New Proposed Rule to Protect Prefixes, and Suffixes on Horses and Ponies

[VirginiaBred]

As a long time pony breeder and a daughter of one of the founders of the Virginia Pony Breeders Association, prefixes are a big deal to us. Through the years I’ve heard over and over about breeders losing track of the horses or ponies they have bred because the name was changed and the prefix or suffix dropped. I felt it was high time the USEF stepped up and protected their breeders. I am proposing a new rule for the USEF to protect American breeders who use a suffix (breeder initials or farm initials) and prefixes in front of the name they have chosen by allowing breeders to register their prefix for a one time fee. Currently, the USEF allows for registering - Farms, Corporations, Syndicates or Partnerships…so why not prefixes???.

Now, I know we’re going forward with microchipping, but this will be in addition to that. When you are at a horse show or event, you don’t hold a microchip gun in your hand to get the pedigree information or know who the breeder is. If a prefix (or suffix) is used, that is an identifying marker that will tell the quality of that animal to many, many people.

Here is a link to an article I wrote about it: https://theplaidhorse.com/2017/09/28/where-did-my-pony-come-from-thoughts-on-name-prefixes-and-suffixes/

Additionally, I’ve created a petition to gather as many signatures as possible, as a show of support, so that when I present the new rule the committee members will see how many people are passionate about this. I would appreciate those of you who breed ponies and horses to sign this and share it among your breeding friends. Thank you so much!!

Petition here: https://www.change.org/p/randee-beckman-keep-the-prefix-proposed-new-usef-rule

[Paks]

Interesting, I believe this is a good idea. Just one thing to consider. In the purebred cat world prefixes are the breeder, and suffixes are the owner and do change with the cat changes hands. With cats it’s so if people want to breed to your cat they know who to contact. But I can see with horses where it could help with owners getting some credit but still having the breeders name up front.

Personally I think taking the breeder’s name off and putting your own farm name on is like buying a piece of art and signing it with your name because you bought the frame it’s in, then there are people who want credit no mater what. I bought a dog once where both the breeder and the stud owner demanded their kennel name be on every puppy then I ran into a third person who felt her kennel name should also be on because she suggested the mating. With the AKC limitation on name length if that had happened the puppies would have been left with only on letter to designate them. After that encounter I checked a show catalog for the listings in that breed and yes there were some dog encumbered by three kennel names. I guess the purpose of that story is to beware of that kind of idiocy.

[GoodTimes]

I’ll be honest I’m a little torn on it. I have a history of buying young horses straight from the breeder and developing them myself. Most of the time I keep the registered name and that’s how they get passported.
I’m not big on line classes, I just don’t have the time. But I’m a big fan of the Cup classes for 3yo sporthorses at the RAWF. I hate that they often don’t bother acknowledging the breeder and stallion though.

Saying all that I’ve encountered some awful prefixes and registered names. I just bought a weanling and I’m torn. I hate her name, with the breeders prefix it sounds like an 8yo named her. She’ll likely be a sale horse though so I’ll probably keep the breeders name, especially for any line classes.
I much prefer a suffix.

[trubandloki]

@Paks

Personally I think taking the breeder’s name off and putting your own farm name on is like buying a piece of art and signing it with your name because you bought the frame it’s in, then there are people who want credit no mater what.

Well, there is some training in there, which is some what important.

I am not saying I am for horses losing their whole registered name, I am just not agreeing with your analogy since training can be a huge difference.

[vineyridge]

There should be some limits on length, I agree. Some suffixes used on European horses (mainly Belgian and French) are three times as long as the horse’s actual name. And some prefixes have nothing whatsoever to do with the breeder but are attached by the vendor to advertise the quality of their horse selections. Some are attached by commercial sponsors.

Many horses are just walking billboards.

[LetItBe]

I signed the petition a few days ago. I’ve changed 2 horses’ registered names, neither had prefixes, and I changed them with the registeries (NA-KWPN at inspection and ACPS) before registering them with AHSA/USEF/USE. I’ve had one horse who did have a prefix and I didn’t change it as it fit him and it worked ok as a show name, ACPS would have allowed me to change the name except for the prefix. None of these horses were shown really before I got them, the 2 Connemaras had done a schooling show/event or 2.

LetItBe

[VirginiaBred]

Thank you for signing it, LetItBe

[snaffle635]

I fully support breeders being able to keep track of their offspring. I’d like to offer an alternative solution.

Horse names (and I’d argue pony names even moreso) are very personal. Owners want to be able to monogram a saddle pad, engrave a nameplate, and hear the announcer call the name they chose.

So, here’s a solution…why not use the Breeder field in the USEF record to capture the pony’s breeder? The use of microchipping is supposed to cut down on people simply registering a horse under a new name (rather than changing the name). And the breeder would be a permanent part of the horse or pony’s record.

Would that work?

I’m looking for a solution that would make both breeders and owners happy. I’m just concerned that you’re going to get a whole bunch of people saying ‘You can’t tell me what I can name my pony! I’ve always wanted a pony named Mr Fancy Pants and I’m not going to call it Sancier Farms Mr Fancy Pants’.

Anyone who wants to look up Mr Fancy Pants’ USEF record would see that he was bred by Sancier Farms.

[VirginiaBred]

[QUOTE=snaffle635;]
I fully support breeders being able to keep track of their offspring. I’d like to offer an alternative solution.

Horse names (and I’d argue pony names even moreso) are very personal. Owners want to be able to monogram a saddle pad, engrave a nameplate, and hear the announcer call the name they chose.

So, here’s a solution…why not use the Breeder field in the USEF record to capture the pony’s breeder? The use of microchipping is supposed to cut down on people simply registering a horse under a new name (rather than changing the name). And the breeder would be a permanent part of the horse or pony’s record.

Would that work?

I’m looking for a solution that would make both breeders and owners happy. I’m just concerned that you’re going to get a whole bunch of people saying ‘You can’t tell me what I can name my pony! I’ve always wanted a pony named Mr Fancy Pants and I’m not going to call it Sancier Farms Mr Fancy Pants’.

Anyone who wants to look up Mr Fancy Pants’ USEF record would see that he was bred by Sancier Farms.[/QUOTE]

I’m not against changing a name. I am against dropping a prefix. I happen to love the names I pick out for my ponies, (but don’t we all, lol) but I won’t have a fit if the NAME part (after the prefix) is changed. For example, my prefix is Otteridge. I name my new foal Otteridge Black Beauty. I record it with the USEF in the first year of its birth. I sell it to you the following year. You hate the name and pay $60 to change it. My proposed rule would state that is is okay to change the name part (Black Beauty) but you won’t be allowed to drop the prefix part, if that prefix has been registered (my new proposed rule). So you can change it to Otteridge Dosey Doe, if that is your desire, but my Otteridge stays with the name for the life of the pony (as it should…I bred it).

Now, not all breeders USE prefixes or suffixes, so this will only pertain to those who do.

[exvet]

I signed the petition a few days ago. While I have a prefix and breed a few, I am just as interested in keeping the prefix from a buyer/competitor standpoint. I like to be able to look at the show roster and know the breeding that’s out there. Of course that means I have to keep up on breeding programs and who is standing who but at the end of the day and after more than a couple of years, it’s nice to be able to watch a class and know what you’re watching in front of you especially if you like it

[Janet]

What is the rule change proposal number?

[Unfforgettable]

As a breeder, I get the whole pride of production thing. But as a buyer, I’ve encountered some awful prefixes. Like one farm that used the initials of their farm as the prefix, so all their stock started with BRA. Announcers always said “bra”. Or another set of farm initials, BM. Yeah, I’ve always wanted a horse with the first part of its name to be bowel movement.

[Dance_To_Oblivion]

@Unfforgettable

As a breeder, I get the whole pride of production thing. But as a buyer, I’ve encountered some awful prefixes. Like one farm that used the initials of their farm as the prefix, so all their stock started with BRA. Announcers always said “bra”. Or another set of farm initials, BM. Yeah, I’ve always wanted a horse with the first part of its name to be bowel movement.

I agree, as a breeder and a buyer. I actively dislike prefixes and suffixes. I don’t put them on my foals, and if I am shopping for a horse and I would be unable to drop a prefix or suffix I probably would skip the horse entirely. I do get lifetime numbers for all my foals, and transfer any horses I have bought into my name, making sure to keep the breeder information attached to the horse, and I request that my buyers do the same. I am 100% behind being able to track breeders and pedigree information, but as another poster said, the name of your horse can be a highly personal thing to the owner.

[yaya]

I’m another one who would probably skip a horse if I couldn’t drop the prefix or suffix if I wanted to. I just bought a horse with a suffix, but I kind of like the letters (they are the initials of the breeder’s farm, but I like the combination), so I didn’t change anything when I recorded him.

What drives me nuts is the horse dealers who import horses and then add their farm suffix to them. These are horses who are already going (the ones I look at are already into double-digit ages), so it’s not like these people bred them, or even get the credit for training them, they tack on the letters as soon as they arrive! If I had bought one of these horses, first thing I was going to do was pay to get rid of those letters!

[VirginiaBred]

[QUOTE=Janet;]
What is the rule change proposal number?[/QUOTE]

Not exactly following you. For my NEW rule proposal, I don’t have a number yet. My plan is go gather as much momentum as I can, then present the new rule proposal, probably in person.

Did I answer your question?

[VirginiaBred]

@yaya

I’m another one who would probably skip a horse if I couldn’t drop the prefix or suffix if I wanted to. I just bought a horse with a suffix, but I kind of like the letters (they are the initials of the breeder’s farm, but I like the combination), so I didn’t change anything when I recorded him.

What drives me nuts is the horse dealers who import horses and then add their farm suffix to them. These are horses who are already going (the ones I look at are already into double-digit ages), so it’s not like these people bred them, or even get the credit for training them, they tack on the letters as soon as they arrive! If I had bought one of these horses, first thing I was going to do was pay to get rid of those letters!

While I hate that you would “skip a horse” you couldn’t drop a prefix or suffix on…that is your prerogative as a buyer. I try to see all sides (and I do, even the ones I don’t agree with), but as a breeder and a daughter of a breeder, I want people to know that when they purchase a pony or horse with a prefix or suffix, it represents a level of quality that a particular breeder has has produced over the years. Reminder…not all breeders use prefixes or suffixes, so this rule will encourage the ones that do to register theirs with the USEF or to create one and get it registered (should the new rule pass).

[Janet]

@VirginiaBred

Not exactly following you. For my NEW rule proposal, I don’t have a number yet. My plan is go gather as much momentum as I can, then present the new rule proposal, probably in person.

Did I answer your question?

According to GR151, Rule Change Proposals from individual members need to be submitted, in writing, before June 1 (USEF committees have until Sept 1).

[yaya]

@VirginiaBred

While I hate that you would “skip a horse” you couldn’t drop a prefix or suffix on…that is your prerogative as a buyer. I try to see all sides (and I do, even the ones I don’t agree with), but as a breeder and a daughter of a breeder, I want people to know that when they purchase a pony or horse with a prefix or suffix, it represents a level of quality that a particular breeder has has produced over the years. Reminder…not all breeders use prefixes or suffixes, so this rule will encourage the ones that do to register theirs with the USEF or to create one and get it registered (should the new rule pass).

You totally skipped over my second paragraph. True, not all breeders use prefixes or suffixes, but also, not everyone who puts a prefix or suffix on a horse is the breeder. In some cases, all a prefix or suffix means is that a certain person or farm owned that horse for 10 minutes - long enough to get it recorded, or to change its recording. So once it is changed, it could not be undone?

[VirginiaBred]

[QUOTE=yaya;]
What drives me nuts is the horse dealers who import horses and then add their farm suffix to them. These are horses who are already going (the ones I look at are already into double-digit ages), so it’s not like these people bred them, or even get the credit for training them, they tack on the letters as soon as they arrive! If I had bought one of these horses, first thing I was going to do was pay to get rid of those letters! [/QUOTE]

I am now seeing what you’re saying. This is maddening too, similar to what Hetty Abeles said (in my article) about people tacking on the Farnley prefix when Farnley didn’t breed the pony.

I would hope that imported horses would eventually need to submit copies of their papers to: 1.) get a microchip and 2.) get recorded with the USEF. Those are mighty big “hopes” but someone should propose those new rules to protect the imported horses’ identity.

[yaya]

Since many registries in Europe have switched from branding to microchips already, horses born/registered after the switch should already have a microchip. Doesn’t keep someone from changing the name.

As it is now, even a horse registered in one name can have a different “show name” recorded with USEF/USDF. So a breeder’s prefix/suffix can be ignored. I did that with one horse. His breed registry name was boring, and I much preferred the name they gave him after his stallion approval, so that’s how I recorded him, even though I gelded him.

So there’s another way to lose track of a horse’s origin. Some registries will change a stallion’s name once approved.

Granted, there are breed registries that won’t give awards to a horse who shows under a name different from the breed-registered name, but not everyone goes for registry awards.

I think you have an uphill battle.