# Need help reading a faded Thoroughbred tattoo



## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

Photograph the tattoo in a darkened area (ie in a stall) and using a black light (reversing the photo coloration can sometimes have a similar effect). Also, try focusing on just one or two characters at a time rather than aiming to get a "panoramic" photo of the entire tattoo - the latter increases the distortion you'll see in the tattoo and makes reading an already difficult tattoo more impossible.
With the condition of this tattoo you may be better served paying for the JC research or by using the partial tattoo lookup (combined with a description of the horse - color, markings, cowlicks, etc) on the JC site (though I am not sure you can even make out enough to use the partial look up)


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

Try a flashlight at night.


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## Reno Bay (Jul 8, 2012)

Looks like it could be a 52 at the end...but I don't know. I have trouble reading my 4yo's tat XD


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## countrylove (Oct 18, 2012)

i worked on a rescue that received 33 TBs, most off the track. We had to identify each and every one. What we did is we used a free online photo editor and used the negative effect to reverse the colors. its pretty quick and easy and worked for us


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## ButtInTheDirt (Jan 16, 2011)

I adjusted some of the settings, it does look to be a 52 at the end.


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## Phantomcolt18 (Sep 25, 2007)

Here is a color inverted image as others have stated it looks to be a clear 52 at the end. I can't seem to make out any other symbols though. Maybe someone with better eyes could see something.


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## SplashedOvero (May 16, 2012)

I see 52 at the end. Possibly a 6 before the 52 making it 652


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## PurpleMonkeyWrench (Jun 12, 2012)

i see 32 at the end not 52


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## Jore (Dec 4, 2010)

If you can guess the first letter or even a couple numbers, you can send a request into the Jockey Club after you make a free account and they might be able to help you find more information. I just put in the letter ("F" although I couldn't see it, she was born in 2002 so that'd be it), filled in the description with her racing name (although that isn't required) and they got back to me fairly quickly.


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## Reno Bay (Jul 8, 2012)

It's definitely a 52 at the end if you look closely and compare my "doodle".

The white is what I DEFINITELY think is there. The green is what I think MIGHT be there...or not.

OP, Do you think your horse has a letter and four numbers or a letter and five numbers (I have since accurately read and recorded my OTTB's tattoo as L30888).


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## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

Does that description fit her at all? I can't find a picture of the horse it links to so it makes it really hard to know for sure.

star and connected stripe, becoming bordered flesh colored above nostrils, ending between nostrils, into both nostrils; double horizontal cowlick above eye level. Right fore: half pastern white, dark spot on coronet in front.
Horse Name Package of Ruffles Tattoo R43752 Year of Birth 1988 Dam Name Semi Clemi Color Dark Bay or Brown Sex Mare


OP, try drying the lips so there is no reflecting light(and no flash) and then taking a pic. It may make it easier for everyone to see


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## Reno Bay (Jul 8, 2012)

Rachel1786 said:


> Does that description fit her at all? I can't find a picture of the horse it links to so it makes it really hard to know for sure.
> 
> star and connected stripe, becoming bordered flesh colored above nostrils, ending between nostrils, into both nostrils; double horizontal cowlick above eye level. Right fore: half pastern white, dark spot on coronet in front.
> Horse Name Package of Ruffles Tattoo R43752 Year of Birth 1988 Dam Name Semi Clemi Color Dark Bay or Brown Sex Mare


I've been searching too. Not knowing the horse, it's hard for me to guess especially about the cowlicks.


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## ninjahorse (Jun 7, 2010)

Rachel1786 said:


> Does that description fit her at all? I can't find a picture of the horse it links to so it makes it really hard to know for sure.
> 
> star and connected stripe, becoming bordered flesh colored above nostrils, ending between nostrils, into both nostrils; double horizontal cowlick above eye level. Right fore: half pastern white, dark spot on coronet in front.
> Horse Name Package of Ruffles Tattoo R43752 Year of Birth 1988 Dam Name Semi Clemi  Color Dark Bay or Brown Sex Mare


The only thing I find to maybe not match is the double horizontal cowlicks above eye level. Could you help me out on that one? I'm not very good at this. I'll post a few pictures of her. Thank you so much to everyone that is looking. I appreciate it a lot. 

She also has two prophets thumb marks. One on each side of her neck.


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## ninjahorse (Jun 7, 2010)

She has a cowlick between her eyes and one up towards her forelock. Our vet also told us that she has been bred in the past.


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## PurpleMonkeyWrench (Jun 12, 2012)

32


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## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

ninjahorse said:


> The only thing I find to maybe not match is the double horizontal cowlicks above eye level. Could you help me out on that one? I'm not very good at this. I'll post a few pictures of her. Thank you so much to everyone that is looking. I appreciate it a lot.
> 
> She also has two prophets thumb marks. One on each side of her neck.


Looking at a closer view of her facial markings I don't think she is the horse I posted. I believe the white would extend into both her nostrils if she was.


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## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

Do either of these seem to fit? It's hard not being able to see all angles of her. It was hard enough with my mare and I could look at her lol. The only reason I knew for sure it was her was because I got incredibly lucky and found an expired classified ad with a picture. 

1  Large irregular star and connected wide stripe, extending to right and becoming flesh colored on bridge of nose, extending between nostrils, into right nostril, ending on upper lip; scattered white hairs to right of stripe in center of face; dark spotsin stripe; double diagonal cowlick at top of eye level, left is higher. Right fore: coronet and part of pastern white, except on inside and on inside in back, higher in front; few white hairs on coronet on inside. Few white hairs in flanks.

Horse Name Raheena Tattoo S07152
2  Irregular star and connected stripe, narrowing above nostrils, becoming flesh colored and ending between nostrils; double diagonal cowlick at eye level. Right fore: coronet and part of pastern irregularly white, lower on inside, higher on outside. 
Horse Name Kall Nine Eleven Tattoo S19452


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## Reno Bay (Jul 8, 2012)

Having just gone through all the 20+ year old bay mares with white facial markings and white right front leg with tats ending in '32' none of them match this horse. Either there is no registered animal matching the horse's description or all the registered horses that have face white are just stars or faints.

Many of the 52 horses are potential matches though. Could potentially be one of the two S---62 horses.

I say she's likely one of the three S---52 horses:
*1* Vertical star; double diagonal cowlick at top of eye level. Right fore: half pastern white, higher in back. Scattered white hairs in tail. (S02852)

*2* Large irregular star and connected wide stripe, extending to right and becoming flesh colored on bridge of nose, extending between nostrils, into right nostril, ending on upper lip; scattered white hairs to right of stripe in center of face; dark spotsin stripe; double diagonal cowlick at top of eye level, left is higher. Right fore: coronet and part of pastern white, except on inside and on inside in back, higher in front; few white hairs on coronet on inside. Few white hairs in flanks. (S07152)

*3* Irregular star and connected stripe, narrowing above nostrils, becoming flesh colored and ending between nostrils; double diagonal cowlick at eye level. Right fore: coronet and part of pastern irregularly white, lower on inside, higher on outside. (S19452)

I'm leaning towards #1, if any...


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## ninjahorse (Jun 7, 2010)

Rachel1786 said:


> Do either of these seem to fit? It's hard not being able to see all angles of her. It was hard enough with my mare and I could look at her lol. The only reason I knew for sure it was her was because I got incredibly lucky and found an expired classified ad with a picture.
> 
> 1  Large irregular star and connected wide stripe, extending to right and becoming flesh colored on bridge of nose, extending between nostrils, into right nostril, ending on upper lip; scattered white hairs to right of stripe in center of face; dark spotsin stripe; double diagonal cowlick at top of eye level, left is higher. Right fore: coronet and part of pastern white, except on inside and on inside in back, higher in front; few white hairs on coronet on inside. Few white hairs in flanks.
> 
> ...


I don't think either one of those horses matches. The second mare I thought was her (especially after finding out that she foaled a couple Oldenburg foals) but I contacted her breeder and she told me that Kall Nine Eleven died a few years ago.  Thank you, though.


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## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

Now that I'm reading while comparing the pic there are parts that don't fit again :-( 

See if you can get better pics of the tattoo and close up of her sock and if she has any other white marks on her. 
With my horse, what I thought was the letter actually ended up being the first number and the letter blended the coloring. So try to get pics of all of her upper lip, even if you take one shot standing to the left and one standing to the right. This is my mares tattoo, hers is A34664 and for weeks I was looking for a horse that started with B


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## Reno Bay (Jul 8, 2012)

Reno's was a little difficult to read too, what with a 3 and three relatively faded 8s...XD They could have been 3s, 5s, or 6s for all I knew.


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## ninjahorse (Jun 7, 2010)

I'd also like to thank you too, Reno. This whole identifying thing is proving to be too hard for me to take on by myself. I wish the lady we got them from would just tell us where she got them from. sigh. :/


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## SunnyMeadeFarm (Sep 3, 2012)

I don't know much about TB tattoos, but I have Photoshop CS5 (professional) and I did some tests and editing,










Now, I see either someone was tattooing a wiggling horse and got a crooked 8 or two 0's so it could be 00552 or 8552.


EDIT: I didn't see on page 2, someone suggesting the 52 was actually a 32, I think I agree with that.


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## CowboysDream (Nov 12, 2011)

Large irregular star pointed at top and connected mixed tapering stripe, extending to right and ending on bridge of nose; median cowlick at bottom of eye level; median cowlick above eye level. Right fore: coronet and part of pastern irregularly white, except on outside, higher on inside in back; large dark spots in white. Few white hairs in flanks and on rump.

Horse Name Impossible Affair
Tattoo	T26520
Year of Birth	1990
Dam Name	Sudden Affair
Color	Dark Bay or Brown
Sex	Mare

And this mare has 1 registered offspring (a mare). 

I feel like there might be either a number after the "52" that we can't see and/or it might not start with an "S"


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## ninjahorse (Jun 7, 2010)

SunnyMeadeFarm said:


> EDIT: I didn't see on page 2, someone suggesting the 52 was actually a 32, I think I agree with that.


I didn't see any 32 horses that matched my mare. 




CowboysDream said:


> Large irregular star pointed at top and connected *mixed tapering stripe*, extending to right and *ending on bridge of nose*; median cowlick at bottom of eye level; median cowlick above eye level. Right fore: coronet and part of pastern irregularly white, except on outside, higher on inside in back; large dark spots in white. Few white hairs in flanks and on rump.
> 
> Horse Name Impossible Affair
> Tattoo	T26520
> ...


Thank you. I've ruled this horse out because of the parts that I've bolded. I wish it was her, but the chances are slim. 

Does anyone know if I can request the Jockey Club's help without knowing the year that she was born? I don't think I can, but I want to make sure. :?


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## Spotted (Sep 19, 2012)

looks to me like it starts with a p which would make her 26 years old.
Any one else think so


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## Spotted (Sep 19, 2012)

is this possible P-552


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## Reno Bay (Jul 8, 2012)

SunnyMeadeFarm said:


> EDIT: I didn't see on page 2, someone suggesting the 52 was actually a 32, I think I agree with that.


There were no horses that even _remotely_ matched this mare's description with 32. I attempted with all possible 20s letters and late teens. Nothing came up.



Spotted said:


> is this possible P-552


"No horses match your criteria."


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## CowboysDream (Nov 12, 2011)

OP could you take multiple pictures, like one of left-center-right of the tattoo - I think that will help us". 

Also I saw the thread you made 2 years ago or so using this picture, but back then you thought she was 11. What made you change your mind?


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## ninjahorse (Jun 7, 2010)

CowboysDream said:


> OP could you take multiple pictures, like one of left-center-right of the tattoo - I think that will help us".
> 
> Also I saw the thread you made 2 years ago or so using this picture, but back then you thought she was 11. What made you change your mind?


Yes, I am going to get better pictures the next time I go to the barn. I'm currently in college about 2 hours away. I can only make it out there once a month if I'm lucky. 

As for the other post. I'm glad you asked. We had a vet back then that I don't think should ever have passed vet school. *sigh* I have since learned to tell a horse's age myself and we have gotten a much better vet. I used the old picture here because I have failed to take a better one and I think her tattoo has faded even more in the last two years. I thought with new members something new might come up. It was worth a try


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## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

I don't know why, but everything about this one makes me think it's her. 
 Large star pointed to left and connected wide stripe, narrowing and ending in a point on bridge of nose. Right fore: pastern and part of ankle white, extending above ankle on outside in back; dark spots on coronet. Double diagonal cowlick above eye level, left is higher. 
The "narrowing and ending in a point on the bridge of nose" doesn't quite fit, but it narrows at the bridge of the nose and then ends in a point. Even the tattoo seems like it could fit, it would make her younger then you thought but my vet said she would swear to the fact that my horse was 10 when she was 14. I think this one is worth looking into further. 
Horse Name Noble Vinci Tattoo A00552


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