Types of Equine Documentation
What’s the difference between an Equine Studbook Passport and a Breeding & Production Document?
| Question | Equine Studbook Passport | Breeding & Production Document |
| What are these called/examples? | Studbook passport i.e. (BWP, CP, ISH, KWPN, TB, etc) | ID document, Breeding and production document, ‘white book’ |
| What is it? | A detailed passport for pedigree (purebred) horses | A document for horses used for general identification, not for pedigree breeding |
| Who gets it? | Horses that are officially recognised as purebred by a studbook (a breed registry)
Regulation (EU) 2016/1012 and 2016/429 |
Horses that don’t meet studbook criteria or aren’t used for pedigree breeding. These horses have no specific breed recorded.
Do not have a Zootechnical certificate. |
| Who issues it? | A breed society that keeps official records of pedigree horses i.e. (KWPN, BWP, ISH, CP, TB, etc), licensed by competent authority | An entity licensed by the competent authority (in Ireland, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine). |
| What’s in it? | Breed, Pedigree (family tree), identity details (microchip, UELN, DNA details); can include classifications, performance history and genetic testing information
Main section; some studbooks have a supplementary section. Defined breeding programme for the breed in question. |
Basic identity – does not include a breed the breed is listed as UNK or UNKNOWN, other, etc.
Pedigree recording is not required. There is no official breeding programme as it is not a specific breed. |
| What’s it for? | Breeding high value genetics, conservation of rare lines, breed improvement, addition of value.
Proof of the horses’ studbook status. |
Used for general identification i.e. for transport or sale– not for specific breeding purposes. |
| Does it show pedigree? | Yes – it proves the horse’s breed and pedigree information. | No – it doesn’t confirm breed registration in a studbook. |
| Can it be used for breeding? | Yes – needed if you want the foals to be officially recognised in a Studbook and carry a breed code. | No – foals won’t be registered as purebred pedigree even if bred in the Identity register. |
| Can I move from one to another? | Once a horse is entered into a studbook that is its permanent breed.
Can be classified in other studbooks for breeding purposes |
Depending on the studbook – if it meets studbook inspection requirements, can enter a supplementary section OR
if it is pedigree verified to studbook parents (where applicable). |
| National Breeding services funding eligibility | Yes – in some schemes studbook horses may need to meet other criteria (ownership, performance, classification etc.) | No – not eligible for funding under National Breeding Services ( i.e. schemes, DAFM studbook series, Foal Championships, breeding grant prize monies etc) |
© Horse Sport Ireland 2025
This information is based on the 2016 1012 EU animal breeding regulation
