Latest from Horse & Hound in Blood-rules

New FEI horse welfare ‘task force’ to review blood rules across the sport

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 31 May 2026 13:40:00 +0000

The FEI has set up a “task force” to review horse welfare across equestrian sport – including thorough investigation of the blood rules.

The group will be led by an independent “facilitator” and include chairs of discipline and regional groups, as well as of the athletes’ and veterinary committees, and representatives of national federations, key stakeholders and officials.

“Following the FEI General Assembly in November 2025 where restructured FEI jumping rules were approved, FEI secretary general Sabrina Ibáñez said the sport had taken note of the request from several national federations for a more harmonised approach to protocols, regulations and sanctions across all disciplines,” an FEI spokesperson said, adding that the task force is a result of this.

“The primary objective of the task force is to review current protocols, regulations and sanctions across all disciplines and recommend a more harmonised regulatory framework before, during and after competitions.”

The FEI has approved objectives for the task force including carrying out a “comprehensive review” of blood rules, in general and for specific disciplines.

The group will also identify any inconsistencies and gaps in the regulatory framework, assess proposals for rule changes on this topic and ensure “any proposed harmonisation upholds the FEI’s commitment to horse welfare, whilst acknowledging and providing for any strictly necessary discipline-specific nuances”.

This follows controversy over the blood rules approved at the end of last year.

Ms Ibáñez said: “We have very different disciplines within our sport but we share a common goal of ensuring the best welfare for our horses and our athletes. Injury occurs in any sport but it is our responsibility as the governing body to review, reduce and regulate, where possible, using clear protocols, rules and sanctions that everyone in our sport and our millions of fans understand and respect.

“We hope this joint task force of representatives across our sport will be able to review, discuss and debate protocols and regulations in a unified and open way and, where possible, reach common recommendations for approval by the FEI board and ultimately the FEI general assembly”.

Invitations to join the horse condition task force have been sent this week and the aim is to hold the first meeting on 29 June.

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Eventing rule changes for 2026 – what you need to know about voice aids in dressage, tack rules and flag penalties

Pippa Roome — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:42:13 +0000

Are you up to speed on your eventing rule changes for 2026? We’ve looked at both the British Eventing rules, governing national competitions, and the FEI rules, which are in place for international classes, to highlight key changes.

Do make sure you look at the full rule book for whatever level of eventing competition you are interested in so that you are not caught out.

British Eventing rule changes 2026

Voices in dressage tests

Rule 6.1.4.5, page 44

What’s changed: this is an interesting “non-change” insofar as BE has had to add wording saying use of the voice is prohibited in dressage tests and will be penalised with the loss of two marks for each movement where it occurs.

There is no change here – use of the voice was not previously allowed in BE tests, but because BE dressage is governed by the rules of British Dressage, which now allow discreet voice aids, BE has had to clarify that it’s still banned in eventing.

Pulling yourself up across country for safety reasons

Rule 6.3.9.14, page 60

What’s changed: for the first time the rulebook makes provision for a rider to pull themselves up across country “on grounds of safety” – the specific reasons mentioned are a loose horse, loose dog or something blocking the course – and have their time adjusted.

Previously this time adjustment has only been covered in the rulebook if the competitor was pulled up by officials (which can also still happen).

Water trays in showjumping

Rule 6.2.6.3, page 50

What’s changed: if you’re competing at novice level or above, you need to teach your horse to jump a water tray – the new showjumping course and obstacle table shows that a water tray will be used from this level upwards if available. This isn’t actually a change, but a clarification aimed at improving consistency in course design and horse education.

Tack rules

Rule 7.19.2, page 68

What’s changed: bridles without throat lashes are now allowed in the dressage (but a throat lash is still needed for the jumping phases).

Rule 7.19.2, page 69

What’s changed: two changes around nosebands. Firstly, double or dual nosebands are now allowed for the jumping phases, including Kineton nosebands/bit lifters.

Secondly, a chain on the lower strap of a grackle is now allowed in the jumping phases, but the chain must be covered for cross-country. Chains on the inner surface of nosebands are still banned.

Rule 7.19.7, page 72

What’s changed: this is not a new rule, but it has been clarified that when using a running martingale in the jumping phases with two reins, the martingale rings can only be used on the top rein.

Option to run British open championships at four-star

Annex 6, page 170

What’s changed: the option has been added for the British open to be run at four-star, rather than as an advanced. With the championships now at Hartpury Horse Trials and the CCI4*-S proving much more popular than the British open there in terms of quality and quantity of entries, it will be interesting to see if the classes are combined this year and whether that can rejuvenate the open.

Jumping fences after retirement in showjumping

Rule 6.2.9, page 49

What’s changed: the rulebook now formalises that you can “make up to two attempts to jump any single obstacle in the proper direction” after retirement in the showjumping; previously the rule only allowed this after elimination.

Continuing before the bell after being stopped in showjumping

Rule 6.2.7, page 48

What’s changed: if you are stopped by the judge or stop voluntarily in the showjumping and then continue before the bell, you are eliminated – this is unchanged from last year’s rules. However, what’s new is that at BE80, BE90 and BE100 level, you will be allowed to finish the round before being eliminated.

Eligibility for BE80 championships

Annex 6, page 165

What’s changed: combinations who have gained foundation points at BE100 can now compete in BE80 regional and national championships.

Qualifying after the ballot date

Annex 6, page 164

What’s changed: a new rule states that combinations qualifying for a championship, series or qualifier after the ballot date will only be accepted at the organisers discretion and if the timetable allows for that specific class. If necessary, a wait list may be held.

Cross-country falls on the flat

Rule 6.3.11.4, page 61

What’s changed: a new cross-country rule sets out that a fall of rider or horse and rider that is not associated with a fence is a fall on the

flat (FOF) and that any fall within the lettered elements of a combination is considered to be associated to that fence.

Vaccinations

Rule 10.2.1, page 90

What’s changed: the wording has been updated to reflect BE moving from six-monthly to annual boosters and also remind riders that disciplinary sanctions will be applied for vaccination violations.

Coaching sessions for those whose riding gives cause for concern

Rule 3.8.6, page 23

What’s changed: the wording covering what happens if someone’s riding has given cause for concern, but without resulting in a disciplinary sanction, has been updated to say that if additional coaching sessions or assessments are needed, they will be paid for by the member or associate.

Electric and push bikes

Rule 5.2.1, page 38

What’s changed: the wording has been updated so that the clause covering disciplinary sanctions if members or their connections are found to be riding or parking bikes in an unsafe manner, which includes following a horse cross-country.

FEI eventing rule changes 2026

Flag penalties

Article 548.1, page 73

What’s changed: penalties for missing a flag across country have been reduced from 15 to nine.

Dressage scoring

Article 544.1.2, page 59

What’s changed: at higher level events and four-star championships, previously only marks for flying changes could be reviewed and altered when there was a difference of three points or more between judges. This has now been expanded to include halts, rein-backs and walk pirouettes.

Blood rules

Article 526.4, page 44

What’s changed: the rules around blood on the horse in the showjumping phase have been rewritten to bring them in line with the new blood rules in pure showjumping. In short, previously all horses with blood on the flanks or bleeding in the mouth were eliminated. This has been replaced with wording stating that any blood on the horse caused by the tack, equipment or athlete results in a recorded warning.

These will be issued by the ground jury in minor cases after providing the rider with the opportunity to have a hearing. There is still provision for stronger penalties where warranted as cases indicating abuse can be dealt with under that rule and in all cases of blood, the horse can only continue in the competition if the ground jury, in consultation with the veterinary delegate deems the horse fit to compete.

Whip rules and sanctions

Article 525.2, page 22; article 526.1.3, page 45; annex 1, page 87

What’s changed: the wording around use of the whip has been tweaked and separated by sanction type in terms of what offences lead to a recording warning and what to a yellow card. There is also new wording stating the whip is “not to be used to discipline the horse”.

A new Annex 1 has also been introduced “presenting all eventing sanctions in a single table for easier overview and comparison”.

Horses acting as schoolmasters

Article 504.2.1, page 19

What’s changed: previously, horses that had achieved minimum eligibility requirements (MERs) at World Championships, Olympic Games, or CCI5*s could not compete in one or two-star events in the same or following year. This has been removed “to support the development of less experienced athletes and allow experienced horses to act as schoolmasters”.

In addition, horses at junior championships now cannot have obtained an MER in World Championships, Olympic Games, or CCI5* in the current year, whereas previously it was the preceding or current year.

Dress and kit mistakes in dressage

Article 544.2.1, page 59

What’s changed: there is some new wording around “technical faults” in dressage, which includes that if a rider starts their test with a whip, boots or bandages on the horse’s legs or with discrepancy in dress (for example, no gloves), “the judge at C stops the athlete and, if needed and possible, an assistant may enter the arena to remove the item(s). The athlete then continues the test from the movement where they were stopped. The marks given before they were stopped are not changed.”

The implication seems to be that this will be penalised with two penalties rather than elimination – we have asked the FEI for clarification on this and whether it’s a change from previous rules.

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Dressage blood rule clarification and changes to eventing series: what’s coming for FEI competitors in 2026

Lucy Elder — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 11:01:38 +0000

The FEI has paved the way to allow organisers to record video footage of dressage warm-up arenas and also clarified the discipline’s blood rules ahead of 2026.

The changes are in addition to the news that riders will be allowed to choose whether to ride in a double or snaffle bridle up to CDI3* (news, 30 October), which was given the green light at this month’s FEI general assembly.

The dressage rules previously stated that if the judge at C suspected fresh blood anywhere on the horse during a test, they would stop the horse to check for blood. If it is found, the combination is eliminated.

This has been amended to remove the words “during the test” and instead make it clear that it is “from the moment the combination enters the space around the arena until the test is concluded”.

An FEI spokesperson told H&H the amendment “clarifies an existing position, i.e. judges may observe the horse prior to the start of the test”.

“This was always implicit in the rule, and the update ensures this point is clearly understood and applied consistently,” said the spokesperson.

Changes in dressage rules for 2026 also include the FEI specifically stating that organisers and the FEI are permitted to use a static camera to record video and live-stream practice arenas, to be shown at the venue.

H&H asked the purpose of this, to which an FEI spokesperson replied: “At certain venues – particularly indoor facilities – it is not always possible to allow public access to the warm-up area due to safety considerations.

“[This] therefore gives organisers the option to live-stream the warm-up to screens in public areas of the venue. This ensures that anyone wishing to observe the warm-up, including fans or media representatives, can do so, even when physical access is restricted for safety reasons.”

A dressage strategic action plan working group is also reviewing FEI tests at all levels, which Olympic gold medallist Carl Hester referenced in his H&H column (13 November). The single collective mark is also being renamed from “general impression” to “harmony”.

Changes to eventing Nations Cup

The four-star FEI Eventing Nations Cup series is being jazzed up to make it more exciting for fans.

Currently, the series runs solely on a points system, which means that it is effectively possible for winners to have been decided before the final starts.

Next year, each individual leg works as qualifiers (through points collected) and the top 10 teams progress to the season final – at which all will start on a clean slate.

FEI eventing committee chairman and Olympic gold medallist David O’Connor said this “should create great sport, great excitement and great passion”.

“I know riders always like to have something almost won before they get there. But for the fans, it’s great to have the competition come down to the last rail of the last person on the last day, like we did at the European Championships,” he said.

In 2027, a team ticket to LA28 will be awarded. This will be decided on a points system for the whole series, including double points at the final.

Other changes to eventing rules include reducing penalties for missing a flag from 15 to nine (news, 30 October).

Showjumping blood rule changes

H&H reported on calls from several national federations on a more harmonised approach to blood rules across disciplines (13 November). Following this, H&H asked the FEI what it meant by its commitment to look into this, what that looks like in real terms and if there is a rough timescale.

The FEI spokesperson reiterated the federation’s position statement, adding that it “will now consider this request and engage in further discussions to determine the appropriate process, scope and timing for any follow-up work”.

At an unrelated conference in London days after the General Assembly, FEI veterinary director Göran Akerström and FEI veterinary committee member Jenny Hall acknowledged that communications around the showjumping blood rule change could have been better.

“While the general assembly is publicly open and you can watch the recording now, what isn’t open are the sessions on previous days,” said Dr Hall, adding that during these there was “really full and frank discussion” about the change, which “really showed a different perspective”.

She added: “The veterinary committee completely supported this rule change. Because when you understand the nuances of the everyday rules, this [new rule] is a much more onerous sanction.

“It makes a huge difference to the normal jumping shows, because there is now the requirement for all horses that are seen to have blood on them to have a veterinary examination, which is not the situation in the current rule.”

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Controversial changes to showjumping blood rules approved – but Britain will not follow suit

Lucy Elder — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 15:33:26 +0000

The FEI will go ahead with changes to the so-called blood rules in showjumping that have divided opinion – but Britain will not follow suit at national level.

The new rule, which will come into effect on 1 January, states that rider-induced blood on the horse will no longer lead to automatic elimination. Instead, a system of jumping recorded warnings will be introduced.

The first two violations of the rule will result in recorded warnings; two or more recorded warnings within 12 months will mean a fine of CHF 1,000 (£945.45) and a one-month suspension.

In cases of blood where a horse appears to have bitten its tongue or lip, or is bleeding from the nose, the blood may be wiped and the combination can continue, “provided that the horse is deemed fit to compete”. No warning will apply in these cases.

In all cases of blood under this rule, the horse may only be permitted to continue in a competition or participate in any subsequent competitions at the event if the ground jury, in consultation with the vet delegate, has deemed the horse fit to compete.

Automatic elimination for marks that indicate excessive use of spurs remains in place.

Rule changes are voted on by national federations at the FEI’s General Assembly each year. In certain cases, separate votes for individual rules can be requested, which was the case here.

Britain was among the national federations that opposed the change – and British Showjumping (BS) will not be changing its national rules.

A joint statement from British Equestrian (BEF) and BS today (7 November) said that “despite efforts from our delegation and other leading national federations to halt the proposal, the rule was passed by 56 votes to 20, with two abstentions”.

BEF chief executive Jim Eyre said: “We support the FEI’s commitment to equine welfare, but based on the evidence and expert opinion, we could not support this rule. The vote was far from unanimous, and we welcome the FEI’s pledge to ongoing review and dialogue.

“If horses are to have a future in sport, we must demonstrate unwavering respect for their welfare. That means clear, ethical rules that put the horse first. We remain committed to working with the FEI and fellow federations to ensure fairness, clarity, and the highest standards of care in equestrian sport.”

British Showjumping chief executive Iain Graham added: “As leaders in equestrian sport, our duty is clear: protect our athletes, human and equine, and put horse welfare at the heart of every decision.

“While we recognise the riders’ concerns and welcome elements like enhanced veterinary checks and tougher penalties for repeat offences, removing automatic elimination for visible blood is a step backwards. It risks eroding public trust and undermines the very progress these changes aim to achieve.

“We’re also disappointed that the FEI chose not to advance the use of padded batons over traditional whips in international jumping – a missed opportunity for meaningful reform.

“British Showjumping will not be changing our national rules in response. We remain committed to evidence-based decisions and stand firmly behind the British Equestrian Charter for the Horse, built on empathy, care, respect, consideration, ethics and learning.”

What did the FEI say?

In a statement this morning, the FEI described the rule (article 259 in its 2026 showjumping rules) as “a meaningful advancement, enhancing horse welfare through added measures and safeguards”.

The FEI noted the new mandatory fitness to compete checks in all cases of blood, and said the rules are clearer for FEI officials – nodding to removing the “minor” distinction and ensuring greater consistency and objectivity.

It also highlighted increased transparency and accountability for athletes, as all jumping recorded warnings are published by the FEI, and national federations are automatically notified.

The FEI pointed out that rules that remain unchanged are: mandatory disqualification for excessive use of spurs, abuse of horse provisions and the possibility of opening separate disciplinary proceedings to impose additional sanctions.

“We fully acknowledge and thank the national federations for the constructive discussions throughout the week, which clearly reflected a shared commitment to finding solutions,” said FEI secretary general Sabrina Ibáñez.

“Despite differing opinions, we were able to gain a clearer understanding of each other’s positions and were also able to clarify several misunderstandings and misconceptions.

“We acknowledge that the approval was not unanimous and have taken note of the request from several national federations for a more harmonised approach to the topic across disciplines and we are committed to looking into this.”

Ms Ibáñez added: “We will take a structured, evidence‑based approach grounded in thorough consultation and driven by data.

“Our ongoing projects at the FEI will play a key role in supporting accurate data recording, and we will continue to advance safety and welfare through evidence‑based measures that are both rigorous and robust to further demonstrate our unwavering support to horse welfare.

“We acknowledge that a number of national federations voted against the proposal. While their reasons may vary, we take this outcome seriously and are committed to examining it carefully to better understand the concerns and address them as we move forward.”

Ahead of the vote, FEI president Ingmar De Vos thanked the jumping department and others for their discussions and said the cross-references to other rules “make it clearer that this is a good rule and much better than the existing rule”.

“I would like, again, to thank you for the very constructive debate. But discussions and decisions regarding such sensitive topics need to be scientifically based, not based on emotions and certainly not based upon panic,” he said.

“We should be careful that we are not going to discuss these topics every year, again and again, because it does only one thing: it gives ammunition to activists and to our so-called critical friends to bring our sport and our athletes into discredit. We should not do that again and again. I know we are together in one thing: we all want to have the best for the horse. We all want to do what is necessary to preserve horse welfare, and we are doing that.”

He added: “You have requested a separate vote on that [article 259], and that’s fine. The governance of our organisation allows you to ask for that, but be careful what you want to send as a message by doing it.

“We, as an FEI, we are not going to explain to the rest of the world why you vote against them, because for us, it’s a no-brainer that this rule needs to be approved, because it’s better for our horses, it’s better for our athletes, it’s better for our sport.

“I think we must have a bit more confidence in the expertise of the people who have been working on this, and we should not have any doubts about the good intentions the athletes had, because this rule was proposed by the athletes.

“The athletes came to us to ask to change it, further to what happened in Paris, and we listened to them. Let’s not forget that the athletes are at the centre of our sport, nobody else. So we listen to them and we help them to accommodate them. And I think that we need to respect the people who have been working really hard on this to make this rule better.

“Yes, we need to communicate better. But we also need to be strong together to do what is right for our sport, for our horses and for our athletes.”

Where did this come from?

Debate over the so-called blood rule is not new and H&H has been reporting on discussions surrounding it for years.

In July, the FEI released its first draft of proposed rule changes. These included a call from the International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC) for proportionality around sanctions for micro cases of blood, particularly when riders are eliminated at championships – as was the case with Brazilian rider Pedro Veniss in Paris.

A revised version of this was then included in the final draft of the FEI rules for 2026, which were shared this autumn.

Responding to concerns about the proposals, IJRC director Eleonora Ottaviani told H&H the club puts “horse welfare and health above everything”.

She said the IJRC worked with the FEI on a proposal that is “even stronger than the previous rule” owing to the introduction of a possible fine and suspension – and highlighted that the horse abuse provisions remain unchanged.

What else has happened?

H&H reported last week on a petition started by German equestrian journalist Claudia Sanders calling for “this proposed relaxation to be stopped”, which has now been signed by more than 66,000 people.

“I did not expect the FEI to so completely disregard the needs of the horses,” said Ms Sanders.

“I am deeply disappointed. This decision sends a devastating message: blood is no longer a warning sign, but merely a bureaucratic detail. We cannot and will not accept this – we will not give up the fight to protect the horses. We owe it to them.”

What is the exact wording of the new rule?

This is the exact wording from the FEI rules:

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VERSAILLES, FRANCE - AUGUST 06: van der VLEUTEN Maikel with BEAUVILLE Z of Team Netherlands Jumping Individual Final completes on day eleven of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Chateau de Versailles on August 06, 2024 in Versailles, France. (Photo by Stefan Matzke - sampics/Getty Images) (Image credit: Getty Images)

Thousands sign petition against plan to ‘weaken’ blood rules in horse sport

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Are the blood rules in FEI horse sport working – and how can we move forward?

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New rule for tack- or rider-induced blood proposed in showjumping

Becky Murray — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 16:41:04 +0000

A new rule for tack or rider-induced blood has been proposed in showjumping – as terminology concerning “minor cases” is scrapped.

The final draft of the FEI rules changes that will go to the vote at the general assembly (4–7 November) have been published. The first draft was released on 8 July, and national federations and stakeholders had until 26 August to submit feedback.

The showjumping rules are undergoing a full revision this year and there has been much deliberation over blood-related eliminations, including repeated calls for sanctions to have proportionality when it came to “micro or minor” cases of blood on the horse.

In the first draft of rule changes the FEI proposed that “any minor blood cases” will result in a recording warning – and blood not considered minor will result in elimination or disqualification and maybe separate disciplinary proceedings.

This was met with mixed reviews over the definition of “minor”. The German federation said “the determination between minor and more than minor blood could lead to different results between events and officials”.

The International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC) welcomed the FEI’s revised approach as “a more fair and proportionate solution to a sensitive issue” – but raised concerns that “the terms ‘minor ’and ‘natural causes’ remain open to subjective interpretation”. The IJRC called for the event’s FEI veterinary delegate to be consulted by the ground jury to provide expert opinion in these cases.

The FEI said that following the latest comments, it had removed the word minor “as it is indeed challenging for officials to determine if the blood is minor or not and it could lead to inconsistencies in its implementation in practice”.

The FEI added that in addition the “concept of blood on the horse caused by tack or equipment or any athlete-induced blood” has been introduced.

“This is similar to what is already applicable in eventing for cross-country. We have removed the initial wording about elimination or disqualification in this specific article on recorded warning as other provisions in the rules apply for this (abuse of horse, excessive use of spurs, whips, etc),” said the FEI spokesperson.

“Finally, we have now added that the horse must be fit to compete in order to compete again and that the veterinary delegate will be consulted.”

The new wording that will be voted on states: any blood in the horse caused by tack or equipment or any athlete-induced blood detected during a competition will result in a recorded warning for first and second offences. Should the person responsible receive two or more warnings at the same or any other event within 12 months, they will receive a 1,000CHF fine and be suspended for a month.

In all of these cases of blood under this article, the horse may only be permitted to continue in a competition or participate in any subsequent competitions at the event if the ground jury, in consultation with the vet delegate, has deemed the horse fit to compete.

“Tack is integral to our sport”

On 14 October showjumping stakeholders held a meeting on “shaping the future of tack requirements in the sport”. Discussions included whether rules should vary by competition level or rider experience, if there should be a list of “acceptable” tack combinations, and if current rules, controls and education systems for officials are sufficient.

“Jumping is evolving, and our rules must evolve with it. We need a proactive framework that protects horse welfare, supports athletes, and ensures safety. Tack is integral to our sport; its correct use requires skill and understanding, and it is fundamental to performance and welfare,” said FEI secretary general Sabrina Ibáñez.

The FEI has proposed to consolidate descriptions and principles relating to tack from all discipline specific-rules into a single tack and equipment section, effective from 1 January 2026, but for showjumping this is deferred until January 2027.

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New rules proposed around blood, eliminations and whips in showjumping

Becky Murray — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 13:00:49 +0000

Blood eliminations in international showjumping continue to be a major focus – and padded batons are proposed as a replacement for traditional whips.

The FEI jumping rules are undergoing a full revision, and the first draft of proposed changes has been published by the FEI.

The International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC) has continued its calls for proportionality around sanctions for micro cases of blood, particularly when riders are eliminated at championships, as was the case with Brazilian rider Pedro Veniss at Paris.

The IJRC has proposed that when blood is found on a horse’s flank, if it has occurred by an “inappropriate act”, or “remains bleeding after wiping”, the combination is immediately disqualified. But in the case of a “micro lesion or mark”, deemed accidental by a vet, the combination instead gets a “not classified” result. For first-time micro cases the IJRC suggested riders be given a warning, second warnings result in yellow cards and third warnings “heavier” sanctions.

“One of the fundamental principles of law establishes the proportionality between sanctions and violations of the norm, something which is not currently contemplated by our regulations,” said an IJRC spokesperson.

“For this reason, micro lesions which do not cause suffering to the horse cannot be considered in the same way as lesions caused by excessive use of spurs or horse abuse.”

The Swedish federation called for horse abuse and blood rules to be “harmonised” across disciplines – and the Irish federation suggested the blood rule be amended to specifically state “blood on the horse caused by spur or whip”, as the federation has had cases of horses “cut by hitting wings, flags etc, which is nothing to do with the rider”.

In response, the FEI proposed that if blood on a horse is considered to be “minor and a result of natural causes”, for example biting the lip or an insect bite, this may be wiped and riders may continue. But if bleeding persists, or there are welfare concerns, officials may eliminate the rider.

The FEI proposal states that the rider would not receive a recorded warning, if this applies – but goes on to state that “any minor blood cases” will result in a recorded warning for first and second offences – and should a rider receive two or more warnings in 12 months, they will be fined CHF1,000 (£933) and suspended for a month.

Blood not considered to be minor will result in elimination or disqualification, and maybe separate disciplinary proceedings. H&H asked for further clarification on this and was told by the FEI it is a “first draft”.

Fairness and horse welfare

Discussing the FEI’s proposal, IJRC director Eleonora Ottaviani told H&H that the club “acknowledges the difficulty of drafting rules that fairly distinguish between intentional and accident violations”.

“It is essential to balance three key factors; public perception, the respect and welfare of the horse as an athlete and partner, and the proportionality of the sanction,” she said.

Ms Ottaviani added that the IJRC welcomes a “revised approach” to the blood rules but would prefer that a vet rather than an official assess whether a case of blood should be considered minor or not.

“This is the most crucial aspect of ensuring both fairness and horse welfare,” she said.

“The IJRC agrees with the implementation of a one-month suspension in case of repeated warnings, as it provides a clearer distinction between isolated accidents and repeated negligence.”

The IJRC has called for an amendment to provide clarification on when a ground jury president can ring the bell to eliminate a rider mid-round and suggested that in “doubtful or unclear situations”, the president should allow the rider to complete the course.

“This ensures that official footage or other available technology can be reviewed to determine whether the rider should be eliminated or not. The president may notify the rider at the end that the result is under review before confirming the final outcome,” said the IJRC spokesperson.

The FEI rejected this owing to “subjectivity” around the wording “doubtful and unclear”, and that elimination decisions were for the ground jury president to decide.

Calls for change to whip rules

British Equestrian (BEF) proposed that whips allowed in FEI competitions be changed to padded batons, as was introduced in British national competitions in 2022.

“Prior to this we regularly had horses which had been marked (or blood drawn) by the use of traditional whips and since the introduction of the padded baton we have not had a single horse marked (or blood drawn) in warm-up or competition arenas,” said a BEF spokesperson.

“During this time, we have continued to see horses in FEI competitions marked by excessive use of the whip and sanctioning the rider after the event while a deterrent still means that a horse has been hit excessively.”

The FEI responded that current tack and equipment rules will remain in force in 2026, and proposed to remove tack and equipment requirements from sport rules to separate standalone documents for each discipline to allow changes to be made outside the rule revision process, when needed.

Stakeholders have until 26 August to give feedback. A final draft of proposals will be published in October, before voting at the FEI General Assembly on 7 November.

What do you think about the new rule proposals? Write to us at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine. Letters may be edited for clarity and length.

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‘The rule needs to evolve’: further calls for revamp of elimination for blood in showjumping

Becky Murray — Sun, 13 Apr 2025 20:03:35 +0000

The controversial blood elimination rule in showjumping is back under the spotlight as the sport prepares for a full revision of its rulebook this year.

During the showjumping session at the FEI Sports Forum (31 March–1 April) a panel of the sport’s stakeholders discussed proposals relating to the blood-on-flanks rule, as the FEI prepares to create a “simplified rulebook” but without “taking away from the spirit of the rules or weakening”.

The current rules state that blood on the horse’s flanks results in elimination. This applies regardless of whether the horse has a mark, scratch, or cut – and this has resulted in a number of high-profile cases, the most recent at the Paris Olympics when Brazilian rider Pedro Veniss was eliminated for a “micro case” of blood.

Many riders and the International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC) have continued to speak out on this topic in recent years, calling for proportionality around sanctions and raising concerns that as it stands, the rule creates a negative image for the sport.

During the panel discussion it was broadly agreed that the rule had “served its purpose”. FEI judge and steward Cesar Hirsch said in his experience cases had reduced, but he added that “the sport evolves and the rule needs to evolve, too”.

It was discussed whether instead of immediate elimination, a graduated sanction system could be used for minor cases starting with a warning, then a yellow card, then suspension for repeat offences. Mr Hirsch said the proposal is “not to weaken the rule” but to “redefine it”.

IJRC president Francois Mathy Jr is in favour of a graduated sanction system, stating that a micro case of blood on the flanks “could happen to anyone”.

“I think the progression in the sanction is very important, because [with minor cases] this is not where somebody is doing something wrong to the horse or doing it on purpose,” he said.

FEI jumping committee chair Stefan Ellenbruch said “it shouldn’t happen [cases of blood], but we are all aware that it can happen”.

“It’s not blaming the riders for that, but blaming riders if it happens for the second time,” he said.

One member of the audience asked about how removing instant elimination would be explained to the public. She highlighted that in dressage “it is quite clear: blood is out – no discussion”, but asked how could it be explained that blood in showjumping is acceptable in some cases.

Mr Ellenbruch accepted that it “will be very difficult to explain to the outside world” and this was a “concern” – but emphasised the importance of having clear protocols and procedures.

“I’m open to listening to proposals,” he said. “I think the rule as it is does still make sense. If there is a better way to sanction riders, let’s discuss it. Maybe we will come to the conclusion there is a better way, maybe we will come to the conclusion there is not, but we have to keep in mind the headline is always the social licence.”

Discussions around proposals will continue ahead of the rules revision process later this year.

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Are the blood rules in FEI horse sport working – and how can we move forward?

Becky Murray — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:28:17 +0000

The rules relating to cases of blood seen on sport horses while competing in the Olympic disciplines have long applied – and been the subject of debate. The FEI states the rules exist “to protect our horses, and there can be no grey areas when it comes to horse welfare”.

It’s important to note that not all cases of blood mean there is a welfare issue or that a rider has done something wrong. The FEI states “eliminations for blood-related reasons do not imply that there was any intent to injure the horse” and that many incidents are “minor or accidental”. But the consequences are different across the disciplines.

In dressage rules, fresh blood results in elimination. If the judge at C suspects blood on a horse during a test, they will be stopped and, if fresh blood is confirmed, eliminated. If no fresh blood is detected, they may continue.

Fresh blood in the horse’s mouth or area of spurs during the post-test tack check results in elimination, and blood found elsewhere on the body will result in an examination by a vet, who will advise on the horse’s fitness to continue in further competition.

But there are different procedures in showjumping and eventing.

The showjumping rules state that blood (fresh is not stipulated) on the horse’s flanks results in elimination. In cases of horses bleeding in the mouth, “such as where the horse appears to have bitten its tongue or lip”, officials may authorise the rinsing or wiping of the mouth, and allow the combination to continue. But any further evidence of blood results in elimination.

In eventing, the same approach is taken in the dressage phase as the above dressage rules.

For cross-country, the rules state “all athlete induced (spurs, bit and whip) blood must be reviewed case by case”; if the horse shows fresh blood, officials may authorise the rinsing or wiping of the mouth and horses may continue if no further bleeding. Cases of “significant blood” will result in elimination.

In the showjumping phase, blood on the flanks or mouth result in elimination – but the rules add that for “minor cases, such as where a horse appears to have bitten its tongue or lip” officials may wipe the mouth and allow them to continue.

These differences have often generated discussion and questions.

H&H asked the FEI why the rules differ, and was told the disciplines have their own individual sport rules under the relevant technical committee, and “historically, this has led to each discipline codifying their own rules on how cases of blood are handled”.

“The FEI believes that this is an appropriate approach given the significant differences between the disciplines and is generally well accepted by stakeholders,” said an FEI spokesperson.

“Blood is naturally emotive”

Andrew Gardner was a judging supervisory panel member for the dressage at the Paris Olympics and a ground jury member of the Tokyo Olympics. He is a former director of British Dressage and former member of the FEI dressage technical committee.

He told H&H that the judges’ responsibility is “very clear”.

“In dressage, if there is fresh blood on the horse, the judge at C has to apply the rule – and that’s all there is to it. Whether there is a lot of blood or a small amount, the cause is irrelevant to the action that has to be taken,” he said, adding that “horse welfare has to be the paramount element”.

But Mr Gardner added that in his opinion these situations can “sometimes lose context because the outcome is always elimination – but the cause is not assessed by a vet and the public is left to draw its own conclusion”.

“This may not always be fair or accurate,” he said.

“The word ‘blood’ is naturally emotive. It always needs assessment, but what worries me is the risk of inference that with blood there’s a suggestion of a welfare breach, and that can be wrong. We know that blood can be caused by unfortunate, but nevertheless innocent things, like a horse biting and catching its tongue or lip, a fly bite, or a graze. While this always needs to be checked, elimination can be a significant price to pay,” he said.

“However if a rider inflicts harm, that is very different and must be dealt with, and everybody would agree.”

Former international rider Nick Burton was president of the eventing ground jury at the Tokyo Olympics, and officiates at five-star events. He told H&H he can see why there are differences in the rules.

“In eventing we know there is more risk because horses are jumping and there is the chance for impact – but I can see the argument for the rules being the same,” he said.

“No matter what the discipline, at no point should it be acceptable that a horse continues to compete while bleeding, there’s no decision to make.”

Mr Burton has officiated at high-profile events where horses have been stopped for blood. In eventing cross-country, when the ground jury stops a horse, it is checked by a vet before any decision is made on whether it can continue.

“In one case, the horse was checked and it had a very minor graze that wiped clean, and the horse was restarted,” said Mr Burton.

“I’ve also had a situation where a horse was checked and the bleeding continued, so the rider was eliminated. In those cases we have an interview with the rider and they receive an FEI warning card, because the FEI needs to know about these things – and if that’s a recurring situation then obviously something is going very wrong.

“The ground jury has a lot of responsibility, and welfare is the highest priority, but we’re also very aware of the perception of what we’re doing with these animals – and whether that looks OK. If I went to a circus or zoo and saw animals bleeding, I wouldn’t be happy to see that.”

The recording of blood offences

Another discussion point is how blood cases are recorded. A yellow card or warning is not always issued, and is based on the “specific circumstances of the case”.

The eventing rules state that for all “minor cases of blood induced by athlete in the mouth or related to spurs, a recorded warning [which is different to a yellow card] will be issued” – and serious cases indicating abuse, will be dealt with under the abuse of horse rules.

The FEI warning cards database for eventing shows 29 warnings issued between 12 April 2019 and 7 December 2024 for “minor” cases of blood – but these are also recorded as “abuse of horse”. When H&H questioned why they were recorded as abuse when they are “minor”, the FEI said the reference to abuse for these cases was an “input error and the warning list will be updated accordingly”.

In the showjumping official warning database one case appears; of “blood on the horse’s flanks” – and the separate warning cards list does not specifically mention any cases of blood, nor does the dressage warning card list.

In showjumping and dressage, all offences are categorised under “abuse of horse”, “incorrect behaviour” and non-compliance with headgear and sport rules. Both the showjumping and dressage databases list abuse of horse cases, but these do not specify any further details, and it cannot be assumed blood was involved.

Mr Burton said that where he has officiated and there have been blood-related stoppages, none have been abuse-related. But the blood offence on the FEI eventing warning card states “caused by the athlete”, and does not give an option for an injury caused by a graze on a fence, or a horse striking into itself, for example.

“These situations can be emotive, but as a ground jury we have to take action. I once had a rider refuse to sign the card because they said they didn’t cause the blood, and they probably didn’t, but they still received the recorded warning,” he said.

“It’s like a stain on your career”

The International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC) has been outspoken about the rules in showjumping, which will undergo a full revision in 2025. The elimination of Brazilian rider Pedro Veniss at the Paris Games for a “micro case” of blood on Nimrod De Muze’s flanks – taking the Brazilian team out of the competition – generated further discussion.

“No one wants to see a horse with blood on the sides, but the consequences of elimination are also bad for the image of the sport,” said IJRC president François Mathy Jr.

“To be eliminated from the Olympics, the perception is you must have done something really bad; the public will see this as mistreatment.

“Ours is an action sport. If there is a little scratch, no more than a bite from a fly, which is unintentional and requires no veterinary attention, elimination is a huge consequence and unfairly disproportionate.”

New Zealand showjumper Daniel Meech agrees with the IJRC that there should be other options available to stewards, such as issuing a warning, before elimination.

Daniel was eliminated from the Tokyo Olympic individual showjumping final when Cinca 3 was found to have what was deemed to be a spur mark, during the post-competition tack check. Photos showed that Cinca had no wound, rub or sore – and Daniel had never been eliminated for blood previously, or since.

“We do everything for the safety and welfare of our horses, trying to make their lives as comfortable as possible – we don’t want these things to happen. The mark was so small, it was almost a scratch. It wasn’t bleeding, it was an innocent, unlucky accident,” Daniel told H&H.

“In New Zealand we don’t have many showjumpers making the final of an Olympics, and although I wasn’t in the running for a medal, instead of a result, your record says eliminated. It suggests you’ve done something intentional, and that’s there for the rest of your life. It’s like a stain on your career, and you’re almost made to feel like a criminal.

“We work our whole lives for these moments. You have sponsors, owners, and then the public watching – there’s a big scandal, people hear ‘spur mark’ and start speculating.

“If someone is being aggressive or mistreating their horse they should be eliminated and dealt with. But when an accidental scratch disqualifies you from the biggest event in the world, it feels like there might be better ways to handle these things”.

The Swedish approach

Sweden’s national blood rules are the same across the disciplines and have been in place for around 10 years. Notably during the country’s rule revision every two years, the public has the opportunity to give input.

Under the Swedish federation’s rules, if blood is detected anywhere on the horse during competition, the rider must immediately stop and is eliminated. A judge assesses whether the blood has been caused by the rider or not – and if so, a further penalty is issued.

Robert Solin of the federation’s sport department told H&H Sweden’s rules work “very well” and that rider-induced blood cases are “very rare”. During this year’s FEI rules revision the federation proposed a similar system by making the blood rules the same across the disciplines – but this did not make it to the vote at the general assembly. The FEI said proposals to have a “one-size-fits-all” rule have “typically not received widespread support”.

Mr Solin acknowledged that in cases of blood not caused by the rider, it is challenging to cover all instances in a rulebook.

“No regulations are perfect, but they should be as good as possible. We are dependent on what society thinks and it’s really a matter of the existence of horse sport or not – that’s what’s at stake,” he said. “That’s why we want the FEI to assess the rules to make them equal, understandable and applicable – and officials and stakeholders need to know the rules.

“Officials need to be able to say to the public – and riders: ‘We made this decision for these reasons,’ because when decisions are put under scrutiny it is very important to have people that can explain them.”

Mr Solin said the FEI has made good progress on horse welfare and public perception, but highlighted the challenges the FEI faces.

“The FEI is an international organisation with more than 130 member bodies, and the way we view horses is not the same all over the globe. It’s very difficult to move forward sometimes, because it has to be a majority,” he said. “The question is how do you get all these nations to come together?”

Andrew Gardner believes the FEI and national federations “are making a big effort to address the current issues for the benefit of the sport and with the horse as the main priority”. But he questions whether in dressage blood cases should always be dealt with in the same way and lead to rider elimination, or in cases at the Olympics, potential team elimination.

At the Paris Olympics, US dressage rider Marcus Orlob was eliminated when his ride Jane was found to have a “very minor cut”, having knocked herself prior to entering the arena, resulting in the loss of the US team.

Mr Gardner asked if it “would be better” if in these instances a vet examined the horse, and if deemed to be “100% well”, they are allowed to continue.

“That could be a fair way all-round, and could be in the interest of the sport, without ever prejudicing the best care and respect of the horse. Hopefully this would allow the public to be confident in a process that puts the horse first but does not unfairly infer criticism without justification,” he said.

A British Equestrian spokesperson told H&H the current blood rules “largely do what’s required” taking into account the differences across disciplines.

“Ensuring consistency in the implementation and enforcement of those rules can be more of a challenge,” said the spokesperson.

“Riders should have clarity over how and when rules are implemented for a fair and transparent playing field with equine and human welfare of utmost importance. Equally, we must ensure there is support in place for officials, so they have the confidence to make decisions under extreme pressure and act on a case-by-case basis in the best interests of the horse.”

US Equestrian (USEF) believes there is an opportunity for a “degree of cross-discipline harmonisation” of the rules.

“With Marcus Orlob’s elimination it was disappointing as we could not finish as a team, but as we stated during the Games, we respect the rules and understand why the decision was made,” a USEF spokesperson told H&H.

“Without a drop score, it does present challenges, and we are open to having discussion on this rule going forward.”

Olympic dressage rider Laura Tomlinson believes there cannot be grey areas in rules.

“We need to be in a place where ultimate respect for the animal is shown, and that has to be that we’re happy to sacrifice success in those moments,” she told H&H.

But when elimination of a rider can result in the elimination of a team, Laura questions whether there could be a separate rule around blood on limbs caused by minor knocks or grazes.

“It’s a tricky one to sift apart and I can see why it’s cleaner to have a rule with no room for error. But when a horse can spook and nick itself for example, and you’ve spun a whole team, that seems brutal,” she said.

Laura, who has never had a blood-related elimination, said although she does not specifically worry about the possibility of an incident when riding, she thinks about public perception.

“People are desperate to capture a bad image or a little moment. At the moment I’m not at the very top in the sense that I’m not one of the few riders that everyone is watching, but I have been there before and I know what it’s like to feel completely scrutinised,” she said.

“Sport should never be prioritised over equine welfare”

Vet Hans-Christian Matthiesen, a five-star dressage judge and head of the International Dressage Officials Club, believes the blood rules in dressage are “quite clear” and for the outside world “easy to understand” – but said in the ideal world “we should have the same rules across the disciplines, and this is something we need to work on for the future”.

Mr Matthiesen added that although there is a difference between blood from a rider-induced injury and a horse injuring itself, communicating this is challenging.

“It’s still the same picture; a horse with blood on it in competition, and we don’t want that. That’s something we have to be really careful about,” he said.

“In some situations the horse might knock himself, or hit the fence, and we kind of accept that in the horse world. But that is difficult to defend with any good arguments, because although a horse might not be lame, even with a small scratch, they are likely to feel pain.”

Discussing how we communicate blood-related incidents to the public, Nick Burton believes riders and owners can play a role.

“I think they should take responsibility by putting out a statement and make a very clear message about their concern for their horse, and reassurance that their horse is OK. For me that would be quite powerful,” he said.

World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers told H&H the charity feels the blood rules are “appropriate and working well”.

“Of course, there is room for improvement, as it is immensely difficult to create rules covering every eventuality and will not inadvertently penalise individuals who have just suffered bad luck,” he said.

“But the principle of the rules – that we should take a zero-tolerance approach to allowing horses to compete when they have open wounds – is sound in terms of protecting equine welfare and the image of the sport.”

He added that having the same rules for all disciplines would help with understanding – from inside and outside the sport..

“We acknowledge, however, that the magnitude of risk for a horse going cross-country is very different from that of a horse doing a dressage test – and any rule needs to be realistic,” he said.

H&H asked Mr Owers if blood-related scenarios can ever be deemed ‘OK’ or defended, for example when a horse knocks itself.

“No injury that breaks the skin and draws blood can be described as ‘OK’ and these occurrences should never be accepted as a by-product of the sport. Everything needs to be done to avoid injury to horses, no matter how it occurs,” he said.

“I acknowledge there will always be ‘bad luck’ stories. But sometimes an injury that doesn’t appear to be caused by something the rider ‘did’ may happen because of the way the horse is ridden or reacts to the situation – and this is often down to the way they have been prepared and trained.”

Mr Owers concluded that the most important point is that the “reality of the sport should never be prioritised over equine welfare”.

● What are your thoughts on the blood rules in horse sport? Write to us at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine

Horse welfare to the fore in Olympics team showjumping qualifier as rider eliminated

Eleanor Jones — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 13:19:35 +0000

Brazilian combination Pedro Veniss and Nimrod De Muze have been eliminated from the Olympic team showjumping qualifier at the Paris Games as “minor blood” was found on the horse’s flanks.

The combination had jumped a beautiful clear as the first to go for Brazil but the small amount of blood was found at their post-round check, leading to their elimination.

“Elimination under this rule does not imply that there was any intention to hurt or harm the horse, but the FEI discipline rules have been put in place to ensure that horse welfare is protected at all times,” the FEI statement in relation to the elimination reads.

The Brazilian team is not eliminated as a whole, but will be ranked below all teams that finish with all three combinations.

“The rules relating to blood on the horse are discipline-specific due to the different requirements of each of the FEI disciplines,” the statement reads. “Under the FEI jumping rules, blood on the flanks or in the horse’s mouth results in elimination.”

The 13-year-old gelding had looked on fine form in his round this morning, and his and Pedro Veniss’s clear was followed by a four-fault round from their teammates Stephan de Freitas Barcha and Primavera. But, after news of Pedro and Nimrod De Muze’s elimination emerged, Rodrigo Pessoa withdrew Major Tom, clearly saving him for the individual competition, which starts on Monday (5 August).

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‘Horse welfare is paramount, but the rule needs changing’: upset for Ireland in Hickstead Nations Cup

Jennifer Donald — Sat, 29 Jul 2023 12:05:43 +0000

While Great Britain held court to triumph in great style in the Hickstead Nations Cup on Friday (28 July), the story could have ended very differently had it not been for an upset in the Irish camp.

The two nations had been level-pegging all the way through into round two of the British leg of the Longines FEI Nations Cup series when Ireland’s second rider Mark McAuley and GRS Lady Amaro were eliminated due to a violation of the blood rules after jumping a superb double clear.

“Mark unfortunately fell foul of the blood rule there – the horse had a very, very slight scratch,” Ireland’s showjumping chef d’equipe, Michael Blake, told H&H on day four of the Longines Royal International Horse Show. “I felt we were hard done by, but the rules are the rules.

“My heart goes out to Mark – his horse jumped his heart out. Of course horse welfare is absolutely paramount, but when your horse jumps that hard for you, it’s not a good rule – it was just the slightest scratch, up at the saddle pad. I don’t make the rules, but it’s not a good rule, it needs changing.”

Hickstead Nations Cup: ‘All our boys tried their best’

With Mark’s second-round score therefore being dropped, all three remaining Irish riders’ scores had to count – Shane Breen on Cuick Star Kervec’s eight faults, with zero scores from Jack Ryan on BBS McGregor and Daniel Coyle with Legacy. If Mark’s score had counted, Ireland would have finished on a team total of four, alongside Great Britain, which would have forced a jump-off between the two nations. Instead, Ireland’s third and fourth team riders, Jack and Daniel, were left battling for a podium position, which they duly achieved, finishing a well-deserved second on 12 faults ahead of France with 16.

Horse welfare is at the forefront of everything within the sport, but blood rules and spur use have created much debate and controversy in recent years, across the disciplines, and further new FEI regulations were approved for 2023.

“It obviously kept us out of a jump-off – which of course, we may or may not have won – but the incident took away from the competition in my opinion,” said Michael.

Jack Ryan and BBS McGregor, who jumped double clear for Ireland, helping them to a runner-up spot. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

“But otherwise, I’m delighted with the team. When [final rider] Daniel Coyle came in for the last time, I said to him, ‘You have to be five seconds up, and you have to be clear’ – and he did both,” he explained. “That takes some doing. I was very pleased with Jack’s double clear, too. All our boys tried their best. Nobody goes in there to knock down jumps.

“I’m very hard on them, but at the end of the day, they’re my boys and I won’t let anyone say anything bad about them. We’re off to Dublin next and hopefully we’ll do a little better there, but we’ve had a great year – we’ve done 14 Nations Cups and we’ve finished on the podium 11 times.”

New rules on blood-related eliminations and dangerous riding

Becky Murray — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 15:44:31 +0000

New rules around blood-related showjumping eliminations and dangerous cross-country riding are among those to be approved for 2023.

Voting took place at the annual FEI General Assembly in Cape Town (10-13 November), following a rules review process throughout the year where national federations and other stakeholder had their say on proposals. The final drafts went to the vote and all were approved for eventing, dressage, para dressage, and showjumping.

A new rule comes into force for eliminations in showjumping, and follows a proposal from the Swedish national federation after a combination completed their round in Tokyo despite the horse bleeding from the nose. Under the amended rule the president of the ground jury, or in their absence a designated ground jury member, may ring the bell to eliminate a combination while a round is ongoing if it is decided it would be “contrary to the principles of horse welfare” to allow the combination to continue – and this elimination is final and not subject to appeal.

The original proposal from the Swedish federation asked for the rule to state “Horses bleeding from nostril (airways) will result in elimination”, but during the review process the FEI jumping committee argued that the wording needed to be broader, and the International Jumping Riders Club agreed.

“The IJRC agrees with the jumping committee that believes that a broader concept going beyond just the relatively rare case of blood in the nostrils is needed in order to give the ground jury the clear authority to take action where there are serious horse welfare concerns,” the IJRC said.

In eventing, course-designers will have the right to monitor possible cases of dangerous riding during the cross-country phase and report this to the ground jury, who will take the decision on elimination. This topic was discussed at the FEI sports forum in April (news, 12 May), during which FEI eventing committee chairman David O’Connor highlighted that on the day of the event, often the course-designer is “the most educated person about, on how horses jump”

“We’ve had no backlash from course-designers on this, they’re very happy to do it. To have their expertise I think is hugely important,” he said.

Eventing course-designers cannot officiate at the same venue for more than six consecutive years at CCI4-S and CCI4-L, including championships, and for more than eight years at CCI5*. But they may officiate again after a three-year break.

The timeframe for eventing MERs used for athlete categorisation will be reduced from eight years to four years following a review from the FEI risk management steering group with EquiRatings. Athlete categories will also be updated according to the performances at the end of each month, instead of twice a year.

Horses who have not competed at FEI competitions within 13 months will have to complete a lower-level event to compete at CCI4* and above. To compete in a CCI4-S they must complete a CCI3; for a CCI4-L they must complete a CCI4-S, and to compete in a CCI5* they must complete a CCI4-S or CCI4-L.

In dressage, under the new rules – of which 91.21% of voters were in favour – the short grand prix test will only be allowed in a CDI5* or CDIO5* if the grand prix is scheduled during prime-time sessions; end of the afternoon or evening, and when there are “clear restrictions” on arena availability. In May, the FEI board had approved the option for organisers to offer either the standard or the short grand prix at World Cup qualifiers.

Other changes include competition categories: small, medium and big tours have been replaced with individual CDI star ratings – plus new qualification criteria for CDI4* will come into force, requiring combinations to qualify at CDI3* by scoring 63% in a grand prix or grand prix special.

From 2023, if a horse is stopped in a freestyle event, owing to extreme weather for example, the rider will now be permitted to start either from the beginning of the test or from where they stopped.

New Zealand denied team finish under blood rules, as four combinations eliminated from World Dressage Championships grand prix

Polly Bryan — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 13:24:52 +0000

New Zealand’s Gaylene Lennard and Jax Johnson became the second combination of the World Dressage Championships to be eliminated from the grand prix under blood rules. The pair completed their test for a score of 69.63%, but were eliminated after the stewards check “returned a slight pink colouration” from the horse’s mouth.

As a team of three – the first dressage team New Zealand have fielded at a World Dressage Championships since 1998 – Gaylene’s elimination meant that the team could not complete, thus losing the chance to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“We are all devastated for Gaylene,” said Equestrian Sports New Zealand high performance general manager Jock Paget. “She and Jax produced a brilliant test and a strong team finish at their first world champs. It is so unfortunate for it to unravel like this.”

Gaylene and Jax Johnson had already had a nervous start to their World Dressage Championships campaign, after the 12-year-old Johnson son was not shown at the dressage trot-up on Friday morning; the horse was reported to have been running a fever. They were allowed to present the following morning, prior to the start of the grand prix, and were passed by the ground jury.

The Hungarian pair Csaba Szokola and Enying were also eliminated after blood was discovered at the stewards check following their grand prix test on Saturday.

Two pairs out of the 94 that begun the grand prix were rung out by the judges during the test, with the ground jury judging the horses to be unlevel. The first of these was Ireland’s Sorrell Klatzko, who was eliminated early in her test on day one, and the same fate awaited Poland’s Katarzyna Milczarek and Guapo on day two of competition.

Isabell Werth among riders eliminated under blood rules at CHIO Aachen

Polly Bryan — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 11:53:13 +0000

The reigning world champion, Germany’s Isabell Werth, was one of three grand prix riders eliminated under blood rules at CHIO Aachen last week.

Isabell and her current top ride, the 12-year-old Qatarback stallion DSP Quantaz, were eliminated in the CDIO5* grand prix special after blood was spotted in the horse’s mouth partway through their test. The pair had just begun their line of two-tempi changes and were trending around the 74% mark, when the judge at C, Denmark’s Susanne Baarup rang the bell to call them to a halt. She wiped the stallion’s mouth with a tissue, which showed the presence of blood.

Isabell Werth being eliminated from the special did not result in team disqualification, and her score of 76.41% from the grand prix still stood, helping the German team, also featuring Benjamin Werndl (Famoso OLD), Frederic Wandres (Duke Of Britain FRH) and Ingrid Klimke (Franziskus 15), finish second in the Nations Cup. This was the first time the home side has not triumphed at CHIO Aachen since 2010 – with Denmark claiming a decisive victory in the team competition.

It is also the first year since 2016 that Isabell has not landed the title of Aachen grand champion, with Dane Cathrine Dufour taking the honour instead.

Two USA combinations were also eliminated under blood rules at Aachen; the team fortunes suffered a blow when Katie Duerrhammer and Quartett were eliminated in the CDIO5* grand prix special, while blood was also spotted in the mouth of Adrienne Lyle’s CDI4* ride Salvino during the freestyle, resulting in her elimination.

“I don’t think I’ve ever felt Salvino feeling so soft, supple, and powerful as he did today in the warm-up or in the show ring,” said Adrienne of the 15-year-old Sandro Hit stallion, with whom she won team silver at the Tokyo Olympics. “The feeling he gave under the lights was just phenomenal and then, in a sad turn of events, halfway through our test he must have bitten his lip because the judge noticed there was some blood in his mouth and so we stopped our ride. Salvino [was] immediately examined by our team veterinarian to make sure he is ok, and his well-being is our number one priority.

“I feel sorry for Salvino that he didn’t get to show off his favourite final centre line, but judging by how proud he was of himself back at the barn, I think he is still convinced that he was the winner.”

Meanwhile, Aachen debutante Katie was eliminated shortly after the conclusion of her 71.3% special, when blood was found to be present on 14-year-old Quaterback gelding Quartett’s bottom lip during the post-test stewards’ check.

“I am so proud of Quartett for laying down a great grand prix special today, mistake free until our last extended trot where unfortunately he tripped and bit the bottom corner of his lower lip. We still finished with a 71.3% but sadly there was a bit of blood from [the] lip bite present at bit check,” said Katie. “While I’m very sorry and disappointed for my teammates that my score couldn’t count, this doesn’t take anything away from how proud I am of this amazing little-horse-that-could.”

The USA team, which also included Benjamin Ebeling (Indeed), Charlotte Jorst (Kastel’s Nintendo) and Steffen Peters (Suppenkasper), finished seventh, just behind the British team of Lottie Fry (Everdale), Laura Tomlinson (Fallatijn), Lara Butler (Kristjan) and Susan Pape (Harmony’s Eclectisch).

Pammy Hutton: ‘Is dividing the sport of dressage the answer?’

Pammy Hutton — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 11:03:48 +0000

Pammy Hutton discusses a potential shake-up to the dressage world with the set up of a new club for dressage enthusiasts

IT’S been interesting to follow the emergence of Dressage Circle over recent weeks on Facebook. Billed as “a new club for dressage enthusiasts”, it’s offering seven levels of competition and an inaugural annual championship at Onley Grounds in July.

Dressage Circle Limited’s founding directors are former British Dressage (BD) judges’ director Jo Graham and IT expert Dominic Booth.

As many wait with baited breath for its website to be unveiled, revealing exactly how they intend to revolutionise dressage competitions, riders from intro level to an ex-international have expressed their enthusiasm about it to me.

But to replicate the infrastructure that’s taken BD years to develop is no small undertaking. Many people keen to switch allegiance may only be looking at what’s currently on offer from a face-value perspective. Others need to remember that it is BD that has the connection to the FEI, British Equestrian and to the Government.

Like many of our governing organisations, BD is not perfect and never will be, because to please everyone all of the time is impossible. The question remains, though, will dividing our sport strengthen it or lead it into obscurity? Lately, there has been a feeling among some that BD is more focused on the top end of the sport. My fear is that the bottom of the pyramid may well jump ship.

“Blood is blood”

DRESSAGE has seen a few high-profile eliminations over the years under the “blood” rules. Most have been clear-cut decisions taken on the chin by the affected competitors.

It makes me unhappy, therefore, that the rules regarding blood still vary across the disciplines and that the presence of blood on a horse in competition does not always result in elimination, as is the case in dressage.

For example, the FEI driving rulebook states: “In minor cases of blood in the mouth, such as where a horse appears to have bitten its tongue or lip, or minor bleeding on limbs, after investigation the athlete may be authorised to continue.”

But to me, blood is blood, regardless of the discipline.

Growing older gracefully

I CELEBRATED my recent “big” birthday by entering two horses for a show. By setting realistic goals, I can grow older gracefully while gliding down the levels. So as grand prix was my last airing, this was an inter II.

I’ve also made a long-term plan – after all, age is but a number – to keep riding, as I just love the communication, the thrill of improvement and that dose of three horses every morning being so worth all the daily hassle thereafter.

Being self-critical never fades. Maybe a barbed-wire bra would make me look 16 again, and straighter.

Maintaining one’s self-worth is also key. I know costs are rising, but I was shocked to discover that my daughter Pippa is now charging more than me for coaching.

“That’s not on,” I said, to which Pippa pointed out that I was an iPhone 7 to her upgraded iPhone 13. The cheek of it!

Every day’s journey teaches us something about horses. After a ghastly show or two last year, I began to question the saddle, teeth, back, feet, vet and trainer.

Well, talk about teaching an old dog new tricks. The saddle-fitter informed me I needed a new saddle, at huge expense, so I asked if I should instead consider fitting the horse to the saddle. After all, it was originally fitted by him.

So, with careful feeding, we set about replacing the horse’s weight which had dropped slowly and thus gone unnoticed. Three months on, and what a transformation.

Do you agree with Pammy? Let us know at hhletters@futurnet.com including your name, plus local town and county and you could win a bottle of Champagne Taittinger

Top contender eliminated from London Horse Show freestyle under blood rules

Polly Bryan — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 23:16:37 +0000

Danish rider Nanna Skodberg Merrald’s London Horse Show dressage debut ended in heart-wrenching style, when she and the brilliant mare Atterupgaards Orthilia were eliminated from the grand prix freestyle under blood rules.

Nanna and Orthilia, the Gribaldi mare ridden to team silver by Britain’s Fiona Bigwood at the Rio Olympics, produced a fabulous performance, with their trending score sitting around the 80% mark by the latter stages. They had just ridden their final halt when head judge Stephen Clarke stepped out of his judges’ hut at C, to tell Nanna that blood had been spotted around the mare’s mouth, resulting in elimination for the pair.

“She did a really good test. I think maybe it was my best freestyle so far,” Nanna told H&H. “She was really good, but very tense today, and it can happen. I think she bit herself up around the nose band [on the inside of the mouth].

“I was really pleased; it is such a shame,” the 28-year-old rider added. “But that’s how it is sometimes. I didn’t recognise [the blood] at all, but it was definitely there.”

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

The pair had great success on the first day of London Horse Show dressage competition, finishing third in the short grand prix, behind Charlotte Dujardin and Frederic Wandres.

Nanna, who rides for the prestigious Blue Hors stud in Denmark, piloted 16-year-old Orthilia on the Danish bronze medal winning team at the European Dressage Championships in Hagen, Germany, in September this year. She also rode on the team at the Tokyo Olympics in July, with her other grand prix horse Blue Hors Zack. She and Orthilia have already enjoyed success on the World Cup circuit this winter, with second place at the Lyon CDIW in October.

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5 reasons why a subscription to HorseandHound.co.uk makes the perfect last-minute gift

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Blood rules, top hats and herbs under FEI discussion

Lucy Elder — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 20:28:38 +0000

Debate surrounding blood rules in horse sport looks set to raise its head again in coming weeks, as the FEI prepares to release the second draft of proposed rule changes for 2022.

The wrap-up report from the FEI’s latest board meeting (28–29 September) indicated that discussion surrounding blood rules is back on the table.

Blood rules are a contentious topic, and vary between disciplines. The most recent high-profile call for “further thought” came from Ireland’s Billy Twomey, eliminated under the rule following his winning a grand prix in Florida, who took the decision to the FEI tribunal (news, 30 July 2020).

Notes from the September FEI board meeting state that “discussions centred” on blood, and on protective headgear in dressage.

“The board tasked the technical chairs to discuss and review the blood rules within the discipline-specific rules and veterinary regulations in consultation with the legal department,” state the notes.

The final draft of rules covering international horse sport in 2022 will be released on 18 October; they will be debated and voted on at the FEI general assembly in November.

Rules surrounding the ban on top hats in dressage were also in the spotlight again.

A further push from certain corners of the sport to overturn the 2019 ban was quashed in the first draft of FEI rule changes (news, 5 August), and again at the September board meeting.

“While there is still some opposition in the dressage community to the requirement to wear protective headgear, the board agreed that protecting the welfare of athletes was paramount and it did not support exceptions in the application of this rule,” stated the notes.

The FEI board was advised that stringent biosecurity protocols should continue to prevent future mass EHV-1 outbreaks.

“As the scientific evidence of the EHV-1 vaccines is being evaluated, a proposal for mass vaccination has not been included in the proposed changes to the FEI veterinary regulations,” added the report.

“While there has been a significant increase in the number of athletes vaccinating their horses against EHV-1, as well as a rise in EHV vaccine sales, a worldwide vaccination campaign would require greater involvement from [national federations]. [With] the current rate of vaccinations this can only be achieved by 2025, given the large numbers of vaccines which still need to be distributed.”

Sanctions for non-compliance with biosecurity measures for events in mainland Europe were introduced on 1 October, with a transition month, so will be implemented from 1 November.

Other key points from the meeting included news that a proposal to add a widely used herb to the list of prohibited substances has been scrapped, following feedback from national federations (news, 15 July).

Chasteberry (Vitex Agnus Castus), whose uses include supporting hormone levels in horses, will continue to be permitted in horses competing under FEI rules in 2022.

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Horse eliminated from freestyle at European Dressage Championships under blood rule

Polly Bryan — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 13:30:27 +0000

Dutch pair Adelinde Cornelissen and Governor-STR had their grand prix freestyle programme cut short at the European Dressage Championships when they were rung out owing to blood in the mouth.

The combination, who were third to go in the order, were eliminated under FEI blood rules partway through their test after the 10-year-old Totilas x Jazz stallion bit his tongue. The judge at C, Germany’s Henning Lehrmann, rang the bell in the middle of their left double pirouette, and wiped the horse’s mouth to show the blood.

The KWPN stallion, who had attracted attention throughout the week for his resemblance to his famous sire, had helped the Netherlands to finish fifth in the team competition, scoring 72.48% in the grand prix to finish 23rd on the individual leaderboard.

They went forward to the grand prix special where they posted 72.14% and finished 18th, but earned their place among the 15 freestyle contenders after the withdrawal of teammate Hans Peter Minderhoud, who was 16th, and because Germany’s Dorothee Schneider and Britain’s Gareth Hughes, who were 14th and 15th respectively, were unable to go through as only three riders from each nation can contest the freestyle.

‘She deserved her place’: horse eliminated from individual Olympic showjumping under blood rule

Eleanor Jones — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 13:38:50 +0000

New Zealand combination Daniel Meech and Cinca 3 were eliminated from the Olympic individual showjumping final last night (4 August) as blood was found on the mare.

The FEI announced that blood was detected on the 12-year-old Holsteiner at the post-competition check, and that under FEI jumping rules, this is automatic elimination.

“Elimination under this rule does not imply there was any intent to injure the horse, but the rules are in place to protect the welfare of all competing horses,” the FEI stated.

Daniel told H&H the mare was not hurt at all, and sent pictures showing that she had no wound, rub or sore.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

“Cinca deserved to keep her place for history,” he added. “It was a tough track and she jumped amazing, I thought the heat just caught up with us in the end. I was first out and it was still very hot.

“It ruined what was a really proud moment for my team and country. I look forward to tomorrow’s team competition and doing my best again.”

Daniel, who competed at the 1996 and 2004 Olympics, and Cinca were the only New Zealand combination to make it through to yesterday’s individual final, completing the qualifying round with just two time-penalties.

Daniel said after that first round: “I was proud of her. It’s by far the biggest occasion ever for her. She took a little time on some jumps, and we went over time, but really I couldn’t have asked for more – she was perfect tonight.”

They went on to lower three rails and clock up time-faults in the final.

Equestrian Sports New Zealand appealed against the elimination, which was heard by the ground jury but dismissed.

H&H has previously reported on the controversial “blood rule”, under which a combination can be eliminated for “almost invisible” marks on a horse.

Cinca passed today’s (5 August) trot-up for the team competition, which starts tomorrow, in which she and Daniel will compete, along with Bruce Goodin on Quasimodo Z and Uma O’Neill on Clockwise Of Greenhill Z.

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Calls for review of FEI blood rules after Olympic showjumper’s appeal H&H Plus

Becky Murray — Mon, 27 Jul 2020 16:28:28 +0000

An interesting case brought before the FEI Tribunal has once again given rise to concerns that the current blood rules are not “fit for purpose”. H&H finds out more...

New calls have been made for a review of the blood rules in showjumping over concerns they are not “fit for purpose”.

The topic is under the spotlight again after Irish Olympian Billy Twomey lost his appeal against the FEI’s decision to eliminate him when blood was found on the flank of Lady Lou at the boot and bandage control check after his grand prix-winning round in Wellington, Florida, on 15 March.

The ground jury eliminated Billy for veterinary reasons, namely blood on the mare’s left flank owing to the use of spurs.

At an FEI Tribunal hearing Billy said there was no blood after they completed their jump-off, providing a still from a video as evidence, and said he believed the blood was the result of the mare’s bumping herself on leaving the arena. He disagreed he was eliminated for veterinary reasons, as there was no indication the decision was a veterinary matter, and the FEI officials’ report did not mention veterinary reasons, or identify any interaction with a vet.

The FEI said the ground jury was clear that as the elimination was for veterinary reasons, there was no possibility of protest or appeal. Under FEI rules, field-of-play ground jury decisions, which are final, include decisions on elimination or disqualification for veterinary reasons.

Billy believed the FEI blood protocol was not followed; he said when he was told blood could be seen, no pictures were taken at the time. He had been allowed to walk the mare off and 20 to 30 minutes after his round, the glove test was conducted. It was a hot day, and a vet confirmed the gloves could have induced the bleeding. The FEI said Billy could have lodged a protest within 30 minutes of being notified but did not. The FEI added it is riders’ responsibility to know the rules.

The FEI jumping stewards manual states that a steward must inform the athlete if there is an issue with blood on the horse’s flank, take a photo of the affected area and of the spurs, and inform the chief steward. The chief steward will conduct a glove test, and inform the ground jury. Under FEI veterinary rules, stewards and official vets have the authority to examine horses, so the decision to eliminate for veterinary reasons does not require the “exclusive involvement” of a vet.

The Tribunal ruled that as the appeal was against the ground jury decision in relation to elimination for veterinary reasons, the appeal was not admissible.

Billy told H&H appealing was important to him as in his view, the blood rules need “further thought” and changes to form and implementation, if they are to serve their intended function.

“I do not doubt the correctness of the principle behind the rules, where the welfare of horses in our sport is mine and my fellow riders’ and owners’ foremost consideration. But I question the utility of the rule in its current form and the manner in which it is implemented,” he said.

Billy added “inevitably” there would be occasions of marks caused by spurs in jumping.

“We are jumping 1.60m tracks and managing our own weight and the movement of the horse. In the case of Lady Lou, the mark on her flank was a superficial graze no bigger than a fingernail, and it occurred after my round when I was leaving the ring. The FEI did not conduct any veterinary examination and Lady Lou was always in fine health,” he said.

“Unless spurs are to be outlawed, the outcome of their use has to be addressed in a more considered manner. My jump-off was perhaps 40 seconds in duration. The FEI examined Lady Lou before I started both rounds. There was no question raised about whether she was fit to start. No one suggested any modifications to my tack or spurs. No one considered I rode inappropriately.

“If riders and owners are to lose competitions in which they were permitted to start, surely a more considered approach is required for the regulations to be fit for purpose.”

An FEI spokesman told H&H the FEI has a duty, which it “does not take lightly”, to establish appropriate rules and guidelines to ensure horse welfare. He said rules relating to blood are discipline-specific, adding amendments to rules to “enhance harmonisation” across disciplines were voted through the 2017 FEI general assembly.

Prior to 2018, blood found on a horse in jumping resulted in disqualification. Under the amended rules since January 2018, there are two separate provisions. If blood is found on a flank it means elimination, but if marks indicate excessive use of spurs (or whip) the combination will be disqualified.

“The rules and protocols are continuously assessed and, where necessary, updated to ensure our rules on tack are fit for purpose, and new research is factored into that,” said the spokesman.

Appropriate sanctions

A spokesman for the International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC), which raised concerns about the blood rules in 2017 and called for officials to be able to use discretion when dealing with cases (news, 16 February 2017), told H&H the IJRC believes blood cases must be sanctioned but there should be different kinds of sanctions for whether it was an accidental or minor or major violation.

“Currently this is not taken into account, leading to sanctions which are not proportionate to the violation,” he said. “Without wishing to enter into the merits of Billy Twomey’s case, we must reiterate that the norm is flawed and should be reviewed in order to better respect the principle of rights recognised, among others, by the Court of Arbitration for Sport [CAS]. These include the proportionality of sanctions, voluntary or involuntary infractions leading to aggravating or mitigating circumstances, and whether or not it was a first offence, as well the need to provide an accurate consideration of the implied consequences – just as in an ordinary courtroom.

“Not considering these principles in sporting law creates sentences that are sometimes regarded by athletes, managers and the public as the result of a sporting injustice.”

Billy had 21 days from the Tribunal’s decision on 18 June to appeal the decision to CAS. A CAS spokesman told H&H it had not received an appeal.

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