Yes I don’t think the biggest breeder of horses in the USA should just happily give out papers without first being approved.
Ironically, the AQHA does have quality requirements for half Thoroughbred offspring of an AQHA regular studbook parent. The appendix registry will give ‘regular’ papers to a half-TB that performs in AQHA-sanctioned competition to a set standard. In the past, that has been AQHA breed shows, and AQHA racing. They have expanded the list of eligible competitions to include more in the recent past. I believe they added dressage to the list.
So really, that is a type of ‘inspection’, though it applies to only offspring of a Jockey Club papered parent.
I have a really nice appendix mare that is the result of breeding an OTTB mare (that was probably free or under $1000) and a ranch horse stallion. The stallion was not likely worth a market value of more than $5000.
As a weanling, my mare would have been worth about $600, and there are plenty of people who might have bought her and turned her out on their own ranch to grow up.
Right now, she’s sound and good at her job, and worth a lot more than $600. If she were a gelding, and good for roping as well, she’d be worth somewhere in the $10,000 to $15,000 range; that would take another year or two of using her for ranch work.
There are plenty of cash-poor but land/feed resource ‘rich’ horse/cattlemen who can, and do, buy a $500 to $1500 weanling or yearling. They will take the colt and get it broke, and then USE it for working a real cattle ranch. Once the horse really knows its job, and is useful, it is worth a whole lot more; as VaqueroToro posted from the Wyo sale, you’re looking at $7500 on up to $20,000 for a really good 8 year old gelding. And you don’t need papers to command that price if the horse is sound, gentle, and able.
The economics would not work for these horses if someone were paying board for 8 years, or paying for training and lessons beyond some ranchers who have someone else ride their colt for a month or three.
So no real need for inspections in my view.
I do think having well educated judges who could give a ‘permanent’ conformation score against a standard would be a good idea in lieu of ‘halter’ competition, but really limiting registration is not likely for the AQHA.
And as far as what fees are required beyond the $30: if the horse is the result of AI (fresh or frozen), the $40 DNA fee is a requirement.
The genetic testing fee would only be required if the foal was the offspring of a known carrier of HYPP. However, there are other genetic defect problems that occur in the AQHA breed, and if there are known carriers of HERDA or another recessive genetic defect, most buyers will want the genetic testing done anyway. So not necessarily a requirement, but a necessity for honest marketing of a good foal with HERDA or something else in the pedigree.
