My Horse was Drug Tested at an IHSA Show

One of my team horses was drug tested at an IHSA show last month.

It was the first day of a two-day show hosted by Berry College in Rome, Georgia. My team, the University of North Georgia, brought three horses.

One of our horses, Casino, a big paint/draft cross, won the Intermediate Equitation on the Flat class. As he exited the arena one of my college students took control of him and was leading him back to the holding area when she was intercepted by Berry College's barn manager and official school veterinarian.

The manager and vet asked my student to lead Casino back to the barn area. When they arrived, the vet pulled a blood sample while the manager took down some information on the horse: name, age, breed, owner, and contact information.

Once the testing was complete, the vet and manager allowed my student to bring Casino back up to the holding area and he resumed showing.

I haven't got any official test results back from IHSA yet, but I have no reason to think he didn't pass.

I knew that the IHSA had a drug rule, but I personally had never seen or heard of any horse being tested. For today's blog I discuss the IHSA's drug rules, consequences, and testing procedure.

Before I begin, I'd like to thank IHSA National Steward Sally Batton for providing much information for this blog.

Also, please note that the indented sections of text in BOLD below are passages straight from the IHSA rule book.


1. Which types of drugs are illegal in IHSA competition?

Care and control of horses including any drugs or medications administered shall be the sole prerogative of the horse provider or their designated representative. Administration of drugs and medications shall be limited to therapeutic use only, and used for the well-being of the horse.  The administration of central nervous system drugs is prohibited in IHSA competition.  

As you can see from the rule book passage above, not all drugs are illegal in IHSA competition. The IHSA does not restrict the use of NSAIDs such as phenylbutazone (bute) or any other drugs used purely for therapeutic purposes.

Drugs that are illegal in IHSA competition are those that work on the central nervous system (CNS) to "calm the horse down."  A well-known example of a CNS drug is Acepromazine (Ace).


2. How does the IHSA determine when/where horses will be tested?

At the June meeting, the National Steward will randomly select one IHSA competition in each Zone to be tested for CNS drugs. This would require no more than one horse/random selection to be tested. The IHSA would hire the veterinarian, chosen by the show manager, and would receive the results and hand down the appropriate penalties for violations.

Below is an excerpt from an email sent to the IHSA regional presidents from IHSA National Steward Sally Batton:

For 2014, the following regions will perform a CNS drug test at the 5th show of their 2014-2015 show season (list of regions omitted for privacy purposes). The 5th show can be either Hunter Seat or Western, whichever show falls on the 5th show date of the semester. 

The veterinarian will select one horse to drug test from among the horses entered in the show. Once the veterinarian arrives on the show grounds, they will drug test the first place horse in the class that is in session when they arrive.

Our region was one of those selected.  Our region's fifth show was the first day of the Berry College show. The first place horse in the class that was in session when the veterinarian arrived was our horse, Casino, which is why he was chosen for testing.

3.  What happens if you get caught?

All offenses are charged to the individual dispensing said medication by the National Standards and Ethics Committee (NSEC). Should the said individual be found guilty through positive confirmation of CNS drugs, all fees/charges for the testing will be assigned to the guilty party. 

First offense:  Written warning
Second offense:  One month suspension from all IHSA activities
Third offense:  Six month suspension from the IHSA
Fourth offense:  One year suspension from the IHSA   

4. Has anyone ever been caught out of compliance with the rule?

This rule was approved by the IHSA Board of Directors in 2010 and has been in the IHSA rule book ever since. All tests have been returned negative since the IHSA started testing in Fall 2010.

5.  In conclusion:

Personally, I was happy to see that the rule is being enforced on a regular basis and that everyone who has been tested since the rule went into effect in 2010 has passed.

I agree with IHSA that the use of CNS drugs should be illegal for the safety of the human and equine athletes.

I also agree that therapeutic drugs (like bute and banamine) are often necessary for the comfort and well-being of our IHSA horses, many of whom are older (and wiser) schoolmaster types, who still have a lot of wisdom to share with our riders, but just need a little help to keep them comfortable.

I'm curious to hear what my readers have to say on the subject. Please take a moment to click back over to facebook and leave a comment.

***Please also note that this discussion relates the the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA), not the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA).***

For those who may be interested in the IEA's drug policy, below is an excerpt from the IEA rulebook:

4512 Cruelty - Soundness / Ride-ability / NSAIDS
Equestrian sport is made possible by the animals that serve the rider. This is a sport of grace and elegance where the rider and animal work as a team. There is neither grace nor elegance in an abusive spectacle. IEA is concerned about animal welfare and encourages good horsemanship. IEA does not condone the use of medications that affect the central nervous system. Cruel or abusive behavior of any type toward the horses will not be tolerated. It is the responsibility, therefore, of all parties concerned to be aware of the conduct of participants and the condition of the horses; and, if a violation is observed, a report must be made immediately to the stewards.

UNG Horse, Casino, who was drug tested

Amanda Garner is an Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA), Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA), and Georgia Hunter Jumper Association (GHJA) steward, schooling show judge, head coach of the University of North Georgia IHSA Equestrian Team, and owner of Epiphany Farm, LLC in Dahlonega, Georgia. She is also a member of the IEA Board of Directors and the author of "A Parent's Guide to the Interscholastic Equestrian Association."

If you enjoyed this blog post, please feel free to like and share on Facebook.
Thanks!  --Amanda