Equine Anti-Doping

Always read the composition label of any product, feed, supplement, medication etc. and compare it to the FEI Prohibited Substances List and/or Database before administering it to your horse(s).

It is important that hay and feed are of high quality, obtained from a trusted and reputable supplier and have been correctly stored prior to and after purchase. Using feed that has been produced using reliable manufacturing processes and has undergone Naturally Occurring Prohibited Substances (NOPS) testing, will minimise the risk of potential contamination from commonly known contaminants such as caffeine, theobromine, theophylline, morphine, hyoscine, hordenine, atropine...

We advise you to always keep a sealed sample of a new batch of hay and feed, especially if obtained from a new supplier, for any eventual analysis in case of a positive doping test.

We understand that the choice of a supplier will not always be in your domain, but you can nevertheless advise the Athlete and/or other members of the Support Personnel of the correct anti-doping protocols.

Utmost caution must be exercised if using supplements. It is not unusual for supplements, herbal remedies etc. to contain Prohibited Substances that are not disclosed on the product label. It is also possible that those substances are contained in different amounts than stated on the label, or that the product used may have been inadvertently contaminated with a Prohibited Substance.

There is little guarantee that the ingredients list on any supplement, herbal remedy etc. is accurate. If you need to use supplements, obtain them from a reputable supplier and always keep a sample of the supplement for any eventual analysis in case of a positive doping test.

It is advised that you keep a detailed logbook listing all feed and supplements given to your horse(s) such as date of administration, dose, place of administration (location), official product name and the relevant batch number.

When it comes to medications, they come in all shapes and forms, be it as a powder to be administered orally, topical ointment, injectable solution etc. Any medical treatment must be administered or authorised to be administered by a veterinarian. Injectable medication should mainly be administered by a veterinarian. Medications must be stored separately and only authorised personnel should have access to them. 

When administering medication, always use disposable gloves. You should also wash your hands and clean the feed buckets as well as any other items that have come into contact with the medication. This will prevent the cross contamination of medication to another horse or the re-uptake of the medication by the receiving horse.

An FEI Medication Logbook must be kept for all FEI Horses to record any medication and supplements given during or outside of competition.

Sometimes people and/or pets require medication for a legitimate medical condition. If precautions are not taken, they may cross-contaminate a horse(s), leading to a positive doping test. Such cross-contamination may occur if you are using a medicated cream and you do not wash your hands after. A horse may lick your hand, covered with the medication, which will in turn enter the Horse’s blood and urine, that may be sampled for doping control.

Furthermore, you must at all times avoid urinating in the horses’ box, stall and the same goes for any pets you have. If you or your pet require medication, this medication will be excreted via your urine and consequently any feed or hay may become contaminated. If ingested by the horse, the medication will then enter the horse’s body and may result in a positive doping test.