Does your horse have a current coggins?

When was your horse’s coggins last drawn? A current coggins means that the coggins has been pulled within the last year. And sometimes it is required that a coggins be pulled every 6 months. A current coggins is needed for the veterinarians to write a health certificate for you. When having a pre-purchase done on a horse it is important to try and have a name for the horse picked out so that name can go on the coggins. A health certificate is required to be written exactly the same as the coggins is as far as the owner information, and horse information.

A coggins takes 7-10 business days to be processed and returned, this is the most cost effective way to purchase a coggins. A rush coggins is also available with in 2 - 3 days, but it is more expensive. Please keep this in mind for the next time your horse needs to be hauled out of state. Information MAEH needs from you when you call for a health certificate is the destination, horse or horses to be on trailer (up to 10 horses can be on one health certificate), reason for traveling (show, training, sale…), and the coggins if it has been done by another clinic.

Remember a current coggins is required for the veterinarian to sign a health certificate. A health certificate is valid for 30 days. Illinois equine traveling out – of – state on an IL health certificate are not required to obtain a certificate to return home, unless they are out of the state longer than 30 days. A health certificate must be issued by the state where horse has been residing if it is there longer than 30 days.*

*Information obtained on the Illinois Department of Agriculture website.