Change of ownership
If you are purchasing a former racehorse, please register with RoR. For more information on the benefits of registering visit our Registration page. If you are purchasing a retrained racehorse that you believe is already registered with RoR, please email full details to info@ror.org.uk to inform us of your new ownership.
Change of ownership
Equine Identification Regulations: your legal requirements
It is a legal requirement for all owners of Thoroughbreds in Great Britain to register their ownership with Weatherbys, the Government's designated Passport Issuing Organisation, within 30 days of purchase.
The legislation also requires that a horse’s passport is returned to Weatherbys to be updated with the new ownership details.
Former racehorses
When a horse comes out of training and the racing ownership is terminated, the Weatherbys ownership becomes the valid ownership, recognised by DEFRA and the Central Equine Database.
To assist owners of RoR-registered horses in meeting this legislation, please use Weatherbys online portal.
Once you have completed the information online and paid the fee, your horses passport should then be sent to Weatherbys. Weatherbys will then update their database and the passport, and return the passport to you. This process takes approximately 10 working days and applies to all Thoroughbreds both domestic and foreign bred.
If you have elected not to have the horse you wish to rehome/purchase vetted, do carefully check the horse against the markings shown in the passport to satisfy yourself that it is the correct animal, before you finalise any agreement or purchase.
If you have any queries over the identity of the horse or you have not been given a passport, please contact Weatherbys for advice. Also contact Weatherbys if you wish to use the horse to breed racehorses.
Should your horse die or be euthanised, legislation requires the return of the passport to the Passport Issuing Organisation (in this case Weatherbys – for both domestic and foreign bred Thoroughbreds). If you request in your covering letter that the passport be returned afterwards, this will be done free of charge.
If you have any queries please either contact Weatherbys on 01933 440077, or the RoR office.
British Horseracing Authority (BHA) – anabolic steriod declaration
The BHA has a zero tolerance policy with regard to the use of anabolic steroids for racehorses including pre-training youngstock and older horses.
When applying to record your non-racing ownership of your ex racehorse using the Weatherbys Portal, you will notice some wording relating to this requirement
If you elect to cross out the paragraph on the application form which relates to an owner agreeing to be bound by the BHA Rules of Racing (including the Equine Anti-Doping Rules), this will result in the horse not being eligible to race in Great Britain. The passport will be stamped “This horse is not eligible to race in Great Britain” and the BHA will be notified before the passport is returned to you by Weatherbys with your ownership recorded.
Any queries relating to this policy should be directed to the BHA: anti-doping@britishhorseracingauthority.com or 020 7152 0090
BHA Non-Racing Agreement
Sometimes a racehorse owner or trainer may feel that a horse is no longer suited to racing, and they have the option to register a BHA Non-Racing Agreement as a safeguard once a new home has been found, to protect the horse from returning to the racecourse. The agreement has to be signed by both the seller and buyer.
The team at Weatherbys wish you every success and enjoyment of your new horse in its second career.