Drug exemptions for CTR?

[oldernewbie]

I have a super 7 yo Arab gelding that I have ridden mainly dressage since I bought him. I wanted to try a novice CTR in 2013 because he is also a great trail horse. Well, he has a melanoma in his eye and is on cimetidine 3x a day. I was nosing around the OAATS site to find rides in Ohio, looked at the AERC rules, and found that cimetidine is a banned substance. Obviously a problem.

So, here’s the question - can you get an exemption for a situation like this? There’s no way I can take him off the cimetidine to compete - not going to take that risk with his eye.

Am I out of luck?

[rmh_rider]

The answer to your question is: No.

Only waiver’s I have ever seen are from an irregular gait on a horse.

[oldernewbie]

That’s what I was afraid of. Sigh. I guess we’ll just keep trail riding for fun and muscling up and keep competing in dressage. Thanks for the info!

[GotMyPony]

I’m not sure why cimitedine is banned but here’s another alternative. If you would be happy doing “distance only” just to get the experience without actually competing, I would contact someone in the organization - maybe the most senior judge - and explain the situation. If cimetidine is banned because it’s considered to give your horse an advantage somehow, they might let you ride distance only. If cimetidine is banned because it could have an adverse effect on the horse for distance riding, obviously you wouldn’t do it. Just a thought… If you do contact someone, please let us know what the response is. Thanks and good luck…

[sign_of_Grace]

AERC rules may be different than a local CTR.

Like GMP said, I’d talk to the ride manager. Explain what’s up with the medication and then ask if you can ride for “distance only” meaning that you would only get a “completion”, you wouldn’t place nor would it go toward any year end points.

[BigHorseLittleHorse]

Another option of just going for distance is to volunteer as a drag rider – you would ride the same course as the competitors but stay behind the slowest rider, and be available to offer assistance or call for/go get help if anyone runs into trouble out on trail.

[gothedistance]

[QUOTE=oldernewbie;6770124]

So, here’s the question - can you get an exemption for a situation like this? There’s no way I can take him off the cimetidine to compete - not going to take that risk with his eye. Am I out of luck?[/QUOTE]

No, there are no exemptions, and Yes, you are out of luck. If your horse is on full time meds that can’t be stopped for any length of time, they are automatically disqualified for any distance competion - CTR and AERC.

As suggested, you can, at the least, volunteer as a drag rider to sample the flavor of a competitive distance ride.

If you can talk to your vet to see if the medication can be suspended for at least one week (to allow the drug to clear from your horse’s system), then you can compete, resuming the medication immediately after the ride.

The banned drugs list should have a withdrawl period for your horse’s particular med.

[below_gravity]

I would suggest contacting both AERC and your local CTR organization and asking them. Doesn’t ever hurt to ask. I am not sure why that drug is banned. Some drugs are banned because they are risky to the horse. Some drugs are banned because they give the competition an unfair advantage.

[clanter]

[QUOTE=BigHorseLittleHorse;6770950]
Another option of just going for distance is to volunteer as a drag rider – you would ride the same course as the competitors but stay behind the slowest rider, and be available to offer assistance or call for/go get help if anyone runs into trouble out on trail.[/QUOTE]

we have do this before… but you may end up riding many more miles thant the competitiors looking for the lost little lambs