Hey, There It Is!

I don't get to see Izzy's RPSI (Rheinland Pfalz-Saar International) brand very often. But lately, his summer coat has gotten so thin that it's finally peeking through.

My Arabian mare, Montoya, was freeze branded. I knew how to read that brand. Sydney, an OTTB that I had before Izzy, was also branded; he was imported from New Zealand. HIs brand was also interesting, and once I knew the code, it was easy to read.

Since I only get to see Izzy's brand for a few weeks in the summer, I always forget how to read it. I know that the bridge represents the Zweibrücker bridge of the RPSI which tells us that he is registered with the RPSI in Germany. That means that the beginning of his registration number is 51. 

It's a 36, but it's hard to see.

The numbers below the bridge, a 36 (hard to read, I know), are the final two digits of his personal identification number. His full registration number is DE 451516723608.

• The DE means Germany.
• The 4 means he was born after 2000.
• The 51 refers to his breeding district (born in the USA but registered with the RPSI).
• The 5162736 is his personal registration number.
• The 36 is the number branded on his hip below the bridge.
• The 08 indicates his year of birth - 2008.

Anyone in the know could figure out a lot of Izzy's registration number just by looking at his brand. A quick glance at his brand would tell someone that he is registered with the Rheinland Pfalz-Saar International registry, and that his individual registration number ends with a 36. The RPSI would immediately know to look for a horse with the number DE _51_____36__.

​I think it's a pretty interesting system. I only wish that I could see his brand all year long.