American Paso Registration Tiers
Three tiers of registration. All free. The difference is the level of verification — not the price.
All registration tiers are free. The difference is the level of verification — not the price.
Community Horse
Create a horse profile and participate in American Paso programs.
Tier 1 is for Paso horses whose owners want to participate in American Paso services but who do not yet have sufficient pedigree documentation for Tier 2 or Tier 3.
Tier 1 horses may:
- Have an American Paso horse profile
- Participate in trail programs
- Log mileage
- Participate in challenges and events
- Earn applicable participation awards
- Appear in applicable horse directories
Tier 1 does not represent verified pedigree or American Paso Stud Book status.
Documented Registry
Already registered elsewhere? Upload your existing registration papers and American Paso will review the pedigree documentation.
Tier 2 is primarily intended for horses that already have registration or pedigree documentation from another recognized or accepted horse registry.
The owner can:
- Take a photo of existing registration papers with your phone OR upload an image/PDF
- AI/OCR extracts factual horse information from the document
- Pre-fills the horse registration form for you
- Review and correct every field before submission
- Submit the record to American Paso for administrative review
Information extracted from documents:
Uploaded registration documents remain private administrative documentation and are NOT automatically displayed publicly.
Tier 2 identifies horses whose pedigree and identity are supported by accepted registration or pedigree documentation. American Paso has reviewed the documentation, but Tier 2 does not necessarily mean that American Paso independently verified parentage through DNA.
Existing registration with another organization does not imply affiliation, endorsement, sponsorship, or recognition of American Paso by that organization.
Verified American Paso Stud Book
American Paso's highest level of registration. Requires permanent identification, DNA and pedigree verification.
Tier 3 is the highest level of American Paso pedigree verification. Tier 3 registration must NOT be approved simply because a horse has papers from another organization.
Required before Tier 3 approval:
Permanent microchip
Microchip number recorded and physically confirmed by the owner/veterinarian/authorized verifier
Clear identification photographs
Left side, right side, front/head, and any distinguishing markings
Complete horse information
Registered name, date of birth, sex, color, breeder, current owner, sire, dam, and complete available pedigree
DNA verification
DNA sample status, laboratory, case/accession number, test documentation, and parentage verification status
Parentage verification
Where sire and dam DNA records are available, parentage must be verified against the claimed sire and dam
The system distinguishes between 'DNA on File' and 'Parentage Verified.' Do not mark a horse Tier 3 solely because a DNA sample exists.
Ownership Certification:
"Applicants must certify: 'I certify that I am the legal owner of this horse or am authorized by the legal owner to submit this registration.'"
Owner Certification:
"Before submission, applicants must certify: 'I certify that the information submitted is accurate to the best of my knowledge and authorize American Paso to use the submitted information and documentation to establish and maintain an American Paso registration record.'"
Final approval must require an American Paso administrator. Never allow AI alone to approve Tier 3 registration.
Tier 3 Foals
A foal produced by two Tier 3 parents is eligible for Tier 3 registration, subject to the foal meeting American Paso identification and DNA verification requirements.
The foal must still receive:
- Its own microchip
- Its own DNA record
- Parentage verification
- Its own American Paso registration record
Once those requirements are completed and approved, the foal becomes Tier 3.
Tier 2 → Tier 3 Upgrade
Tier 2 horses can later upgrade to Tier 3. Eligible Tier 2 horse profiles display an "Apply for Tier 3 Verification" button with a checklist of outstanding requirements:
Once every required item has been verified by an administrator, the horse can be upgraded from Tier 2 — Documented Registry to Tier 3 — Verified American Paso Stud Book. The history showing the previous tier and the upgrade date is preserved.
Registration Status Labels
Public Horse Profile
Once approved, the horse's tier is clearly displayed.
TIER 2
Documented Registry
TIER 3
Verified American Paso Stud Book
For Tier 3 horses, verification indicators are displayed only when that specific item has actually been verified. Never inferred.
Important Data Rules
- Existing horses and member IDs are never deleted or overwritten
- Uploaded source documents are preserved as private records
- An audit history of tier changes and approvals is maintained
- Private owner contact information is never publicly displayed
- American Paso does not claim that another registry endorses or recognizes it
- American Paso does not copy the visual design, logos, seals, certificates, or branding of another registry
- Information from uploaded papers is converted into American Paso’s own database fields and displayed using American Paso’s own design
