What You Need To Know About the New Microchip Rule GR 1101.1

By Krista Nobilo, GVDS Member

This article received an honorable mention in the 2024 GMO Newsletter Awards for general interest articles for GMOs with 500+ members. It appeared in the April 2024 Rocky Mountain Dressage Society newsletter, eCentaur.

During the recent New Rules class sponsored by RMDS, participants learned about the new microchip rule coming into effect December 1, 2025. This sparked not only a lot of discussion during the class, but also over social media, including the rationale for and purpose of such a rule.

Grand Valley Dressage Society (GVDS) member Judi DeVore thought she was in the clear as her horse Believe WS, already had a microchip. Judi discovered her mare’s chip was noncompliant. “She was chipped in 2013, (ID 4C25452347) so when I went to the USEF website to add that number to her registration information, I discovered it wasn’t ISO compliant, which is 15 digits and all numbers, no letters”, explained Judi. With that experience in mind, a word of advice to those who currently own a horse/pony that has a pre-existing microchip; double check the microchip is ISO compliant. This article is intended to shed some light and provide facts about microchipping and the United States Equestrian (USEF) guidelines.

During the 2023 mid-year Board meeting, the USEF Board of Directors approved a new rule; ‘Beginning December 1, 2025, under GR 1101.1, all horses competing in USEF-licensed or -endorsed competitions must be microchipped with a 15-digit ISO compliant 11784/11785
chip.’

USEF believes it to be fundamental in the aspect of equine welfare. The press release by US Equestrian Communications Department on September 5, 2023, largely attributes the rationale behind the new rule to have the ability to track and protect horses during events such as natural disasters and disease outbreaks. Links to further information are provided on the USEF website and are listed at the end of this article.

Microchips are not new to the veterinary pet industry. They have been widely accepted in small animal practice for decades. The microchip for pets was first patented in 1985, and the very first microchip was implanted in 1989. Since then, there have been big advances, and there are no longer issues between microchip and reader capabilities. ISO stands for International Standards Organization, and ISO 11784/11785 emits radio waves at 134.2 kHz standardized frequency. Hence the use of a universal scanner can read any ISO compliant microchip no matter where you live in the world and in any animal in which it is properly implanted. Each chip has its own unique number encoded within it which scanners can read. A registry was established in 2007 to register manufacture codes and the country code prefix as well. Further to the advancement, biothermal chips now exist which enable a horse’s temperature to be recorded. A specialized reader must be used for this function; a universal scanner only reads the ID number.

Besides the benefits of traceability during natural disaster events or disease outbreaks, microchipping horses proves ownership and prevents fraud especially when used at competitions or regarding a change of ownership for horses. Discussion within the USA horse industry for microchipping dates back 10 to 15 years but failed to gain traction initially due to the lack of a universal reader and some added myths. However, by 2017 The Jockey Club mandated microchipping for all foals born and microchips are a compulsory component of Thoroughbred registration in several countries, including Great Britain, France, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, Germany, Italy, and New Zealand. The UK made it mandatory in 2020 for all equids to be microchipped and entered in a Central Equine Database. Registered Warmblood breeders now have foals microchipped. Since 2017, horses registered with the United States Hunter Jumper Association had to be microchipped for identification purposes and to accumulate points earned through competition. Horses registered for International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) since 2013 also had to be microchipped.

The internationally recognized implantation site is in the neck on the left side nuchal ligament halfway between the poll and the withers. Dr. Kelsey Naftel, DVM (Shafer Large Animal Veterinary Associates) says, “Microchipping is ideally performed by a licensed veterinarian or under direct supervision of one. It is a large bore needle so ideally sedation +/- local block is best for insertion.”

Now let’s bust some myths: (A more comprehensive myth-busting flyer is included in the resource links.)

• Migration of the microchip. According to the 2012 study “Health Factors Associated with Microchip Insertion in Horses,” radiographs of implanted microchips followed by measurement of distance from the most cranial point of the fourth cervical vertebra indicated that microchips did not migrate (J Eq Vet Sci 2012;32:177–182).
• Microchips cause cancer. This myth arose from a cancer study involving lab mice that were implanted with chips other than the ones used for horses.
• Microchips can track the location of a horse. ISO compliant microchips are READONLY, they do not contain GPS.
• Microchips can be erased or changed. They are passive and only activated by a read-only scanner device.
• Magnets can inactivate the microchip. Microchips do not have a power supply, are read-only, and magnets cannot deactivate the chip.

The options to submit your horse’s microchip number to the USEF are provided through their website. For new horses/ponies a New Horse Recording Application form must be submitted. For already recorded horses/ponies, use the Horse Microchip Update page link to update your horse, https://members.usef.org/horses/microchip. Once recorded with the USEF, the Show Secretaries will know your horse has a microchip because it will be included on your USEF Horse Recording Card. Microchipping will be at the owner’s expense, however the USEF has stated they are ‘seeking potential partnerships to provide microchip member benefits.

So “Who” might scan your horse at a competition?

The USEF states:

A groom, owner or trainer may utilize the biothermal microchip for monitoring the horse’s health on a daily basis.

Competition management may choose to utilize the microchip for identification, recording of show results, or tracking horses on competition grounds.

During an outbreak, state and/or federal animal health officials investigating the disease exposure risks may scan your horse.

USEF or competition staff, USEF licensed officials, or drug testing personnel may scan a horse to confirm the identity of the horse.

Currently there is no requirement for competition officials/management to scan horses, but they must verify every horse entered in the competition has a compliant microchip listed on their USEF recording. The USEF Veterinary Department is presently working on the compliance and implementation plan for the rule.

Resource Links:

https://www.usef.org/compete/resources-forms/competition-management/competitionsafety-biosecurity/microchipping

https://www.usef.org/faqs/microchips

https://www.usef.org/forms-pubs/TJMycQtVsEQ/microchip-101

https://www.usef.org/forms-pubs/15GXJPR_Azk/microchip-mythbusters