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19 October 2011
FEI Dressage Committee says no to blood
The FEI has never, and will never, allow any horse with blood anywhere
on its body to remain in the Dressage arena.
As the current Dressage rules are not specific on the issue of blood, the
FEI Dressage Committee, in June of this year, proposed a new rule
clarifying that Dressage tests would be stopped immediately if blood
appears anywhere on the horse in the arena. The proposal from the
Dressage Committee, which will be voted on at the FEI General Assembly
next month states this very clearly.
The only proposed exception to this rule would be at the following top
level events: Olympic Games, World Equestrian Games™, Continental
Championships at Grand Prix level and World Cup™ Finals. If blood is seen
on a horse at these top level events, the test would be stopped
immediately, but FEI veterinary officials would examine the horse when it
is leaving the arena. If the bleeding from a minor injury has already
stopped, and the FEI veterinarian confirms that it is not a horse welfare
issue, the horse would be allowed to continue the test. If the bleeding has
not stopped, or the FEI veterinarian could not confirm that it is not a
welfare issue, the horse would be eliminated.
This is the only exception that has been proposed, and would still result in
a test being stopped if blood is seen on a horse, but allows for
examination by an FEI veterinarian specifically appointed to this task. At
all other events bleeding would result in immediate elimination.
The FEI Dressage Committee has presented this proposed rule to all
National Federations. The Committee has also made National Federations
aware of the views of the International Dressage Riders Club,
International Dressage Officials Club, the Association of International
Dressage Event Organisers and other parties on this proposed rule.
The National Federations are currently reviewing the proposal.
As always, proposed rules revisions are presented for National Federation
approval at the FEI General Assembly for implementation on 1 January
the following year.
