USEF Medication Group Proposes Further Restriction of NSAIDs

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The U.S. Equestrian Federation's Drugs and Medications Committee has reviewed a motion to further restrict the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in horses at USEF licensed competitions. The group put forth a rule change proposal that will be considered at the USEF Annual Meeting in January.

Under the current USEF rules, no more than two of the seven approved and quantitatively restricted NSAIDs are permitted in a horse at the time of a USEF licensed competition. The one exception to this rule is that currently phenylbutazone ("bute") and flunixin (Banamine) are a forbidden combination, and are never permitted together in the horse at the time of competition.

Under the proposed change, a horse at a USEF licensed competition would be able to have just one approved NSAID aboard.

The Veterinary Committee passed the motion, which supports the use of only one NSAID at a time. The motion was then forwarded to the Chair of the Drugs and Medications Committee for review.

More information regarding this proposal, scientific articles, and the position of the American Association of Equine Practitioners.