What does international equestrian sport do to ensure healthy, fair, and clean competition? As a sport where the horse is used for its athletic abilities and man is at the helm, it is crucial that the horse be properly safeguarded.

Ethics and Horse Welfare–The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) considers the welfare of the horse its most important priority. An Ethics Committee established in 1990 produced the first FEI Code of Conduct for the welfare of the horse. In 2003, the code was rewritten and updated; the sentiments are the same, but the code is presented in a more readable and user-friendly way. The FEI’s basic premise is to protect the welfare of horses at all times and never to be influenced by competitive or commercial pressures. (Find a copy at www.horsesport.org/fei/discover/discover_01/dis_01_04.html.)

Abuse of Horses–Sanctions for horse abuse are carefully regulated in the FEI General and Veterinary Regulations, as well as in the discipline rules. Any horse abuse reported to the FEI will be followed up (e.g., abuse with a whip, spur marks, rapping or hitting the legs with a pole, or hypersensitization of limbs). The Veterinary Committee has been particularly concerned with the abuse of hypersensitization in show jumping. This involves trying to make horses jump higher by inflicting pain to the legs by using irritants on the skin or on bandages, by injections into the skin, or by directly hitting the leg (rapping). These cases are detected with bandage checks and clinical examination by a veterinarian. Samples or bandages might be sent for analysis of prohibited substances to an FEI analytical laboratory.

We are conducting a research program using thermography to pinpoint areas of heat and inflammation. This method can be useful in confirming the veterinarian’s suspicions. We are confident that by having this vigilant approach the prevalence of abuse is being reduced