Breed Association

breed association, organization that promotes the respective breeds of horses and registers horses that meet certain qualifications. A new association may admit horses that meet certain qualifications but whose parents are not registered; this is called an open association. The qualifications may be type, colour, or speed. Standardbred horses, for example, are admitted to the registry if they can trot a mile in 2 minutes 30 seconds, or pace a mile in 2 minutes 25 seconds. Older associations generally require that each horse have a registered sire and dam in order to qualify for registration. These are known as closed associations.

Perhaps the oldest association for registering horses is the General Stud Book of England. An Introduction to a General Stud Book was published in 1791, and volume 1 in 1793. To establish the registry, the publishers used various records accumulated from horse racing in England. The General Stud Book is recognized as the official registry for the English Thoroughbred. Other nations have their own stud books for registering Thoroughbred horses. Registration certifications of Thoroughbred horses in one nation are usually recognized by other Thoroughbred registering organizations.

Other registries and organizations have been established as new breeds developed.