Other less common locations are ribs, stifles, and jaws. The art of reading a brand has remained a mystery for many horse owners. With practice and an understanding of some important brand terms, the average person can easily acquire basic skills in reading brands. The original Spanish brands were, as a rule, complicated, and beautifully rich in design, but not always practical. The early American ranchers wanted more simple designs that were easy to remember, easily made, that did not blotch, and that were hard to alter.
Brands have a language all their own.
That language, like any other, follows certain rules. Letters can be used singly, joined, or in combinations. Figures or numbers are used in the same way as the letters. There are three accepted rules for reading brands. The reading of a brand, especially the more complicated ones, in one locality or state may not correspond to the way it is read elsewhere.