Several years ago, a call from a local horse auction took us by surprise. The man in charge of the sale was asking if we owned a gray mare branded 7003. It took a few minutes but we found where we had owned that mare several years ago but had sold her as a broodmare.

Returning to the phone, we were told that it was so obvious that this mare had some good breeding that they were afraid that the mare had been stolen. Since she was wearing our brand, they called to check on her status.

Over the years we have branded hundreds of horses and as yet have not had one stolen. However, preventing theft was not the main reason for the brand. Our primary purpose was for identification.

During some periods of our horse management career we have taken care of large herds of horses where having a number brand allowed for better record keeping and prevented identity mix-ups which are inevitable if a horse looses its neck band or halter ID.

Today, however, branding takes on a new meaning – advertising. We are usually proud of the horses we produce so with our farm brand on their hip wherever they go, the horses represent our program.

Having branded horses for many years has also taught use that some folks feel that a brand on a horse is about as distasteful as some people think that tattoos are repulsive on humans. This range of human opinions was drilled into our heads through our experience with Posh, an almost pure white gray Anglo-Arab mare that was and still is the most beautiful mare we have every seen.

Because of Posh’s color, she was freeze branded by leaving the iron on longer creating an image that resembled a hot brand.

After several years our breeding program changed and Posh did not fit our new direction so she was offered for sale. A couple of people looked at her to show in-hand (at halter) in the American Horse Show Association (AHSA). One turned her down because of the brand but the other bought her and took her to the show ring. The mare was several times World Champion for her new owner.

Later we had the opportunity to ask her owner whether she thought the brand hurt the mare in the show ring. “Oh,no,” she said,”On the contrary, I told everyone she came from Europe and the Royal Stud brands all their horses this way!”

If you would like to add freeze branding to your program, here is how to get started.

Clip the area to be branded and wet it with rubbing alcohol. This will make the area better able to conduct the cold. Chill the branding irons to –196 degrees by placing them in a tank of liquid nitrogen. Place the cooled iron on the clipped, wetted area and hold it for approximately 12 to 14 seconds. Be sure to apply equal pressure to all parts of the skins under the branding iron

The application time can also vary slightly by location on the body and season of the year which relates to fat on the body, and the thickness of the hair and the hide..

The intense cold iron produces the brand because it causes the hair follicles to lose their ability to produce color. Once the wound heals, the hair where the iron was applied will grow back in white.

If the horse is light colored or a white brand would be difficult to see, leave the freeze branding iron on for about 22 seconds. This will result in the total destruction of the hair follicle which will create a dark brand thatslike a hot brand.

Horses do not find this procedure uncomfortable but they should be restraints in some way to eliminate their desire to step away from the pressure.

Freeze branding is easy to achieve. The hardest part is getting the freeze branding iron. It takes a different kind of branding iron to freeze brand rather than hot brand. Search for suppliers on the web. You can purchase ready made numbers and letters but more importantly most suppliers will build a customized iron with your special design.

Consider freeze branding your horses both for identification and as a marketing tool to stand out from the crowd.