Purebred Nooitgedachters are required by studbook to be marked.
They used to be branded on the left side of their necks with their stud prefix and ID number. However, these days this has been mostly replaced by microchips (thank goodness because I think those big branded numbers look so ugly).
They are also sometimes tattooed inside their lips, although this is very seldom done.
And before a Nooitgedachter mare reaches 3 years of age or stallions reach 5 years of age, they are inspected by the Nooitgedachter society.
If they pass the strict breed criteria, they are then moved from the foal book to the proper Nooitgedachter register.
When this happens, the horse will be branded (brand mark in the pictures above, looks like a small upside down wine glass on the left shoulder – it actually depicts the mokorotlo traditional Lesotho hat from where the Nooitgedachter originates)
I have seen a few misleading posts online recently with horses being misrepresented as purebred Nooitgedachters. If you’re unsure, look for the mokorotlo on the left shoulder 
If it doesn’t have the brand, then it’s not a registered Nooitie.
