Two substances that threaten the fairness of competition and horse welfare are on the radar of the U.S. Equestrian Federation's equine drugs and medication program
The U.S. Equestrian Federation is taking an aggressive stance on two high-profile substances that are being used to get around competition drug rules.
Members already were warned last month about Carolina Gold, purported to have a calming effect on horses. Although USEF does not yet have a test for the substance, it is in the works.
Efforts also are proceeding to uncover the abusive intravenous administration of magnesium sulfate solution, according to Dr. Kent Allen, the sports medicine veterinarian who is chairman of the USEF Equine Drugs and Medications Committee.
"It's a horse welfare deal," he explained, noting the FEI (international equestrian federation) has banned IV magnesium sulfate, which has a quieting effect on horses. But it can have serious consequences.
"That's not a drug to be playing around with," Allen explained.
"Horses can `fall off the needle'; some of them get back up -- and some of them don't."
An increase in exhibitors' drug fees for 2012 is an important component of the USEF D&M program. Most exhibitors pay $8 per horse or pony, a $1 hike; the ante has been upped $5 to $20 for FEI and other special competitions.
"One of the things the fee increase has been able to put back in our budget is our research money," said Allen.
A reduction in that funding "slowed us down the last few years," he noted, "but we've resolved that issue and are back at it."
While Carolina Gold and IV magnesium sulfate "are the two big ones in the queue," he noted, "people send us stuff every month and we look at it and investigate it."
With the extra money, "We're fired back up and going into the fray on research and development. Once we can put research money toward it, it's usually not that hard to figure it out," he said.
Magnesium is naturally occurring in the horse, which complicates matters in the case of magnesium sulfate.
"We're making sure we know what normal is in our population of horses and if we can separate oral usage and IV usage. We think we can. We're working on it now, we think that one (a test) is in the offing," Allen said.
A threshold level will be established for the presence of the substance. Magnesium sulfate as epsom salts has many legitimate roles around the barn. Allen pointed out there also are therapeutic uses for magnesium in horses intravenously if they are sick and seriously electrolyte-depleted.
But he stressed, "they're not being given magnesium, they're being given IV fluids with magnesium as a component.''
On the other hand, Allen states, Carolina Gold would never be used on a regular clinical basis. An inhibitory neurotransmitter, gama aminobutyric acid, known as GABA, is the key component of Carolina Gold, and has been found in research to produce adverse reactions.
The drug ostensibly is for horses who have amino acid deficiencies, said Allen, but noted, "horses are not amino acid-deprived; they get plenty of amino acid and protein in their regular diet." He called use of GABA "an attempt to influence the level playing field," but he noted that cheaters' drugs often don't do what they're touted to do.
"A lot of these things build myths up," he said.
The USEF considers GABA a forbidden substance that violates the spirit of the equine drugs and medications rule. Testing for it will be implemented without notice and a positive result will be referred to the hearing committee.
Although Allen acknowledges there are those who believe that when one drug used by cheaters can be detected, a new one will just pop up, he sees the big picture differently.
In his experience, "the people who want to cheat, cheat, and people who don't want to cheat go to great lengths not to. The ones in the middle are the ones who don't understand the rules and they occasionally are just a little naive. One of my missions, and (it) has been for years, is try to simplify the rule so it's easy to use and apply."
He added, "I'm really careful in my sports medicine practice because I know how competent the lab is. I'm careful in what I use and don't use, and the withdrawal times I use it in. The vast majority of the competent trainers are the same way."
Then there are those who are not competent and drug horses to make them easier to handle, often without their customers' knowledge.
While years ago the federation had a "gotcha mentality," in terms of nabbing drug offenders, Allen said the approach is different now.
"Our mentality is education. We're talking about not keeping it a big secret if we find a drug that has serious potential for abuse. We'd prefer to educate you guys and not just pin you in a hearing room."
He said USEF is not interested in nailing anyone retroactively with samples that have been frozen for a long time, once a test has been discovered for a forbidden substance.
"We're not about that, we're going forward. If people have mended their ways, all is forgiven. If they're out there trying to cheat and disrupt the level playing field, we're going to catch them."
Allen has some advice for those who are tempted to try performance-enhancing drugs.
"You talk to all these really smart trainers we've had over the years, Jimmy Wofford, George Morris, Denny Emerson, and what they say is, `Train your horse. Don't try to be a creative chemist, because you're probably not that good at it. But you might be that good at riding it.'''
ON THE RAIL -- Dressage enthusiasts from New Jersey and the metropolitan area should take advantage of the opportunity to attend the national dressage championships and Olympic dressage trials at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation headquarters in Gladstone June 7-10 and 14-17.
The USEF last week began seeking bids to hold next year's championships -- on the West Coast.
The Olympic dressage team selection trials and national championships will be at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation in Gladstone this June, but the championships are headed for the West Coast next yearThe selection trials and championships have been very special at Gladstone because of the venue's history and style, with its landmark building and well-landscaped grounds.The fact that the footing in both the indoor and outdoor rings has been redone also is a big drawing card for the facility.
But there is always a desire to give equal time to both coasts in such title meets, so it isn't always people from the same location who have to fly their horses to the championships. For instance, the 2008 Olympic selection trials were held in California, before the 2010 World Equestrian Games trials and 2011 Pan Am trials were in Gladstone.
McLain Ward, sidelined by a shattered knee he sustained during a competition in January, was put on the U.S. show jumping team long list for the Olympics with Sapphire and Antares F last week.
Sapphire was his team gold medal mount for the last two Olympics. She suffered a slight injury in the spring of 2011 and recovered a few months later, but was rested with the idea of being refreshed for her final Olympics. Antares, a newer mount who achievements include victory in the Hampton Classic and Grand Prix of Dublin, had been Ward's top mount while Sapphire was on leave.
McLain Ward and Sapphire in last year's Nations' Cup in Wellington, Fla.Selectors decided Ward, who has been the internationally highest-ranked U.S. show jumper, should be on the roster based on his record, since he will not be healed sufficiently in time for the selection trials in Florida later this month.
Post-trials observation competitions will be held in May and June at three locations across the U.S. and one in Canada, so Ward should be sufficiently healed by then to take part.
Steffen Peters' new mount, Legolas, continues to thrill his rider with outstanding performances. This weekend at the Rancho Valencia Dressage Affaire World Cup qualifier show in Del Mar, Calif., Legolas earned 78.225 percent to win the Grand Prix freestyle, after posting 75.809 when he took the Grand Prix.
Jan Ebeling's mount, Rafalaca, was second in in the Grand Prix (71.468) and marked at 74.800 in the freestyle, where she again was runner-up to Legolas. Ebeling is going on to represent the U.S. at the World Cup Finals in the Netherlands next month with the mare, who is owned in part by Ann Romney, wife of Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Guenter Seidel, who got a late start on his Olympic quest because he didn't have a horse until January, was third in the Olympic qualifier Grand Prix with Fandango on 68.234 percent, behind Peters and Ravel (79.213) and Sue Blinks with Robin Hood (68.957).
Ravel continued his dominance in the Grand Prix Special, earning 80.289, to Fandango's 70.422. No other entry broke 70 percent in that competition. Robin Hood was third on 69.600.
It wasn't a question of if; it was a question of when talented 16-year-old Michael Hughes would win his first grand prix. The Allendale resident always has been precocious; he rode in the USEF Talent Search finals when he was just 11.
Last week, he led the field of 30 on Mac Arthur in the $25,000 Smart Pak grand prix at the HITS show in Ocala, Fla. Among the also-rans was Tracey Fenney, who has won an amazing six grands prix at HITS this year, but had a rail and refusal with MTM Timon in the three-horse tie-breaker.
"She went right before me in the jump-off, so I knew I didn't have to go fast, just jump clear," said Hughes. The second-place rider, Scott Keach on CoCo, also toppled a rail.
Mac Arthur was imported from the Netherlands before Christmas, and came over sight unseen, simply on the strength of a videotape.
"He's just incredible when you watch him go," explained Hughes, who trains with Missy Clark and John Brennan.
"We got him to be a first grand prix horse. He's got so much scope and he's so easy, that no mater what track they put up, it's going to be easy for him. He's perfect," declared Hughes, the son of professional trainer Eamonn Hughes.
Young Hughes is nearly qualified for all the equitation finals this fall. If he had to pick one to win, it would be the Talent Search.
"I don't know why, it just seems like the hardest finals," he said.
ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE
Today: Woodedge at the Park, Horse Park of N.J., Route 524, Allentown; West Milford Equestrian Center Show, 367 Union Valley Road, Newfoundland; Briarwood Farm Show, Pleasant Run Road, Readington.
Friday: Somerset County 4-H Consignment Tack Sale, Ted Blum 4-H Center, 310 Milltown Road, Bridgewater. Items may be brought in Wednesday-Thursday from 7-9 p.m. Information: (732) 469-6295.
Saturday: Palermo Winter Festival Show, 1555A Burnt Mills Road, Bedminster (through next Sunday); Shaggy Horse Show (informal jumper show), Beaver Creek Farm and CLR Stable, 46 Wertsville Road, Ringoes (paige@avhpc.org); CJL Show, Hunter's Crossing Farm, 121 E. Valley Brook Road, Long Valley; Dressage Schooling Show, Horse Park of N.J., Route 524, Allentown; Somerset County 4-H Consignment Sale, Ted Blum 4-H Center, 310 Milltown Road, Bridgewater (9 a.m.-1 p.m.).
Next Sunday: Friends of the Horse Park of N.J. and Youth Council Meeting, Rick's Saddle Shop, 282 Route 539, Cream Ridge (1-3 p.m.); Bit O'Woods Farm Dressage Schooling Show, 2207 Fostertown Road, Hainesport.
Nancy Jaffer may be reached at nancyjaffer@att.net.