US Equestrian (USEF) has introduced hair testing and changes to protocols – as it is thought people are using euthanasia drugs as calmers.
USEF has approved a change to allow horses’ hair, as well as blood and urine, to be tested from 1 July.
“Hair testing allows regulators to detect certain prohibited substances such as barbiturates (including the euthanasia drug) more readily and for a considerably longer time than blood or urine,” a USEF spokesperson said.
The board also approved a modification to rules on horse collapses at hunter, jumper and hunter/jumper competitions, to “ensure our equine partners receive appropriate care and are fit to compete before they return to the ring after an unexplained collapse”.
“This will address concerns about the impermissible administration of substances and ensure there is sufficient time for a licensed vet to examine the horse and evaluate their fitness to compete,” a USEF spokesperson explained.
This means, from 1 July, any horse or pony who collapses at a hunter, jumper or hunter/jumper event may not compete for seven days, and then only once a vet confirms it has been examined and is fit to compete.
“We have received reports suggesting that people may be administering barbiturates (including the euthanasia drug) to achieve a perceived performance advantage by quieting a horse,” USEF chief veterinary officer Stephen Schumacher told H&H.
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“While these reports are limited, the two changes are designed to work in concert to protect our horses and prevent this kind of abuse.”
Detecting any of the banned substances will mean the trainer and other responsible parties will face sanctions.
“A sick part of the industry”
Marjory Berkache, who runs a boutique horse-selling yard in Florida, said she was disgusted to hear of the need for this rule – but not surprised.
“It’s normalised; people will look you in the eye and say they do this,” she told H&H. “That’s the sick part of the industry; they don’t see an issue with it.”
She said she does not understand why herbal calmers, many of which have no negative effect on horses, are banned; she believes if they were allowed, the edge could be taken off sharp horses safely.
“But I think the only way we’re going to get away from this is to profoundly change the judging criteria,” she said.
“If you change it to, ‘We’re going to sanction this look where the horses look drugged’ – there’s no question, you watch those horses and they don’t look like your horse or my horse – and instead reward expression, horses who are a bit ‘up’, that’s what will get you the money, ribbons and prestige, and people will stop injecting the drugs. I think that’s the only way it will work.”
Marjory said there is so much money involved – a lower-level hunter might sell for $150,000 (£111,000), a juniors’ horse for over $1m or a successful one leased for $300,000 a year – there is motivation for unscrupulous people to find a “quick fix”.
“If people have zero ethics, they’ll find a new way to cheat,” she said. “For the welfare of horses, change the sport then people will have no incentive to use those methods.”
She added that some very wealthy clients are just billed for “meds” and do not query what these are; if more riders were to ask, and take a stand, trainers might change. If punishments for riders and trainers were stricter, it would help.
“It would only take one or two very wealthy clients to be banned for a year or two, or five; make it painful enough, and I’m not saying everyone would stop using drugs but it would be a wake-up call. They’d be so scared of losing clients and jobs, the risk would be too big,” she said.
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
