressage and competitive trail rides. A horse's registration papers provide a history of the horse's ownership and breeder. The recorded pedigree also helps to understand the horse's heritable traits if breeding the animal is a consideration.

What are the fees of transfers and registrations?

The registration fee is based on the age of the foal at the time the application is submitted. The transfer fee is based on the amount of time that has passed since you purchased the Morgan as well as the AMHA membership status of the buyer or seller. A complete list of registration fees can be seen here.

Can I register a half Morgan?

AMHA registers only horses that have two parents that are registered Morgans. At this time, AMHA does not have a half-Morgan registry. If you would like to obtain papers for a half-Morgan, a number of sources are available, including the following

American Part-Blooded Horse Registry: Michele Rine
PO Box 986
Oregon City, OR 97045
503/702-6410; www.americanpartbloodedhorseregistry.com
Purebred Morab Horse Association: PO Box 280
Sherwood, WI54169
920/687-0188; www.morabnet.com or www.puremorab.com
International Morab Breeders Association and Registry: 732 S. Miller Ct.
Decatur, IL62521-3245
217/428-5245; www.morab.com

I just bought an unregistered foal and I am paying his registration fees. Can I pick out his name?

While you may be paying to register the foal, only the owner of the dam at the time of foaling can sign the registration application. A registration application requires the person submitting the application to certify certain details about the foal. These details are items that only the owner of the mare at the time she foaled will be able to certify. For this reason, the Rules require the person who owned the mare at the time of foaling to complete the registration application regardless of who is paying for the registration, and naming the foal is part of the registration process. As the new owner of the foal, you can ask the person who is signing the registration application to use a name that you choose; however, they are not required to use it.

Can you check the availability of a horse name?

The Registry staff can check the availability of name choices. Staff is available by calling (802) 985-4944, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday or by emailing registry@morganhorse.com. A name cannot be reserved until the registration process has been completed and a registration number assigned.

I just purchased a Morgan, but the person I bought the horse from is not the same as the person listed on the Registration Certificate as the recorded owner. What should we do?

The Registry rules require a transfer of ownership for EVERY change of ownership.

For example, if you purchased a horse from Mr. & Mrs. Smith but the Registration Certificate shows that the recorded owner is Mary Blue, you must submit a Transfer Application signed by Mary Blue as seller. The buyer's section of the application must be completed to provide all information regarding the sale of the horse by Mary to the Smiths. Mr.& Mrs. Smith would then have to complete another Transfer Application as seller, listing the next owner (in this case, you) as the new owner. If other owners had preceded Mary Blue's ownership, the process would have had to continue back until the person signing the Transfer Application as seller is the person shown as recorded owner on the Registration Certificate. The properly completed Transfer Applications would then be submitted to AMHA with appropriate signatures, the Registration Certificate, and fees.

I just bought a Morgan foal that has never been registered. Why does he have to be registered in someone else's name and then transferred to me if I am his first registered owner?

There are several reasons why. 1. The Rules require the owner of the dam at the time of foaling to be listed as the original owner of the foal; 2. The horse was owned by someone else before you purchased him, even if he wasn't registered, and the rules require all ownership to be recorded; 3. The registration application requires the applicant to certify certain facts about the foal that you can't certify; only the person who owned the mare when she foaled will be able to certify.

Will the AMHA register a cloned Morgan?

In May of 2003, the AMHA Board of Directors adopted the following statement regarding cloning:

"Until the membership of the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) and the Board of Directors have gained a comfortable level of knowledge and assurance that specific technical, legal, and moral aspects of cloning, gene splicing, and other artificial attempts to enhance or manipulate the equine genome are resolved, AMHA will not allow registration of any horses produced by cloning, gene splicing or such other artificial attempt. If and/or when the AMHA Board of Directors determines that sufficient assurance has been gained on any or all of the technical, moral and legal aspects of the issue, AMHA may but is not compelled to alter this policy. Due to the extreme seriousness and potential repercussions of determinations on this issue, this policy may be changed only by separate votes of both the membership and theAMHA Board of Directors. This policy and any modifications thereof shall conform with all applicable local, state and federal laws within the United States, as well as international laws with which the United States has agreed to abide."

The Registration Certificate for my Morgan has been lost; how do I get another one?

If a Registration Certificate has been lost or destroyed, an application for a duplicate certificate needs to be completed by the recorded owner. This form requires submission of four color photos of the horse (one from the front, rear, and each side, showing all markings on the legs, face, and body). The form needs to be signed in front of a Notary Public and submitted to AMHA with the appropriate fee.

If the Registration Certificate was lost by the previous owner (who is the recorded owner) when you purchase a horse, that owner must complete the application for a duplicate certificate, according to the procedure described above.

If two people own a horse and one of them dies, does the horse automatically become the property of the surviving owner?

Unless otherwise requested, ownership of horses with multiple owners will be Joint Tenants with Rights of Survivorship. Therefore, if you owned a horse with someone else and that person passed away, AMHA would transfer the horse into the surviving person's name after we received a copy of the deceased person's death certificate, the original registration certificate, and the appropriate fee. We would complete a transfer from the joint account to a single account in the living owner's name. (We cannot add or subtract names from existing accounts.)

Who are the recorded owners of a particular [named] registered horse?

The Registry staff can give you this information. Staff is available by calling (802) 985-4944, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday or by emailing registry@morganhorse.com.

Is a certain prefix available?

A list of registered prefixes can be found in the Registry section under "Prefix Lookup". The list may or may not be up to date, and the Registry staff can provide more current information regarding the availability of aprefix. Staff is available by calling (802) 985-4944, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday or by emailing registry@morganhorse.com. A prefix cannot be reserved until the application and fee is received and processed.

My horse died. What do I do?

Send a note, signed by the record owner of the horse, to the Registry with the horse's name, registration number, and date of death. There is no need to send in the horse's Registration Certificate.

Can I access the AMHA registry from the member's only site?

Yes. The only complete, real time database for Morgan horses! Free online Registry Access is offered to AMHA Standard and Premium Members, and Youth and Life Members as a member benefit. You can purchases online registry access as a daily, monthly or annual subscription, priced at $9.95, $24.95 and $94.95, respectively for Associate members; and $19.95, $54.95, and $179.95 for non-members. Access it today!

*A day is defined as the 24-hour period from midnight to midnight EST no matter when a user signs up for the service.

What do the abbreviations on my Morgan's registration certificate mean?

The first set of letters under a horse name indicates the coat color of that horse.

CHNT: Chestnut
BLK: Black
BAY: Bay
BRWN: Brown
PALO: Palomino
BUCK: Buckskin
SMBL: Smoky Black
DUN: Dun
CRLO: Cremello
PERL: Perlino
SMCR: Smoky Cream
GRAY: Gray

Following the coat color is information about the DNA and/or Blood Type status of the horse. Some horses will have both blood and DNA information, others will only have information about one and still others won't have any blood or DNA information. The horses without any information will be older horses that appear further back in the pedigree. Any horse born after 1991, must have at least a blood type. The following abbreviations can appear….

BT: The horse has a blood type on file but has not been blood tested to either parent
QBT: The horse's parentage has been qualified by blood testing. The horse has a blood type on file and was tested against both its sire and its dam
SBT: The horse has a blood type on file and was tested to its sire only
DBT: The horse has a blood type on file and was tested to its dam only
DNA: The horse has a DNA type on file but has not been DNA tested to either parent
QDNA: The horse's parentage has been qualified by DNA testing. The horse has a DNA type on file and was tested to both its sire and its dam
SDNA: The horse has a DNA type on file and was tested to its sire only
DDNA: The horse has a DNA type on file and was tested to its dam only

How do I change the coat color or markings of my horse?

If your horse's coat color or markings have changed, were incorrectly stated on the Registration Application or Coat Color Testing proves that the recorded coat color is not correct, you need to complete a Clarification Application. This form requires submission of four color photos (one from the front, rear and one from each side, showing all markings on the legs, face, and body) of the horse. Submit the Clarification Application, the original Registration Certificate, and photos to the AMHA office. We will make the changes and issue a new certificate. If you are changing the recorded coat color because your horse was recently coat color tested and its identity was confirmed at the same time using DNA testing, the photographs are not needed. The change will be done based on the Coat Color Test. Either way, with or without photos, there is no fee for this service.

What is “Coat Color Verified”?

Have you had your Morgan's coat color tested, but it is not reflected on its registration certificate as “coat color verified”? This could be because not all the proper tests were conducted.

In order to say “coat color verified,” horses much have the following color tests:

Chestnut or Black: Red Factor/Agouti test
Palomino, Buckskin, Smoky Black, Cremello, Perlino or Smoky Cream: Red Factor/Agouti test and Cream Dilution test
Silver: Red Factor/Agouti test and Silver test
Gray: Red Factor/Agouti test and Gray test
Splash: Red Factor/Agouti test and Splash test

If your Morgan has been “coat color verified” through AMHA and you would like the verification recorded on your Registration Certificate, please return the Registration and the fee of $25 to AMHA along with your request.

To order coat color tests, please call the AMHA Registry 802/985-4944 or download the application.

Transfer of Ownership

Why should I transfer ownership of my Morgan?

Transferring ownership of your new Morgan into your name as soon as you purchase it guarantees that you will be able to maintain the value of the horse as a registered animal. To transfer a horse, the AMHA must have the signature of the seller and the buyer on the Transfer Application. If you delay in filing this application with AMHA, the odds of this signed form becoming lost increase, and locating the seller years after you buy the Morgan also becomes increasingly difficult. Paying the transfer fee now will save you hours of frustration and expense further down the road. It will also make it easier for people who may be interested in your Morgan to locate you later on.

What are the fees of transfers and registrations?

How do I transfer ownership of a horse I just purchased into my name?

To transfer the ownership of the horse into your name(s), the person(s) listed as owner on the Registration Certificate must sign the seller's portion of a transfer application and you must fill out the buyer's section the way that you wish ownership of the horse to be designated. (Please read the article called What's in A Name) Send the transfer application to us with the ORIGINAL Registration Certificate and the appropriate fee.

What are the transfer requirements/fees for selling a Morgan horse to a person in Canada?

When you sell a horse to a Canadian owner, you would submit the transfer to our office as you normally do for selling a horse within the United States. AMHA will forward the AMHR registration certificate to the Canadian National Livestock Records, who will contact the new Canadian owner for the information/fees that they will need.

What are the transfer requirements/costs for purchasing a Morgan horse registered in Canada?

When a US owner buys a horse from a Canadian owner, the transfer must be submitted to the Canadian National Livestock Records (CNLR) first. They will forward the Canadian registration certificate to the AMHA with all of the appropriate horse and ownership information. At that time, AMHA will contact you and let you know what form(s) and fee(s) you will need to submit to the office. Once we receive the requested information and fee(s), we will issue an AMHR certificate that will be mailed to you. The fee to record the Canadian horse under your ownership is $30.00.

If I am an AMHA member when I purchase a Morgan, but the seller of the horse is not, is the transfer fee considered a member fee or a non-member fee.

When a horse is transferred, if either the buyer or seller is a current member with AMHA, the transfer will be processed at the member rate.

Can I sign up for a membership and send a transfer application at the same time and still pay member rates?

Yes, but be sure to include a note asking for $70 of the total check or credit card amount to be applied to a membership in your name or name(s) of the new owners.

Transfering a Morgan from an Estate

There is no question that we are an aging community. As Morgan owners and protectors of our beautiful breed, it is our responsibility to make sure that their well-being is ensured, once we have departed. It is far easier and less complicated to make preparations for your horses in advance. Although AMHA cannot do this for you, we can offer some suggestions and help guide you to make the Registry “paperwork” less intense for you and/or your survivors.

Individuals Record Ownership
If a Morgan horse is owned in an individual’s name only, AMHA will require a copy of the individual’s death certificate and documentation indicating who is authorized to sign on behalf of his/her estate. In most cases this is the Executor of the Estate. This person will be required to sign ALL registry related forms on behalf of the estate. This includes Transfer Applications, Registration Applications, Stallion Service Reports, and Notice of Lease Agreements. In the event that the estate does not have an executor, AMHA will require legal documentation from an attorney as to who can sign on behalf of the estate, or a copy of the portion of the will that addresses the disposition of the Morgan horses and/or the deceased personal property.

The horse(s) should be transferred out of the estate once their future it decided. If the Morgan is already registered, AMHA will require a Transfer Application (in most cases this is on the back of the Registration Certificate), the original Registration Certificate and the fee. If the Registration Certificate has been lost or destroyed, AMHA will require an Application for a Duplicate Certificate (in lieu of the original) and a separate Transfer Application, and the appropriate fees. All applications should be signed by the executor or authorized person as indicated above.

If the horse is not yet registered, then the executor, or authorized person as indicated above, should complete a Registration Application. This person will sign as the Owner Certificate. If this horse is being sold, a Transfer Application and fee can be submitted with the Registration Application, signed by the executor, or authorized person. Once the horse is registered, the change of ownership will be recorded, and the Registration Certificate will be mailed directly to the new owner.

Joint Record Ownership
A Morgan horse(s) in a joint record ownership are owned with a Joint Tenants with Rights of Survivorship. This means that ownership reverts to the remaining owner(s) when one owner dies. AMHA cannot remove a name from an existing account because that would change the record ownership for all owners/breeder histories for that account. Therefore, the Morgans need to be transferred to a new account created for the remaining owners. AMHA will require a Transfer Application (in most cases this is on the back of the Registration Certificate), the original Registration Certificate and the fee. In this case, the transfer fee is half price. If the Registration Certificate has been lost or destroyed, AMHA will require an Application for a Duplicate Certificate (in lieu of the original) and a separate Transfer Application, and the appropriate fees. These applications must be signed by the surviving owners and the surviving owners must be indicated in the buyer section. The transfer date should be one day after the deceased date. AMHA will require a copy of the deceased death certificate.

If the horse is not yet registered, the surviving owner(s) should complete the Registration Application and sign the Owner Certificate. A Transfer Application, with the half price fee, should be submitted with the Registration Application so that the record ownership can be updated. Remember, whoever owns the dam at the time of foaling is considered the original owner of the foal.

If the horse(s) are being sold, the can be transferred from the joint ownership directly to the new owner. The surviving owners sign as the seller and the normal transfer fee applies.

This attempt in no way supersedes an attorney’s advice. Please be sure to check your state’s laws regarding brand paperwork if you live in the western part of our country. The AMHA Registry is here to help you, so please contact us with any questions or concerns.

DNA and Parentage Verification

Why does AMHA do DNA testing?

The purpose of the AMHA Registry is to protect the integrity of the Morgan breed. This is done by ensuring that the information on every Morgan's certificate is accurate and correct. DNA typing is the only way to prove conclusively the parentage of any Morgan. DNA typing became mandatory on January 1, 2001, replacing blood-typing to verify parentage. In cases where the foal's DNA does not match one or either of the parents, the DNA tests can help identify who the parent is, allowing the foal to be registered.

How do I establish a DNA record for my registered stallion or mare?

As of January 01, 2001, all foals being registered must have parentage verified by DNA, which means that the sire and dam have to have DNA established. Therefore, if you plan to use this horse as a breeding animal, a DNA record must be established for the horse.

The lab has been saving frozen serum from blood samples collected for blood typing since late 1988. If your horse was blood typed and has frozen serum on file (and it is viable for testing), it will cost $100 per horse for the conversion from blood typing to DNA.

If your horse was not previously blood typed when it was registered or was blood typed before the lab started saving samples, then the horse must be blood typed and DNA typed (Combo Kit), which is $250.

If both the sire and dam of your horse have a DNA type on file, you can request a DNA kit for $50.

You can call the office to find out the status of your horse and to order appropriate forms and materials for completing the DNA record for your horse by calling the office. Registry staff is available by calling (802) 985-4944, 8 a.m.-5 P.M. EST Monday through Friday.

How is the parentage of Morgans verified?

For parentage verification, DNA is used. For most Morgan foals born today, it is a simple procedure that requires pulling a few hairs (with roots) from the mane or tail and placing the hairs in a kit that is sent to the owner after a Registration Application has been submitted to the Registry. The hairs are sent to a laboratory for processing to match up the DNA with that on file for the recorded dam and sire.

Can DNA be used to determine what breed a horse is?

No. DNA cannot determine a breed. DNA can be used to determine a species (e.g. horse, cow, dog) but it cannot tell a breed within a species.

Does every registered Morgan have a DNA type or blood type on file?

No, horses born before the parentage verification program was initiated would not necessarily be blood or DNA tested unless they produced a foal that had to be parentage verified.

When did the parentage verification program start?

Beginning in 1974, any mare that was exposed to two or more stallions during a heat cycle had to be blood typed as well as the foal.

A random sample blood-typing program was adopted in 1977, which caused 1 percent of the foals being registered to be parentage verified.

Blood typing of all breeding stallions became a requirement in 1981.

Beginning in 1985, every foal that was conceived using transported semen had to be blood typed as well as the dam.

Beginning in 1986, all horses two years old and over at the time of application for registration were required to be typed as well as both of their parents.

Beginning in 1987, all mares foaling for the first time had to be blood typed before their foal could be registered. (mares that had produced foals were exempt)

Beginning in 1992, all foals born after 1/1/92 had to be typed before being registered.

Beginning in 1994, and all mares producing foals were required to be typed including the mares that had previously been exempt.

Effective with January 1, 2001, all foals were required to have a DNA type on file before being registered. .

What does DNA on file mean?

Having a DNA record on file means that the specific markers for the horse have been placed on file, much like recording a fingerprint that can be used for future comparisons. DNA on file also indicates that the horse's parentage has not been verified. If the horse's parentage has been verified using DNA, the notation on the horse's file or certificate will say "Parentage Verified." Because of the progression of the parentage verification program, it is possible for a horse to have had its parentage verified using blood, and that same horse will only have DNA on file. The DNA on file will be used to test any future foals if the horse is used for breeding.

What does qualified to sire or qualified to dam mean?

This designation indicates that the blood type (or DNA) for that horse has been tested against the blood type or DNA of its sire or dam (but not both) and qualifies as its offspring.

What does qualified by blood testing mean?

That designation indicates the blood type for that horse has been tested against the blood type for both its sire and dam and the horse qualifies as an offspring of both the sire and dam.

What does qualified by DNA mean?

That designation indicates the DNA for that horse has been tested against the DNA of its sire and dam and the horse qualifies as an offspring of that sire and dam.

Can blood types and DNA types be used interchangeably?

While is it possible to get DNA from blood, blood types and DNA types are very different and cannot be used interchangeably.

Stallion Service Reports

What is a Stallion Service Report?

Stallion Service Reports must be filed with the AMHA at the end of each breeding season. Due date for submission of Stallion Service Reports is January 15th of the year following the end of the previous breeding season. The reports list the mares each stallion has bred for the year, and the dates they were bred to him. The reports allow AMHA to send notices to the mare owners reminding them of important registration deadlines. They also provide a reference of mares exposed to more than one stallion when needed as an additional source of information for parentage verification of Morgan foals. These reports must be filed and any fees paid before offspring of the stallion can be registered.

I have misplaced my copy of my Stallion Service Report. Can I find out what the breeding dates were that were listed on the report?

The Registry staff can give you this information. Staff is available by calling (802) 985-4944, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday or by emailing registry@morganhorse.com.