Did you  get any paperwork with this horse?  Why did you think that Night Rider was the sire?

If the mare is registered the APHA should be able to give you the contact information for the owners.  I don't know about the APHA, but the ApHC requires all breeding stock to be DNA tested so you can verify parantage.  It would be worth a check. 

I would call the people you got him from.  A copy of bloodlines means nothing.  You should have gotten a registeration certificate with transfer application or a breeders certificate with transfer application.  I doubt if the owners of the dams sire will know anything.  I don't know of any breeders that know what happens to the horses they breed after they are sold.  Much less what stud they may have been bred to or how many times the mare has been sold since leaving their care. 

I think your best and maybe only bet is to contact the old owner and get the correct paperwork from them.  If they don't have it you may get lucky and the APHC can tell you who owns Patty Rogers and if she is listed on a studs breeding report.  If they can and keeps DNA on file you can prove or disprove paternity.

If the horse wasn't never registered in the first place, odds are thery didn't send in the DNA sample. Unless the sellers have those registration and transfer papers, it will be costly and difficult to register the horse now.

If you bought the horse as registered and he isn't, then 'd talk with the sellers about refunding the money and returning the horse. If you bought him as unregistered and now find problems getting the papers, then tough luck.

OK Terri, i should have known that......

The arabian Horse Assocaition has DNA on all registered horses, be they geldings or breeding stock ,when you register them.So if a horses papers get lost along the way, you can ID them via DNA. Of course, this only works if the horse was registered and DNA typed in the first place.

Thanks for all the information.  I looked up the American Paint Horse Association and wrote them.  They are looking into it for me.  Patty Rogers is on the All Breed Database.  It shows alot of information which made me think she was registered.  But does not show who owns her.  I am still working on this and I am hoping for the best.  

News Update:  Called the American Paint Horse Association.  Wrong spelling on the mothers name.  Both are Paints and very close to my house.  I got lucky and thanks for the information.  Y'all are great. 

  With the ApHC if a foal is to be registered both parents MUST have DNA on file.  But right now it is only required on breeding stock. 

  I've only got one mare that we have bred, but all of mine have DNA on file.  I figure that if someone stole them, it would just be one more way of proving it is my horse and not just one that looks similar to my pictures.

so glad you got things going in the right direction....ever thought of micro chipping ........makes it easier to track down previous owners and other info...