ASHDA
Register or Approve a Horse


Looking to register or approve your horse with ASHDA? Here is a handy guide on the steps necessary to both! Be sure to read carefully, as each registry designation has its own special process. It is the responsibility of the horse owner to include everything necessary to register their horse(s), but don't be afraid to ask the registrar for help if you need it! Please see down the page for current Genetic Testing Requirements for all incoming horses!


Registering for the Main Book

The Main Book is the largest section of ASHDA's registry, and what most sections of the breed contribute towards. To qualify for the Main Book, a horse must have two registered, or approved, parents. The sire must have a stallion report submitted and any appropriate lease or transfer paperwork must have also been filed prior to submitting. Horses applying for the Main Book must fill out the appropriate form and submit four conformation photos (either by e-mail or by post), one of each side, front and back, along with payment. Horses or Foals from untested or positive horses will be issued non-breeding papers until they are tested, any that test clean on all required tests will be upgraded to regular papers. Foals or Horses with excessive white will receive non-breeding papers.

Conformation Photo Example

In all photos, make sure your horse is standing square, on firm level ground. Please no saddles, blankets or tack other than halter/bridle. Include the entire horse in the picture, and shoot for an even perspective. Make sure you send quality photos, if you wouldn't purchase the horse off the photos you provide, they aren't suitable for registration!


Registering as Improvement Stock

If you are looking to register your draft, or draft cross, stallion or mare with ASHDA as Improvement Stock, the process is much the same! Regardless of breed, or breeds, all horses applying for the Improvement Books are scored against the ASHDA Breed Standard. The best process for all parties is to submit four conformation photos to the registrar, by email or post, along with the horse's basic information. It is preferred that horses submitted for the Improvement books be registered to avoid any potential inbreeding, but unpapered individuals will be considered and possibly approved if they are thought to be an improvement to the breed. Cross breeds, either comprised of only allowed draft breeds or other allowed breeds as well will also be considered for registration, but must also be considered an improvement. If conformation is approved by the registrar, the horse will need to have appropriate genetic testing completed to ensure the horse carries no defects (varies by breed or breeds). As of 2015, Improvement books have now been limited so that grade, crossbreed or unknown lineage horses submitted for Improvement registration must pass a full BOD vote with a majority approval to be registered, so only the best of the best will receive papers!

Any horses (mares or geldings only) that apply for Improvement status that express LP or "Appaloosa" patterning that do not pass genetic testing may apply for Hardship Registry, which issues non-breeding papers that still allow a horse with desired patterning to register with us without the danger of passing on unwanted traits to future generations.

Registering as Hardship

Like many registries that revolve around the idea of a patterned horse, ASHDA offers Hardship Registration. If you have a draft-type mare or gelding that expresses LP or "Appaloosa" patterning, our Hardship program would be a great option! Hardship horses are not breeding stock and thus do not require genetic testing and are not judged as harshly on conformation. This is a great option for the many "appaloosa drafts" one sees, as it grants papers proving ownership(which are considered a legal document) and also gives those horses another avenue of competition and promotion! LP horses that didn't make the cut as Improvement Stock will likely qualify as Hardship horses, as long as they meet all other criteria. ASHDA does not grant Hardship to stallions at this time, so any stallions that failed Improvement approval due to genetic or conformational flaws must be gelded before they can be registered. All Hardship horses will be registered under the "N" designation that will prohibit them from direct competition against breeding stock in Halter or Conformation classes with breeding stock registered ASHDA horses. For a Hardship gelding to be allowed to compete under such parameters, they must pass the same genetic requirements as breeding stock. If he should pass such testing with all negative results, he will be upgraded to an "#" designation.

Approved Sire or Dam

Approval is much the same process as Improvement Registration, but instead of being restricted to draft-types, it is also open to light draft cross horses that express desired traits! Stallions and mares seeking Approval must also submit four conformational photos and complete necessary genetic testing before they are granted Approval. Appaloosas, Percherons, Clydesdales, Shires, Belgian Drafts, Suffolk Punches and certain Stonewall Sport Horses may qualify for Approval, as well as grades or crosses of the above breeds. All horses desiring Approval are scored against our breed standard, meaning that even non-drafts must possess conformational traits that are sound and desired within the breed.

SHDHR Transfer

Do you own a horse from the original Sugarbush Harlequin Draft and Stonewall Sport Horse Registry maintained by Everett Smith? You can apply for free papers with ASHDA! These horses were all a part of the development of the breed, and many of them were bred by Mr. Smith himself! As such, we will welcome them into ASHDA at no charge! Free registration for SHDHR horses is open indefinitely, as we wish to extend registration to all horses from Mr. Smith's breeding program.

Genetic Testing Requirements

These are the current genetic testing requirements by breed and type required by ASHDA in order to register or approve breeding stock.

Registered Percheron, Shire or Clydesdale: A Negative PSSM1 test from Animal Genetics or a similar lab. Any Homozgyous (P1/P1) or Heterozygous (n/p1) results bar a horse from breeding stock registry or approval. Negative testing from DNA-verified parents may be taken into consideration.

Registered Belgian Draft or Suffolk Punch: A Negative PSSM1 and JEB1 test from Animal Genetics or a similar lab. Any Homozgyous or Heterozygous results bar a horse from breeding stock registry or approval. Negative testing from DNA-verified parents may be taken into consideration.

Grade Non-friesian Draft or Draft cross: A Negative 6-panel and JEB1 test from Animal Genetics or a similar lab. Any Homozgyous or Heterozygous results bar a horse from breeding stock registry or approval. Negative testing from DNA-verified parents may be taken into consideration.

Registered Appaloo or non-Friesian/Knabstrupper Stonewall Sport Horse: A Negative 6-panel test from Animal Genetics or a similar lab. Any Homozgyous or Heterozygous results bar a horse from breeding stock registry or approval. Negative testing from DNA-verified parents may be taken into consideration.

Grade Appaloosa: A Negative 6-panel test and JEB1 testfrom Animal Genetics or a similar lab. Any Homozgyous or Heterozygous results bar a horse from breeding stock registry or approval. Negative testing from DNA-verified parents may be taken into consideration.

Other breeds or types will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.


Barred Breeds or Types

Horses registered as, or with heritage to, American Paint, Pinto, Gypsy Vanner, Drum Horse, Tinker, Spotted Draft, Spotted Saddle and other pinto breed horses.

Homozygous Grey horses of any breed regardless of meeting other requirements.

Horses with known or suspected Knabstrupper, Brabant, or American Cream breeding have been barred from applying for breeding rights at any level with ASHDA unless those bloodlines are solely contributed by an existing ASHDA registered or Approved horse. At this time, if meeting all other qualifications, horses with the above lineage may still apply for Hardship, but may not advance from the 'N' designation.

Horses registered with the SDHR (Sendera Draft Horse/Sugarbush Draft Horse Registry) papered after July 4th, 2014.