tattoo

Question
QUESTION: My question is I have just got a x race horse,And i would like to find out more about him.every where I look the tattoo is 5 or 6 letters and numbers, this horse has only 3#"s tattood in his mouth and clearly looks like that was all that ever was put there the numbers are 679 and thats it.can you help me with this??

ANSWER: Hi Jimmy.
  Sorry for the delay in answering your question. My computer was down.
  Unless your horse is very old (more than 18 or so) the chances are that he had a freezebrand done on his neck, rather than a lip tattoo.
I checked "679" on the USTA site and it would only show me the first 50 results. Any other clues for me--sex, color, markings, etc?
  Check for a freezebrand and let me know. I'll do what I can to help you.
Anne Stepien

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: He hasn"t be branded,he"s a 14 year old chestnut QH,gelding,2 rear white socks,The vet say"s he"s 14 Y/O I'm wondering if it is a ranch tattoo or somthing like that.The tattoo is clear and plan,he really likes to run,but very gental and nice horse.I thank you for all your help.

Answer
Jimmy,
  I'd suggest contacting the Quarter Horse breed registry. I'm really surprised that a horse so young was tattooed! Lip tattooing was pretty cruel....I would say 99% of all horses today are freeze branded rather than tattooed. It's just so much easier on the horse!
You still get the occasional breeder who thinks that freeze branding a horse under his or her mane somehow detracts from their appearance...go figure.
  With only 3 numbers on his lip, it could very well have been some kind of farm marking system. He sure sounds like a flashy devil!!! I've had a few chestnuts and done well. Lots of bias out there against them though. Especially the ones that have bad white feet!!!!
Anne