First Step is the Paperwork:
The technician will begin by having the owner of the horse complete the Horse Owner Agreement Form and the Release Form with information on the owner and the horses to be identified. Registered horses need to be presented with their original registration certificates and grade horses and mules will require a "Bill of Sale" or other type of documentation of ownership. The technician will verify that the horses match their registration certificates and the person presenting the horses is the owner or has been authorized by the owner. The technician will begin completing the identification paperwork. This form will document all the natural markings, hair whorl patterns, age, gender, scars, pink skin under white markings on face and legs, age by teeth, height, and any other unique characteristics of the horse. This information is calculated into a "signalment key number" which is combined with the individual freeze mark to be applied to the horse. This process will also include digital photographs showing the above characteristics. All the information will be processed into Kryo Kinetics USA LLC's database, as well as the horse's hard file. All files and databases are backed up for added protection. Currently there are over 33,000 in the database. State livestock offices and breed associations, when applicable, will receive electronic copies of the paperwork. Additional copies will gladly be supplied for insurance carriers.
Every horse that has been identified by Kryo Kinetics USA LLC will receive a laminated card with the drawings the technician did on site. KKUSA LLC now offers a Photo Identification Card or Certificates for an additional fee. Horses identified prior to 2006 are also eligible to receive the Photo Identification, however, they will need to update their horse's file with current photographs. For more information, contact our main office.
Every horse that has been identified by Kryo Kinetics USA LLC will receive a laminated card with the drawings the technician did on site. KKUSA LLC now offers a Photo Identification Card or Certificates for an additional fee. Horses identified prior to 2006 are also eligible to receive the Photo Identification, however, they will need to update their horse's file with current photographs. For more information, contact our main office.
Applying the Freeze Mark:
The technique is a simple one and relatively painless to the horse. However, we do advise having a veterinarian tranquilize the horse to insure the best mark. We don't want the horse to move the neck while the iron is on. A place on the neck is clipped and washed with alcohol. The iron is set and chilled in Liquid Nitrogen. The technician will adjust the time that the iron is applied by the age, breed and color of the horse. The hair on the site will grow back white with balding in the center of the symbols. On light horses the iron is applied a little longer so each symbol will have more balding. It is advised in the winter months, or anytime it may be hard to read, to run a course clip over the site. Freeze Marked white hair will grow in longer than the surrounding hair.
Care of the Freeze Mark:
The process of applying a freeze mark using an iron that has been chilled in Liquid Nitrogen is the more humane method of branding. This process works by killing the hair follicle and/or color follicle, depending of the length of time the iron was placed on the skin, and the thickness of the skin. This method does not cause open wounds, such as a hot iron brand. However, there are some things that you should and should not do:
1. Soon after the mark is applied, the area will become red and swollen. These signs should be gone after 48 hours. Scales and dry scabs will develop where the freezing device touch the skin. The best thing to do is NOTHING, just let it heal. However, in a couple cases the swelling didn’t recede within 48 hours. This has only happened when the daytime weather temperatures were above the 105 degrees at the time of branding. Running cold water over the site will help. It is advisable to ask your veterinarian for Bute (Phenylbutazone) tablets to administer to you horse during the first 48 hours.
2. DO NOT PICK THE SCAB! This scabbing is the dead skin and normal healthy skin will form under the protection of the scabs. DO NOT remove these scabs, as it may break the skin and be more prone to dirt entering the area and becoming infected.
3. Do Not apply any oil base lotion or fly spray. You can however use water based fly spray, or run a cold hose on it to help with any swelling.
It is advisable to do a course clip over the freeze mark, AFTER the scabs are gone and it has completely healed, to see how clear the mark is. Take a digital photo of the freeze mark and email it to KKUSA so we can update your horses file. It is also advisable to keep a course clip over the freeze mark during the winter months when the hair growth is longer.
1. Soon after the mark is applied, the area will become red and swollen. These signs should be gone after 48 hours. Scales and dry scabs will develop where the freezing device touch the skin. The best thing to do is NOTHING, just let it heal. However, in a couple cases the swelling didn’t recede within 48 hours. This has only happened when the daytime weather temperatures were above the 105 degrees at the time of branding. Running cold water over the site will help. It is advisable to ask your veterinarian for Bute (Phenylbutazone) tablets to administer to you horse during the first 48 hours.
2. DO NOT PICK THE SCAB! This scabbing is the dead skin and normal healthy skin will form under the protection of the scabs. DO NOT remove these scabs, as it may break the skin and be more prone to dirt entering the area and becoming infected.
3. Do Not apply any oil base lotion or fly spray. You can however use water based fly spray, or run a cold hose on it to help with any swelling.
It is advisable to do a course clip over the freeze mark, AFTER the scabs are gone and it has completely healed, to see how clear the mark is. Take a digital photo of the freeze mark and email it to KKUSA so we can update your horses file. It is also advisable to keep a course clip over the freeze mark during the winter months when the hair growth is longer.
