Pony Measuring within Driving

There continues to be some confusion with regard to the question of Pony Measuring within Driving following the decision to remove Pony Measurement Certification (and thereby recognized approved FEI Measurement Veterinarians) for ridden ponies and to undertake ‘spot checks’ at elite/championship events.

At the time of such removal in 2007, the implication for Driving Ponies had not been fully appreciated by the ridden rule change and FEI Driving was faced with a situation that its rules remained in force regarding certification.

The FEI Driving Committee accepted the request of the Bureau to amend the rules in the new FEI Rules for Driving 2009 to ensure commonality across all FEI Pony Competitions. However, as time has passed drivers/owners of driving ponies have found that in many countries they are no longer able to access approved FEI Measuring Vets in order to comply with the Driving rules.

At the request of a number of  NFs the FEI confirmed that, within driving ponies, the need of an FEI certificate of Measurement would be required up to the end of 2008 when the new rules for driving would line up with ridden pony rules of measurement control.

In practice many NFs have now accepted that there is a need to provide guidance to drivers/owners as to who can complete the FEI measurement certificates for driving ponies during this transitional period.

In our latest email concerning this ongoing situation we have confirmed that drivers/owners should seek guidance from their NF as to which FEI vet they would recommend to complete the certification during 2008.

The FEI Driving Department will update the Driving community as soon as the 2009 arrangements are finalised. The new rules for Driving (which will include the new rules for pony measurement) will shortly be circulated to all FEI Federations for comment.

The FEI accepts that the present transitional arrangement is somewhat difficult with the FEI Driving Rules still requiring certificates but drivers/owners no longer being able to access FEI Approved Measuring Vets.

In 2009 the position within Driving will then match the position across ridden ponies. In the meantime drivers/owners should continue to have a measurement certificate for each pony within FEI competition and such certification should be completed by an NF recommended veterinarian.

Please click on the following link for the Measurement Guidelines ( Annex XVIII of the Veterinary Rules), please refer to Page 3 of the document for the Measurement Certificate.

http://www.fei.org/Rules/Veterinary/Documents/Annex%20XVIII%20pony%20extracts.pdf