Welfare of horses: horse passports
It is a legal requirement for all horses, ponies, donkeys and other animals in the horse family (equines) in Northern Ireland to have a passport identifying the animal.
Horse passports
All foals born after 1 July 2009 and older horses not previously identified must be microchipped by a vet and the number inserted into the passport. For foals, all applications must be submitted by the end of the year of their birth or within six months of birth, whichever is later.
The passport must accompany the horse during all movements with a few exceptions most notably when moved on foot or in an emergency situation. Owners and keepers with primary responsibility for the horse (for example full livery yards or transporters) must make sure that the horse is correctly identified before accepting the animal into their care and make the passport available for inspection.
One of the purposes of horse passports is to record all medicines that each horse receives. It is therefore essential that the passport is available whenever a vet treats your horse so they can record the medicines given.
How to get a horse passport
Find out about where to get your horse passport from. Once issued, the passport is valid for your horse’s lifetime:
Keeping horses
Anyone who owns or has responsibility for an establishment where equines are kept, must register their establishment with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). Registering is simple and free.
For more information or to download a registration form visit:
You can also contact your local DAERA Direct Regional Office for a registration form.
From 1 February 2026 you will not be able to get a horse passport or make changes to an existing passport without an Equine Establishment Number (EEN). Without an EEN, you may be unable to sell/buy, move or export your horse.
Medicines not permitted for the human food chain
If a horse is given medicine that's not allowed in the human food chain, your vet must make sure that section IX (which states that the animal will not be slaughtered for humans to eat) has been signed by the owner or the owner’s representative or the keeper.
This means that the horse can never enter the human food chain so you should think very carefully about what the implications of such a decision would mean at the end of your horse’s life. You should discuss this matter with your vet if you have any questions or concerns.