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Health & Wellness

Horse Health Records: What Every Horse Guardian Should Keep

1KAHU Editorial Team Expert reviewed by: [Equine veterinarian / qualification]
Horse Health Records: What Every Horse Guardian Should Keep

A complete horse health record should bring together identification and passport details, microchip information, veterinary history, vaccinations, medications, allergies or adverse reactions, diagnostic results, dental care, hoof and farrier history, parasite testing and treatment, weight and body-condition trends, insurance information and emergency contacts. Keep original legal documents where required and maintain accessible copies of important records. In the UK, every horse must generally have a valid passport and microchip, vaccinations administered by a veterinarian must be recorded in the passport, and specific legal record-keeping requirements apply to veterinary medicines.

Where is your horse's complete health history?

Perhaps the vaccination record is:

in the passport.

The latest blood results are:

in an email from the vet.

The farrier appointment is:

in WhatsApp.

Dental records are:

on an invoice.

Insurance documents are:

somewhere in your inbox.

And the date of the last faecal egg count?

You think you remember.

For many horse guardians, there is no single answer to the question:

“Where is my horse's health record?”

Instead, the record exists across:

  • passports;
  • veterinary systems;
  • emails;
  • paper certificates;
  • photographs;
  • invoices;
  • laboratory reports;
  • text messages;
  • yard diaries;
  • insurance portals;
  • competition records;
  • someone's memory.

That can work—until you urgently need the information.

A well-organised horse health record creates something more valuable than administrative tidiness.

It creates:

continuity of care.

Quick checklist: the horse records worth keeping

  • Horse passport
  • Passport/UELN number
  • Microchip number
  • Registered name
  • Date/year of birth
  • Breed/type
  • Colour and identifying markings
  • Ownership/purchase documentation
  • Food-chain status where applicable

Veterinary

  • Veterinary practice
  • Emergency/out-of-hours number
  • Veterinary consultation history
  • Diagnoses
  • Treatment history
  • Surgery/hospitalisation records
  • Referral/specialist reports

Preventive care

  • Vaccinations
  • Dental examinations/treatment
  • Parasite testing
  • Anthelmintic/deworming treatment
  • Routine health examinations

Medication

  • Current medication
  • Previous medication
  • Dose/instructions where relevant
  • Adverse drug reactions
  • Medicine purchase/administration records where legally required

Diagnostics

  • Blood tests
  • Faecal tests
  • Urinalysis
  • Imaging
  • Endoscopy
  • Biopsy/pathology
  • Other laboratory results

Everyday health

  • Weight
  • Body-condition score
  • Significant behaviour changes
  • Lameness/injury history
  • Allergies/sensitivities
  • Nutrition plan

Hoof care

  • Farrier details
  • Trimming/shoeing dates
  • Hoof problems
  • Therapeutic shoeing information

Administration

  • Insurance policy
  • Claims history
  • Emergency contacts
  • Yard details
  • Transport information
  • Relevant competition/travel documents

Not every record has the same legal status.

But together they tell the horse's health story.

1. Start with the horse's identity

Every health record needs to belong unambiguously to the correct horse.

Record:

  • registered name;
  • stable/call name;
  • date or year of birth;
  • sex;
  • breed/type;
  • colour;
  • identifying markings;
  • microchip number;
  • passport number/UELN.

This becomes particularly important when:

  • changing veterinary practices;
  • travelling;
  • competing;
  • making an insurance claim;
  • selling or loaning the horse;
  • receiving treatment away from the normal yard.

A photograph can be useful as an additional visual reference.

But it does not replace formal identification.

2. Keep the horse passport accessible

In the UK, a horse passport is not simply a travel document.

With limited exceptions, horses, ponies, donkeys and related equines must have one.

The passport records information including:

  • the animal's identity;
  • vaccinations;
  • registered ownership information.

It must generally remain with the horse—including at the stable and when the horse is moved—and may need to be produced for veterinary treatment, inspections, sale or transfer.

The British Horse Society describes it as the horse's single lifetime identification document.

3. A horse passport is not proof of ownership

This distinction is particularly important.

The British Horse Society explicitly states that a horse passport:

is not an ownership document.

It identifies the horse and contains registered-owner information, but legal proof of ownership may instead come from evidence such as:

  • purchase receipt;
  • sale agreement;
  • proof of payment;
  • supporting evidence of upkeep.

So keep:

passport + purchase/ownership documentation.

Do not assume one substitutes for the other.

4. Record the microchip number separately

In Great Britain, horses generally need to be microchipped as well as passported.

Keep the microchip number in your digital health record.

Why duplicate something already recorded elsewhere?

Because in an urgent situation you may need the identifier without having the physical passport immediately in front of you.

Useful fields include:

Microchip number

Date implanted — if known

Location — if relevant

Passport/UELN

Issuing organisation

Identity data should be among the easiest information in the horse profile to retrieve.

5. Keep ownership details up to date

When a horse changes hands, the passport information needs to be updated through the relevant Passport Issuing Organisation.

GOV.UK currently requires a new owner to contact the PIO within 30 days to update ownership details.

Other changes may also require updating.

Do not treat a passport as:

“completed once and forgotten.”

It is a living legal identification record.

6. Keep every vaccination record

For UK horses, vaccinations administered by a veterinarian must be recorded in the passport.

But for your broader health record, capture:

Disease

Vaccine/product

Date

Veterinary practice

Veterinarian

Batch/lot — where available

Next date recommended

Certificate/passport evidence

Any reaction

This creates a structured vaccination history rather than simply:

Vaccinated ✓

That distinction becomes important for:

  • competition;
  • boarding/livery requirements;
  • breeding;
  • travel;
  • disease outbreaks;
  • changing veterinary practices.

7. Do not record only the next vaccination date

Imagine this record:

Next vaccination: 18 March

Useful?

Partly.

But it does not tell you:

  • which disease;
  • which previous vaccine;
  • whether the primary course was completed;
  • whether a competition body requires a different interval;
  • which veterinarian administered it.

A better vaccination timeline shows:

what happened → when → who provided it → what comes next.

Article 22 will cover horse vaccination in detail.

8. Keep the complete veterinary history

For each significant veterinary episode, record:

DATE

When did it happen?

REASON

Why was the veterinarian called?

FINDINGS / DIAGNOSIS

What was identified?

TREATMENT

What was done?

MEDICATION

What was prescribed/administered?

FOLLOW-UP

Was a recheck recommended?

DOCUMENTS

Are there clinical notes, invoices, imaging or laboratory reports?

A timeline is much easier to understand than a folder containing 60 unrelated PDFs.

9. Keep important previous problems—even when resolved

A resolved problem is still part of medical history.

Examples include:

  • previous colic;
  • gastric ulcer history;
  • laminitis;
  • tendon or ligament injury;
  • fracture;
  • recurrent lameness;
  • respiratory disease;
  • skin disease;
  • eye problems;
  • dental disease;
  • surgery.

The question is not only:

“What is wrong today?”

It is:

“What has happened before?”

Past events can provide context for future veterinary decisions.

10. Record surgeries and hospitalisations

For major procedures, keep:

  • date;
  • reason;
  • procedure;
  • hospital/practice;
  • surgeon where relevant;
  • discharge instructions;
  • medication;
  • follow-up;
  • complications;
  • relevant diagnostic results.

Where possible, keep the original discharge report.

A guardian's memory of:

“He had colic surgery about four years ago.”

is far less useful than a dated clinical record.

11. Keep referral and specialist reports

A horse may see more than one veterinarian.

Records may come from:

  • primary equine practice;
  • referral hospital;
  • orthopaedic specialist;
  • ophthalmologist;
  • reproductive specialist;
  • sports-medicine specialist.

Keep copies of:

  • referral letters;
  • discharge reports;
  • diagnostic findings;
  • recommendations;
  • follow-up plans.

Continuity becomes particularly important when multiple professionals are involved.

12. Keep diagnostic results

Do not keep only:

“bloods normal.”

Where possible, retain the actual report.

Useful records can include:

  • haematology;
  • biochemistry;
  • inflammatory markers;
  • endocrine testing;
  • faecal testing;
  • urinalysis;
  • infectious-disease testing;
  • pathology.

Results can sometimes be more informative when compared over time.

A previous baseline may provide context for a later abnormal result.

13. Keep imaging reports—and the images where possible

A horse's diagnostic history may include:

  • X-rays/radiographs;
  • ultrasound;
  • MRI;
  • CT;
  • scintigraphy;
  • endoscopy.

Keep:

report + date + anatomical area + provider

and, where legitimately available to you:

the images/files themselves.

For a horse with recurrent lameness, being able to locate an older imaging study can be particularly useful.

14. Maintain a medication history

For every significant medication, record:

  • medication/product;
  • reason;
  • start date;
  • end date;
  • dose/instructions where relevant;
  • prescribing veterinarian;
  • response;
  • adverse reaction.

Do not rely exclusively on:

“the white sachet he had last winter.”

Medication names matter.

This is an area where horse records differ significantly from ordinary companion-animal records.

UK legislation treats horses as a food-producing species, whether or not an individual guardian thinks of their horse that way.

The horse's passport status can therefore affect:

  • which medicines may be used;
  • what must be recorded;
  • withdrawal periods;
  • whether the horse remains eligible for the human food chain.

For horses intended for human consumption, veterinary-medicine records must be maintained according to legal requirements and retained for five years, even if the horse is subsequently sold or slaughtered.

This is not just:

good organisation.

Some records are legally required.

16. What should a UK horse medicine record contain?

Current Veterinary Medicines Directorate guidance recommends recording information including:

  • horse name;
  • identification/microchip;
  • passport number;
  • medicine/product;
  • active substance;
  • purchase date;
  • quantity;
  • batch number;
  • supplier;
  • administration date;
  • end date where relevant;
  • amount/dose;
  • person administering;
  • withdrawal period where applicable;
  • relevant passport updates.

It also recommends recording disposal of unused medicines and retaining supporting purchase evidence where required.

For the Academy, we should be careful not to turn this into generic worldwide legal advice.

These are UK requirements.

Other jurisdictions have their own rules.

17. Record adverse reactions and sensitivities prominently

If a horse has experienced:

  • drug reaction;
  • vaccine reaction;
  • sedation complication;
  • significant sensitivity;
  • known allergy

do not bury that information inside an old consultation note.

Surface it.

For example:

IMPORTANT HEALTH INFORMATION Previous adverse reaction: [drug/product] Date: [date] Veterinary notes: [document]

This information should be visible to authorised members of the care team when needed.

18. Keep dental records

Horse dental care can involve:

  • routine examination;
  • rasping/floating;
  • extraction;
  • wolf-tooth management;
  • periodontal treatment;
  • investigation of eating problems.

Record:

Date

Provider

Findings

Treatment

Next recommended review

Report

Over several years, this creates a useful dental history rather than a collection of forgotten appointments.

19. Keep farrier and hoof-care history

A horse's feet deserve their own record.

Track:

  • trim/shoeing dates;
  • farrier;
  • barefoot/shod status;
  • shoe type;
  • remedial/therapeutic shoeing;
  • hoof problems;
  • abscesses;
  • significant cracks;
  • laminitis-related changes;
  • veterinarian/farrier recommendations.

For horses receiving therapeutic hoof care, the relationship between:

vet + farrier + imaging + history

can be particularly important.

20. Record parasite testing—not just deworming

Modern parasite control should not simply be represented as:

Wormed ✓

Keep:

  • faecal egg count date;
  • result;
  • other parasite tests where performed;
  • treatment;
  • product;
  • active ingredient where relevant;
  • dose;
  • reason;
  • next test/action recommended.

This creates a history of:

testing → risk assessment → treatment where indicated

rather than:

calendar → automatic medication.

That is much more consistent with current risk-based parasite-control practice.

21. Keep weight and body-condition records

Horse weight changes can happen gradually.

Record:

  • actual scale weight where available;
  • weigh-tape estimate where used;
  • body-condition score;
  • photographs;
  • date;
  • relevant notes.

The method matters.

A weigh-tape estimate should not be presented as though it were necessarily identical to scale weight.

But consistent measurements can still make trends visible.

For example:

JAN — 548 kg estimate

MAR — 542 kg

MAY — 526 kg

JUL — 511 kg

One measurement may attract little attention.

The trend tells a different story.

22. Record nutrition changes

Keep a basic history of meaningful changes in:

  • forage;
  • grazing;
  • concentrate feed;
  • balancer;
  • supplements;
  • feeding frequency.

This is particularly useful when investigating changes in:

  • weight;
  • behaviour;
  • digestive health;
  • performance.

You do not necessarily need to record every carrot.

You do want to know:

“We changed from forage A to forage B three days before the problem started.”

23. Keep injury and wound history

For significant injuries, record:

  • date;
  • location;
  • photographs;
  • veterinary assessment;
  • treatment;
  • medication;
  • progress;
  • resolution.

Serial photographs can be useful when appropriately taken because they show change over time.

But photographs should complement—not replace—professional veterinary assessment.

24. Record lameness episodes

A horse may experience several apparently separate episodes across years.

Keep:

  • affected limb/area if known;
  • date;
  • circumstances;
  • veterinary findings;
  • diagnostic blocks;
  • imaging;
  • treatment;
  • rest/rehabilitation;
  • outcome.

A timeline may reveal:

one recurring problem

where memory suggests:

several unrelated events.

25. Record rehabilitation plans

When recovering from injury or surgery, record the professional plan.

For example:

Week 1–2 Veterinary-prescribed restricted activity

Week 3–4 Controlled walking

Recheck Date

Next phase Based on veterinary assessment

Do not let 1KAHU independently progress the horse through a rehabilitation programme simply because a calendar date arrives.

The professional determines progression.

The platform records and reminds.

26. Keep emergency information immediately accessible

During an emergency, nobody wants to search through:

4,000 emails.

Create an emergency record containing:

HORSE

Name Microchip Passport number Age Sex

VETERINARIAN

Practice Normal number Out-of-hours number

HEALTH

Important medical conditions Current medication Adverse reactions Major surgical history

INSURANCE

Provider Policy number Claims contact

PEOPLE

Guardian Backup contact Yard manager

TRANSPORT

Emergency transport details where relevant

The information should be accessible to the people genuinely responsible for the horse's care.

27. Keep an equine care plan

What happens if you:

  • become ill;
  • are delayed;
  • travel;
  • cannot reach the yard?

Someone else may suddenly need to understand:

  • feeding;
  • turnout;
  • medication;
  • rugging;
  • companions;
  • veterinary contacts;
  • farrier;
  • emergency decisions.

The British Horse Society specifically recommends an equine care plan so another person can maintain the horse's routine and safeguard their wellbeing in the guardian's absence.

This belongs alongside the health record.

28. Keep insurance information

Record:

  • insurer;
  • policy number;
  • renewal date;
  • contact number;
  • coverage summary;
  • exclusions where relevant;
  • previous claims.

Keep the actual policy document as well.

Do not assume:

“He's insured.”

means:

“Every possible treatment is covered.”

Coverage can have:

  • limits;
  • exclusions;
  • time restrictions;
  • conditions.

29. Keep insurance claims and exclusions

Previous claims may affect future coverage.

Retain:

  • claim forms;
  • veterinary reports submitted;
  • insurer decisions;
  • settlement correspondence;
  • exclusions added to the policy.

This becomes particularly important when changing insurer or evaluating renewal.

30. Keep proof of ownership separately

Because a passport is not legal proof of ownership, retain documents such as:

  • purchase agreement;
  • sales receipt;
  • transfer agreement;
  • payment evidence.

BHS also notes that supporting evidence such as veterinary, farriery, feed and livery payments may contribute to evidence of ownership.

Do not store your only copy somewhere that cannot be accessed when needed.

31. Keep relevant competition records

If your horse competes, you may also need:

  • registration documents;
  • vaccination evidence;
  • competition membership details;
  • horse registration number;
  • eligibility documents.

Requirements vary by:

  • governing body;
  • discipline;
  • event;
  • country.

Competition vaccination requirements may be more specific than general veterinary recommendations.

Always check the rules for the actual event.

32. Keep travel documents

Horse travel can require additional documentation depending on:

  • origin;
  • destination;
  • purpose;
  • duration.

For international movement this may include:

  • passport;
  • health certification;
  • import/export documentation;
  • laboratory testing;
  • vaccination records.

For example, exporting a horse from Great Britain can require an Export Health Certificate and supporting documents in addition to the horse passport.

Do not wait until the week before travel to investigate requirements.

33. Keep records when moving countries

International relocation can complicate equine records.

Keep:

  • original passport;
  • previous veterinary records;
  • vaccination history;
  • medication history;
  • diagnostic results;
  • ownership documents;
  • import/export documentation.

Requirements for registering foreign passports vary by jurisdiction.

In the UK, imported horses may need their foreign passport registered with a UK Passport Issuing Organisation depending on circumstances and length of stay.

34. Keep copies—but protect the original

Digital copies of important documents are extremely useful.

Consider securely keeping copies of:

  • passport identity pages;
  • vaccination pages;
  • microchip details;
  • insurance;
  • veterinary reports;
  • diagnostic results;
  • purchase documents.

But:

a photograph of a passport does not replace the legally required original.

In the UK, the physical passport must generally accompany the horse.

1KAHU's Medical Wallet should therefore be positioned as:

secure digital organisation and accessibility

not:

a legal replacement for every original document.

35. Keep records chronological

Folders based only on document type can become difficult to interpret.

A horse's history is often clearer as a timeline:

14 FEB

Routine veterinary examination

02 MAR

Vaccination

18 APR

Lameness — left fore

20 APR

Radiographs

23 APR

Farrier consultation

18 MAY

Veterinary recheck

02 JUN

Return-to-exercise plan updated

This allows relationships between events to become visible.

36. But also make records searchable by category

The ideal system offers both.

TIMELINE

Everything chronologically.

HEALTH

Veterinary events and diagnoses.

VACCINATIONS

Vaccination history.

MEDICATION

Medication.

DIAGNOSTICS

Bloods, imaging, laboratory reports.

DENTAL

Dental history.

HOOF CARE

Farrier history.

DOCUMENTS

Passport, insurance and certificates.

This is substantially better than forcing guardians to choose between:

a timeline

or

folders.

They need both views of the same structured data.

37. Record who created the information

For professional records, provenance matters.

A note saying:

“Horse has arthritis.”

is different from:

“Diagnosis recorded by Dr [Name], [Practice], 12 May 2026.”

Similarly:

“Needs shoes every five weeks.”

is different from:

“Next farrier appointment recommended by [Farrier], 18 September.”

1KAHU should distinguish:

guardian observation

from

professional record.

That is essential for trust.

38. Do not silently edit professional records

If a guardian uploads a veterinary report, the original should remain intact.

A platform can:

  • categorise it;
  • index it;
  • summarise it;
  • surface relevant information.

But it should not silently transform the source document.

The user should always be able to see:

the original record.

This becomes particularly important when AI is used to summarise clinical information.

39. Give professionals only the access they need

A horse's record can contain sensitive information about:

  • the guardian;
  • veterinary care;
  • insurance;
  • ownership;
  • finances.

Sharing should therefore be controlled.

For example:

VETERINARIAN

Health history + medication + diagnostics + vaccination

FARRIER

Relevant hoof history + approved veterinary information

TRAINER

Relevant care/exercise information

YARD

Daily care plan + emergency information + medication instructions where authorised

Not every professional automatically needs:

everything.

40. Have a record-transfer plan

When changing:

  • veterinarian;
  • yard;
  • farrier;
  • guardian;
  • country

make sure important information moves with the horse.

A horse's care history should not effectively disappear because:

the professional changed.

The guardian-controlled longitudinal record can provide continuity across those transitions.

What belongs in the horse's permanent record?

I would divide the 1KAHU horse profile into eight permanent sections.

1 — IDENTITY

Passport UELN Microchip Identification Ownership documentation

2 — HEALTH

Conditions Veterinary visits Injuries Surgery Referrals

3 — PREVENTIVE CARE

Vaccinations Dental Parasite control Routine examinations

4 — MEDICATION

Current Previous Adverse reactions

5 — DIAGNOSTICS

Bloods Imaging Laboratory reports

6 — ROUTINE CARE

Farrier Nutrition Weight/body condition Rehabilitation

7 — CARE TEAM

Vet Farrier Dentist Yard Trainer Other professionals

8 — DOCUMENTS

Passport copies Insurance Certificates Travel Reports

That becomes the horse's:

longitudinal care record.

What should you record after every veterinary appointment?

Before leaving the appointment—or shortly afterwards—make sure you can answer:

  • Why was the horse seen?
  • What did the veterinarian find?
  • Was a diagnosis made?
  • What treatment was provided?
  • Was medication prescribed?
  • What are the instructions?
  • Is a recheck needed?
  • When?
  • Were tests performed?
  • Do I have the results?
  • Are there restrictions on exercise?
  • Is the insurance company involved?

You do not need to rewrite the veterinarian's notes.

You need to make sure the information does not disappear.

What should you record after every farrier visit?

  • Date
  • Farrier
  • Trim/shoeing
  • Hoof concerns
  • Changes made
  • Veterinary coordination where relevant
  • Next appointment

For routine horses this may be very simple.

For a horse with:

  • laminitis;
  • hoof imbalance;
  • orthopaedic disease;
  • therapeutic shoeing

it may become an important part of the clinical timeline.

What should you record after parasite testing?

  • Test type
  • Date
  • Result
  • Laboratory/provider
  • Veterinary/professional recommendation
  • Treatment if advised
  • Product
  • Next test/action

Again:

test → result → decision → treatment

is more informative than:

wormed.

What should you record after dental care?

  • Date
  • Provider
  • Findings
  • Treatment
  • Extractions/procedures if relevant
  • Sedation/medication where relevant
  • Next recommended review
  • Report

When should records be updated?

The simplest rule:

update the record when care happens.

Not:

“I'll organise everything at the end of the year.”

Update after:

  • veterinary visits;
  • vaccinations;
  • medication changes;
  • diagnostic tests;
  • farrier appointments;
  • dental appointments;
  • parasite tests;
  • significant injuries;
  • insurance changes.

A health record becomes less reliable when reconstructed months later from memory.

Common horse-record mistakes

“Everything important is in the passport.”

No.

The passport is essential, but it is not the horse's complete longitudinal medical record.

“The vet has all the records.”

Your current veterinary practice may have its own clinical record.

But the horse may also have seen:

  • previous practices;
  • referral hospitals;
  • emergency veterinarians;
  • professionals outside veterinary medicine.

A guardian-level longitudinal record helps connect them.

“The passport proves I own the horse.”

Not necessarily. BHS explicitly states that the passport is not legal proof of ownership.

“I remember when he last had his teeth done.”

Memory becomes unreliable over years.

Record the date.

“I worm every few months, so I don't need the test results.”

The result is exactly what makes a risk-based parasite-control history useful.

“I have photos of everything on my phone.”

A camera roll is not a structured medical record.

“I uploaded the passport, so I don't need the original.”

Incorrect in jurisdictions such as the UK. The digital copy does not replace the legally required passport.

“My horse isn't going into the food chain, so medicine records never matter.”

Food-chain status changes the specific UK legal obligations, but keeping a clear medication history remains valuable for veterinary continuity regardless. UK rules also require all veterinarian-administered vaccines to be recorded in the passport.

Key facts

UK horses generally need both a valid passport and microchip.

The passport must generally remain with the horse. That includes at the stable and during movement.

A horse passport is not proof of ownership. Keep purchase or transfer documentation separately.

Vaccinations administered by a veterinarian must be recorded in the UK horse passport.

Veterinary medicine records can carry legal obligations. For UK food-producing horses, medicine records must generally be retained for five years.

A complete horse record extends beyond veterinary care. Farrier, dental, parasite-control, weight, insurance and emergency information can all contribute to continuity.

Keep original documents where legally required. A digital Medical Wallet improves accessibility but should not be represented as replacing a legal original.

Chronology matters. A health timeline can reveal connections between apparently separate events.

Source matters. Guardian observations and professional clinical records should be clearly distinguished.

Frequently asked questions

What health records should I keep for my horse?

Keep identification/passport information, microchip details, veterinary history, vaccinations, medication, adverse reactions, diagnostic results, dental care, farrier history, parasite testing/treatment, weight/body-condition trends, insurance and emergency information.

Does every UK horse need a passport?

With limited exemptions, horses and related equines in the UK require a passport. GOV.UK describes the passport as the document identifying the animal and recording information including vaccinations and registered ownership.

Does my horse need a microchip?

In Great Britain, horses generally need to be microchipped as part of the identification/passport system. BHS's current 2026 guidance confirms the passport and microchip requirement.

Is a horse passport proof of ownership?

No. BHS specifically states that a passport is not an ownership document. Keep purchase agreements, receipts and other appropriate evidence separately.

Where should I keep my horse's passport?

In the UK it should generally remain with the horse, including where the horse is kept and during transport. BHS notes a limited exception for transport required for emergency veterinary treatment.

Should I keep a digital copy of the passport?

Yes, a secure digital copy can be extremely useful for reference and backup. But it does not replace the original where legislation requires the passport itself.

What is a UELN?

The Unique Equine Life Number is an identification number associated with the horse's passport. BHS notes that a compliant passport includes a UELN.

Do vaccinations need to be recorded?

In the UK, all vaccines administered by a veterinarian must be recorded in the horse's passport.

Should I keep old veterinary records?

Yes. Previous illnesses, injuries, surgeries, diagnostics and treatments may provide useful context for future veterinary care.

How long should horse medicine records be kept?

This depends on jurisdiction and the horse's regulatory status. In the UK, records required for food-producing horses must be retained for five years.

Should I keep farrier records?

Yes. Recording dates, hoof problems, shoeing/trimming and therapeutic recommendations can provide valuable continuity, particularly in horses with lameness or hoof disease.

Should worm-count results be kept?

Yes. Test results, treatment decisions and products used form a much more useful parasite-control history than recording treatment alone.

Should dental records be part of the medical history?

Yes. Keep examination dates, findings, procedures and the next recommended review.

What happens to the passport if I sell my horse?

The passport should transfer with the horse, and the new owner must update the relevant Passport Issuing Organisation. Current GOV.UK guidance specifies a 30-day period for the new owner to update details.

What happens to a UK passport when a horse dies?

GOV.UK requires the passport to be returned to the issuing organisation within 30 days so the record can be updated and the passport invalidated or destroyed.

Do I need extra records when travelling internationally?

Often, yes. Requirements depend on origin and destination and may include health certificates, testing and additional import/export documentation.

Can 1KAHU replace my horse's passport?

No. 1KAHU can securely organise digital information and copies, but it should not claim to replace a legally required original horse passport.

Who should have access to my horse's health record?

The guardian should control access. Relevant information can then be shared with authorised professionals—such as veterinarians, farriers or yard staff—according to what they need for the horse's care.

A horse's record should travel with their care

Consider a 17-year-old horse.

Over their lifetime they may have:

four veterinary practices

three yards

multiple farriers

several dental professionals

two insurance providers

dozens of vaccination appointments

hundreds of farrier visits

multiple injuries

diagnostic imaging

laboratory tests

medication

international travel

But the horse is still:

one horse.

Their history should not reset every time the person caring for them changes.

That is the real purpose of a longitudinal health record.

Not paperwork.

Continuity.

1KAHU

One horse. One continuous care history.

Imagine opening your horse's profile and seeing:

APOLLO

Irish Sport Horse Gelding · 12 years

Health Timeline

14 AUG Farrier — routine shoeing

02 AUG Veterinary recheck — right fore lameness

21 JUL Diagnostic imaging — radiographs

18 JUL Veterinary consultation — right fore lameness

05 MAY Dental examination

18 MAR Vaccination

And beneath it:

Medical Records

Vaccinations

Medication

Diagnostics

Farrier

Dental

Parasite Control

Passport & Documents

Insurance

Care Team

The guardian no longer needs to remember:

“Was the X-ray before or after the farrier changed the shoe?”

The timeline answers it.

The next veterinarian does not need to begin with:

“Do you happen to have the old report?”

It is already there—when the guardian chooses to share it.

One Guardian. For All Pets.

1KAHU is a technology platform and is not a provider of veterinary, equine healthcare, insurance, transportation or other professional services. This guide provides general educational information. Legal requirements for horse identification, passports, medicines and record keeping vary by jurisdiction. Always follow applicable local law and advice from appropriately qualified professionals.

Guide

Horse Care Guide: Essential Everyday Care

Horses need consistent daily care built around appropriate forage, constant access to clean fresh water, regular movement, social contact with other horses, a safe environment and close observation of their health and behaviour. They should be checked every day for changes in appetite, drinking, droppings, movement, behaviour, wounds, swelling and hoof condition. Routine professional care includes veterinary preventive healthcare, vaccinations, risk-based parasite control, dental assessment and regular hoof care from a qualified farrier. Every horse is an individual, so feeding, exercise, turnout and healthcare should be adapted to their age, body condition, workload, health and environment.

Horse14 min read
Guide

Horse Vaccinations: A Practical Guide

Horses may be vaccinated against serious infectious diseases including tetanus and equine influenza, with additional vaccines recommended according to where the horse lives, travels and competes and their individual exposure risk. In the United States, AAEP classifies tetanus, Eastern and Western equine encephalomyelitis, West Nile virus and rabies as core vaccines, while others are selected according to risk. Vaccination requirements can also differ from veterinary recommendations: competition organisations, racing authorities, breeding facilities, livery yards and international travel rules may impose their own requirements. Your equine veterinarian should therefore create and maintain an individual vaccination plan rather than relying on a universal schedule.

Horse18 min read
Guide

Pet Health Records: The Complete Guide for Every Pet Guardian

Pet health records create a history of your pet's care. Keeping veterinary visits, vaccinations, medications, test results, allergies, identification details and other important information organised can make it easier to share accurate information with veterinary professionals and manage your pet's care throughout their life.

All Pets12 min read
Guide

How to Organise Your Pet’s Medical Records

Organise your pet’s medical records by creating one profile for each animal and grouping information into clear categories such as veterinary visits, vaccinations, medications, test results, procedures and identification. Keep important original documents, maintain a simple chronological health timeline and update the record whenever your pet receives significant care.

All Pets14 min read
Guide

Pet Vaccination Records: What to Keep and Why They Matter

A pet vaccination record should clearly show which vaccines your pet has received, when they were given, who administered them and when the next veterinary review or vaccination may be due. Keeping certificates and vaccination history organised helps your veterinary team understand previous protection, supports continuity of care and can provide evidence of vaccination when required for travel, boarding or other services.

All Pets14 min read
Checklist / Guide

Pet Emergency Information: What Every Guardian Should Keep Ready

Every pet guardian should keep a simple emergency profile containing their pet’s identification, primary and emergency veterinary contacts, current medications, important medical conditions, allergies or adverse reactions, microchip details and relevant insurance information. You should also know where your pet would receive out-of-hours care and how you would transport them there. If your pet develops difficulty breathing, becomes unresponsive, has significant trauma, seizures, severe bleeding or another potentially life-threatening problem, contact an emergency veterinary professional immediately.

All Pets20 min read
Checklist / Preventive Health Guide

Horse Health Checklist: What to Monitor Regularly

A useful horse health check starts with knowing your individual horse's normal. Regularly monitor appetite, water intake, manure and urination, behaviour, weight and body condition, coat and skin, eyes and nose, breathing, legs, hooves, movement and performance. Learn how to measure your horse's resting temperature, pulse and respiration so you have a reliable baseline to compare against when something changes. Keep veterinary, vaccination, dental, parasite-control and farrier records together. Contact your veterinarian when changes persist or concern you, and seek urgent veterinary advice for signs such as severe or persistent abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, major injury or bleeding, inability to bear weight, severe weakness or collapse, neurological abnormalities or rapid deterioration.

Horse20 min read
Symptom Guide / Checklist

Signs Your Horse May Need Veterinary Attention

Signs that your horse may need veterinary attention include reduced or absent appetite, changes in water intake, reduced or abnormal manure, signs of abdominal pain, fever, unusual behaviour, persistent coughing or nasal discharge, breathing difficulty, unexplained weight loss, significant swelling, wounds, eye pain, lameness, hoof pain, neurological changes or a noticeable decline in performance. Seek urgent veterinary attention for severe or persistent colic signs, difficulty breathing, choke, severe or sudden lameness or suspected fracture, suspected laminitis, serious eye injury, uncontrolled bleeding, collapse, seizures, severe incoordination, inability to stand, major trauma, heat stroke, suspected poisoning or rapid deterioration. Knowing your individual horse's normal appetite, behaviour, manure, movement and resting vital signs can make important changes easier to recognise.

Horse20 min read
Guide

Preventive Pet Care: A Complete Guide for Pet Guardians

Preventive pet care means protecting your pet’s health before problems become serious. It combines regular veterinary care with appropriate vaccination, parasite management, nutrition, weight and dental care, everyday observation and species-specific husbandry. The right plan depends on your pet’s species, age, health, lifestyle and where they live or travel, so preventive care should always be individual rather than based on a universal checklist.

All Pets15 min read
Guide

Horse Nutrition Basics: Forage, Feed and Everyday Management

A healthy horse diet should usually begin with forage and water, not a bag of concentrate feed. Grass, hay, haylage or other suitable forage should form the nutritional foundation for most horses because horses are adapted to consume fibrous food across much of the day. Additional feed may be needed depending on the horse's workload, body condition, life stage, health and the nutritional quality of the forage.

Horse17 min read
Comprehensive Guide

Travelling With Pets: The Complete Planning Guide

Travelling with a pet can be a wonderful way to share new experiences. Whether you are planning a weekend away, visiting family, relocating to another country or taking a longer holiday, bringing an animal along adds another dimension to the journey.

All Pets14 min read
Comprehensive Guide / Documentation Checklist

International Pet Travel: What Documents Might You Need?

International pet travel may require identification records, vaccination certificates, veterinary health certificates, laboratory test results, import or export permits, parasite-treatment records and, in some cases, quarantine arrangements. The exact documents depend on your pet's species, country of origin, destination, transit countries, travel history and purpose of travel. Some countries recognise specific pet passports, while others require official certificates issued or endorsed shortly before departure. Certain birds, reptiles and other regulated species may also need wildlife-trade permits. Always verify the complete itinerary with official government authorities and transport providers, and begin preparations early because some requirements take months to complete.

All Pets16 min read

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