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North American Icelandic Horse Breeders AssociationCode of Ethics[Click here for a printable version.] Ratified by the membership on May 15, 2005
The North American Icelandic Horse Breeders Association, Inc. (NAIHBA) has adopted the following Code of Ethics to promote high standards of conduct and personal integrity among breeders and owners of Icelandic horses in North America. Members shall bear in mind that a Code of Ethics is more than a set of rules; it is a commitment to a high standard of behavior in owning and breeding Icelandic horses and that adherence to the spirit of the Code is as important as adherence to its specific provisions. All members of NAIHBA shall abide by this Code of Ethics.
Treatment and Training
All horses owned by, or in the care of, NAIHBA members shall be given a healthy environment, proper nutrition, and appropriate care at all times.
No member's horse may be treated in an inhumane manner, subjected to cruel or unusual punishment, abusive training methods, or used in a manner that jeopardizes the health or well being of the horse.
Members shall handle their horses responsibly in public places and shall do everything possible to minimize the risk of trauma or danger to any human being or animal.
Members shall condition and train horses naturally and to a level appropriate for the horse’s age and maturity and shall avoid using any artificial methods which could be harmful to the horse physically or medically.
Breeding
Anyone breeding a mare or standing a stallion bears great responsibility to the future of the breed; therefore, breeders shall plan each breeding with the paramount intention of improving and protecting the pure-bred Icelandic horse.
Breeders shall carefully select the stallion and mare with an eye to temperament, health, conformation, and the ‘gaitedness’ for which Icelandics are generally prized. The basic principles of genetics shall be applied.
Stallion Reports, Certificates of Breeding or other documents required for registration of foals are to be filed with the USIHC, CIHF or other organization or provided to the mare owner, as appropriate, in a timely manner.
Members breeding to ‘outside’ mares shall provide written, signed contracts specifying all agreed to terms with each party having a copy.
Members are encouraged to offer a Live Foal Guarantee with their breedings. The details of what is considered to be a live foal and the particulars for this event should be spelled out in the breeding contract.
Advertisement and Sales
Members’ advertisement of Icelandic horses, verbal or written, shall be factual and as forthrightly honest as possible in both substance and implication.
Members shall fully disclose to potential buyers all information about the horses offered for sale. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, behavior, health, ‘gaitedness’ or lack of certain gaits, vaccinations, soundness to purpose, registerability, and insurability.
Members shall be discriminating in the sale of all horses and concerned with the type of home in which they are placed. No member shall knowingly sell a horse to a buyer who is unable to provide the horse with a healthy environment, proper nutrition, and appropriate care.
For the protection of both buyer and seller, members shall commit all sales agreements to writing and provide copies of such agreements, bearing original signatures, to both buyer and seller.
For all registered/registerable horses, it is expected that the NAIHBA member handle the registration or transfer of ownership. If this is not possible, the member shall, at a minimum, supply buyers with any and all forms necessary to initially register or transfer ownership, properly completed and signed, along with instructions on how to complete the process and reasons for registration or transfer.
If the documents necessary for a horse to be registered cannot be provided, member must so state in the written sales agreement. A horse may, for good cause, be sold without registration papers if this is understood and agreed to in writing by both parties. In such case member shall provide buyer with any and all information he/she has access to so buyer can pursue registration if he/she so chooses.
Upon releasing any horse to a new buyer, members shall supply a copy of the horse’s pedigree and a record of the horse’s vaccinations, worming, and other medical care.
Members shall encourage buyers to have any horse being purchased examined by a veterinarian at the buyer’s expense prior to taking possession of the horse. If, due to distance or other logistics, it is necessary for the Seller to arrange and supervise a pre-purchase veterinary exam, the Seller shall ensure that the exam is unbiased and that results are reported to the buyer fully and accurately.
General
Members are encouraged to supply this Code of Ethics to buyers, potential buyers, or mare owners or to otherwise make them aware of its existence.
Members shall at all times, whether at home, at shows or at other equine events, display good sportsmanship and conduct themselves in a manner that imparts credit to NAIHBA and the breed.
Members, to the best of their ability, shall support and assist the owner of any Icelandic horse, regardless of where the horse was purchased, and inform the owner of other sources where they might also receive help.
Repeated failure of members to abide by this Code of Ethics shall result in a loss of membership in NAIHBA and withdrawal of any and all privileges such membership might enjoy along with forfeiture of any dues or fees paid as well as any other such action as might be deemed appropriate by the membership.
For further information write to: (360) 275-7542 or by E-mail |
