Page 1139 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

dope test.

• Horses receiving medication must have their own clearly labelled feed bucket and
VetBooks.ir • utensils for mixing feeds.

Be aware that ‘calming’ substances may contain a prohibited substance and also have

safety issues if used during a competition.

The selection of horses for testing

Horses may be subject to:

• Obligatory testing, e.g. the first three placed horses in major competitions will be tested,

as will one horse from each of the first three placed teams.
• Random testing: this can take place at any British Horseracing Authority (BHA), FEI or

National Event or Competition.
• Targeted testing: this will be done if the performance or demeanour of a particular horse

gives rise to suspicion.

If your horse is selected for testing, you, or someone appointed by you, must stay in

attendance throughout the whole procedure, which involves collection of urine, where it is
possible to do so, as well as taking blood.

Treatment of horses whilst under FEI regulations

Occasionally a horse may require treatment with a Controlled Medication Substance during
an event. Prior permission must be obtained from the Veterinary Commission/ Delegate

(VC/VD) and Ground Jury (GJ) using Veterinary Form A – ‘Emergency Treatments with
Controlled Medication Substances’ – and as long as the welfare of the horse is not
compromised, the horse may still be allowed to compete. The VD and GJ consider each case

individually. Any treatment must be carried out in a designated Treatment Box by a vet who
is authorized to do so.

In some cases, authorization of treatment may actually be given retrospectively on arrival
at the event– for example if it was given to deal with a mild spasmodic colic during

transportation to the venue. In such cases, authorization may be granted by the VC/VD and
GJ, using Veterinary Form A. The vet attending the horse must provide a signed statement

describing the reason for treatment, the substance, the dose, route and exact time of
administration. Acceptance will be considered but there is no guarantee of this.

In emergency situations where the horse’s welfare is at risk, Controlled Medication