Measurement of Ponies and Horses

Measurement of Ponies and Horses

To comply with the rules of the ‘Joint Measurement Board Ltd.’

A horse (or pony) is aged as being 1 year old as from 1^st January next, after year in which it was foaled and becomes 2 years old on the following 1^st January and so on.

Horses to be measured from 4 years old and onwards.

Annual certificates are given for years 4, 5 and 6. At least 1 year and one day must pass between measurements. Certificates expire on the 31^st December of each year.

A LIFE certificate can be given from 7 years of age.

To obtain a LIFE certificate the horse requires two measurements obtained from measurers belonging to different Practices at least 1 year apart, where the final measurement is done at 7 years plus.

Animals with LIFE certificates prior to 1990 may need to be reassessed. Refer these animals to the measurer.

Payment is by cheque with a valid cheque guarantee card to be made out to the ‘Joint Measurement Board Ltd’ for the sum of Ł55:00 and must be given to the measurer at the time of measurement. This fee is as from 01-01-2000.

Please bring any documentation relating to the horse with you (past JMB certification, vaccine certificates, Breed Society records, Foaling record) to the measurement. If there has been any previous measurement, this must be declared BEFORE any measurement occurs as must any membership of societies.

To arrange a measurement please telephone the surgery and arrange a date and time. The measurement is performed on the ‘official measuring pad’ at the surgery which is at the rear of the surgery.

All 4 shoes must be removed and feet trimmed back to a normal level prior to arrival at the surgery. The hooves should be picked, cleaned but not oiled.

Bring the horse to the surgery 20 minutes before the allotted measurement time and take it to the pad with a hay net and let it relax prior to measurement. We would advise that you get the horse accustomed to a stick beside his/her, shoulders/withers. If the horse is nervous, not relaxed or poorly handled it will prove difficult or impossible to measure. This is your responsibility. The horse should be presented with a head collar and leading rope. Not a bit.

No other horse should be brought to the surgery at the time of measurement.

Measurement will normally take place in the afternoon between 2 and 4 p.m.

Allow up to 1 hour from arrival for relaxation , certification and measurement.

It is your responsibility to arrange for the farrier to reapply the shoes.

If you have any doubts about these arrangements, please speak to the measurer in advance.

Measurement will not occur in inclement weather.

No sedation or use of drugs is allowed.

It is in all our interests to obtain the correct minimal height and to obtain this we request that you follow the above protocol and present your horse in a clean, prepared and relaxed manner.