I was tested 2 or 3 times (I can’t recall) over the course of the time I was competing from 1993-1998
1993 Radnor 3 day when I was 7th, I was definitely random
1997 Essex Three Day when I finished last, or close to it, again random
They were on different horses/types. Both peed willingly.
Emily
Yes, there is testing in event. Yes, people have been set down.
For example, Ryan Wood was suspended in May 2010 for 4 months for a finding of fluphenazine in one of his horses at the Seneca Horse Trial held in Sept 2009. He was issued a 4 month suspension and a $2,500 fine. The owner was to return prizes, if any, and pay a $300 fine as well.
My horse has been tested twice in four years (once in 2009 and another in 2013). First time was going Novice, second time was Training, both in Area II.
Fortunately mine can’t stand a neat stall and almost immediately pees when he’s in one filled with fluffy clean shavings. Gotta mess that up! 
[QUOTE=Calling Duck;8310368]
Yes, there is testing in event. Yes, people have been set down.
For example, Ryan Wood was suspended in May 2010 for 4 months for a finding of fluphenazine in one of his horses at the Seneca Horse Trial held in Sept 2009. He was issued a 4 month suspension and a $2,500 fine. The owner was to return prizes, if any, and pay a $300 fine as well.[/QUOTE]
Am I to assume as an anti-psychotic it is used to calm a horse?
I’d also be in trouble if they tested the riders. I take a beta blocker for some serious migraine issues. No competitive shooting for me! (slowing the heart rate makes you a more accurate shot)
I’d also be in trouble if they tested the riders. I take a beta blocker for some serious migraine issues. No competitive shooting for me! (slowing the heart rate makes you a more accurate shot)
I’ve been tested once, coming off XC. I glanced at the drug tester, apparently that was an invitation (I didn’t know who he was at the time, I looked because I wondered why there was a guy with a shoulder bag at the end of XC watching everyone)?
That was over the course of four years of competing in two states. I read my rule book & am interested in what’s best for my horse anyway, so no issues. He’d gotten a little bute beforehand since we were always managing his back issue he came with over the five years we evented, but always followed withdrawal times, etc.
Solo doesn’t like to pee in public, so I was amused watching them follow him around for a while, heh.
LadyB, incorrect, actually!
They DO take blood for tests in Canada- it happened to me in August! I was a ‘lucky’ one drawn (in Entry, no less, so not even an Upper-level horse) after x/c. My mare normally pees as soon as the saddle’s removed, (observers or not, trailer, stall or aisleway! :lol:) but I guess this time she’d peed just before I tacked her up for our x/c because we waited 20 minutes in her stall to go and nothing happened, so the vet who was with the tester just drew the blood. Yes, 2 vets at this event with only 54 entries in total- 1 at the x/c finish, and 1 with the EC drug tester.
I saw the tester again last weekend, testing one of my friends- again, an Entry-level horse and rider.
[QUOTE=fanfayre;8310553]
LadyB, incorrect, actually!
They DO take blood for tests in Canada- it happened to me in August! I was a ‘lucky’ one drawn (in Entry, no less, so not even an Upper-level horse) after x/c. My mare normally pees as soon as the saddle’s removed, (observers or not, trailer, stall or aisleway! :lol:) but I guess this time she’d peed just before I tacked her up for our x/c because we waited 20 minutes in her stall to go and nothing happened, so the vet who was with the tester just drew the blood. Yes, 2 vets at this event with only 54 entries in total- 1 at the x/c finish, and 1 with the EC drug tester.
I saw the tester again last weekend, testing one of my friends- again, an Entry-level horse and rider.[/QUOTE]
No way!! Every Canadian event I’ve been to, I’ve never had a vet there, always on call. Which event were you at?
My horse has been drug tested so many times. Last weekend at Wits End there wasn’t a vet either. I think they can wait up to like 2 hours or something if they want to.
Insane. But I’m glad they do it to be honest. We need to weed out those who drug their horses for their own pleasure while their horses break down in silence. I think its more common than we know.
All my tests have been done at Pre-Training and Training level. I had no idea they drew blood though. I know they do at H/J shows, but thats because there is usually a vet there from what I’m told.
There was a vet at Stevens Creek, Oakhurst, and the Park
There is never a vet at Grandview, Glen Oro, Wits End, Woodwinds, Lanes End, Will O’Winds or Dreamcrest. All are on call.
My horses have been tested a lot more frequently in Canada (Ontario) than in the US. I would say I compete with somewhat equal frequency in both countries.
LadyB, it used to be routine to have a vet at the finish of xc at all of the events you mentioned in Ontario until about 2008ish (I may be slightly off on the year). They would watch your horse trot after xc and sometimes to TPRs. I’m not sure why that changed but it has been a pretty recent change.
LadyB, I’m in BC, on Vancouver Island, and the event was Avalon Horse Trials- it’s in the omnibus on page 110 (yes, it’s on my desk close @ hand :lol::winkgrin: at all times). I think the on-call vet was the one checking pulse and lameness at the x/c finish, but I’m not 100% certain of that. The 2nd event with the same tester was Island 22 in Chilliwack.
I’ve been in BC for 25 years- (exactly in 2 days!!! OMG time flies) and I don’t ever remember having vet checks @ the Ontario horse trials (not the LF 3-days), but I DO remember the testers being at every event- it took me 1/2 of the first summer to figure out who the person with the extremely annoying whistle was. It was Arthur Tateishi who finally educated me about that when I made a comment about the person needing a new tune!:uhoh::rolleyes: We all fell about laughing, as one often does in the presence of Arthur.
I DO miss those days…
[QUOTE=clivers;8310662]
My horses have been tested a lot more frequently in Canada (Ontario) than in the US. I would say I compete with somewhat equal frequency in both countries.
LadyB, it used to be routine to have a vet at the finish of xc at all of the events you mentioned in Ontario until about 2008ish (I may be slightly off on the year). They would watch your horse trot after xc and sometimes to TPRs. I’m not sure why that changed but it has been a pretty recent change.[/QUOTE]
I remember those days, and I preferred them. Someone to check the heart rate at the end, just to confirm he was good to go. They were only around when I first started really eventing, not long after did it become vet-on-call only, and never saw them again.
I truly prefer to have them at the finish line, but I guess cost wise it wasn’t effective. Blood tests would be more capable in those years too.
[QUOTE=JER;8310321]
Probably not.
If you need to use specific banned/threshold substances, you can get a TUE – Therapeutic Use Exemption. This isn’t difficult but you do need a doctor to sign off on it.
Also, different sports have different banned substances. For example, alcohol is not banned in equestrian sports but is banned in karate. Betablockers, which prevent your heart rate from increasing, aren’t banned in equestrian, but they very much are in shooting, where they give a clear advantage.
There’s a very useful website, Global DRO, that helps you navigate what is banned or controlled in your sport.
(I occasionally have to do anti-drug education courses for my coaching certification in another sport. :))[/QUOTE]
Good to know, thanks for sharing! If in years I’m at a point where it’s a concern, I’ll probably ping you for help figuring it out/resources to use. 
There was a vet last year at Lanes End at the finish line.
I had horses tested twice in the thirteen years or so that I last actively evented. One competing at Training and one at Prelim. Such at PITA. But I understand the need.
Well at a big event like Millbrook…Fluids could have been given. I also know many that do give Legend and the like. And a full sharps container means NOTHING…could have taken a few years to get that way as often they do not start with an empty one!
Having been in both the show world an eventing…there is NOT the major drugging problem with event horses.
As for being tested…I’ve had everything from novice to prelim horses tested (all selected randomly). One year I got tested twice (different horses). But I have also gone years and not been tested. All were one day events and the testing was done after xc…they meet me at the finish, followed me back to the trailer and said just take care of horse like I normally would. Lucky for them and me…mine pee easily. Just cooled them out, put them on the trailer for a minute and they were done.
Had a thought about the title question of drug testing in eventing … remembered this as a comparison of the Colvin situation in hunter showing, and one positive test in eventing …
J. Paget on Clifton Promise wins 2013 Badminton, only to have the FEI issue DQ’s, suspensions, etc. after the horse tested positive for a miniscule amount of reserpine. (As did CP’s stablemate, also competing.)
The eventing world explodes in shock and horror, as this outcome from the winner of a 4* is so rare. (Has the winner of a 4* ever been set down for a positive drug test?) Both riders deny any knowledge of how this substance got into the horses’ systems (instead of pointing fingers accusing others).
The owner, Frances Stead, instead of issuing denials, pointing fingers, changing riders or just a big shrug “it will all be over soon enough”, pulls out all the stops to discover how the reserpine ended up in her horses. She defends her riders and her staff. Owner Frances Stead personally funds an exhaustive, months-long investigation that spares nothing to answer the question. (What a big difference that is from the Colvin situation - as we know it, at least.)
Frances Stead’s investigation is able to prove that poor quality control in a commercial supplement was how the substance got into her horses in such small amounts. The riders are officially exonerated, although the Badminton win could not be restored as the winner did have the substance in his system, however unintentionally.
So, comparatively … in this one instance, at least, it is definitely a different world, different culture, from hunter showing.
I also think there is a HUGE difference between FEI events and USEF/USEA only. Most hunters NEVER will be under FEI level (zero tolerance) scrutiny. So a hunter can reach the top of its sport only under USEF rules. Eventing…we hit FEI levels MUCH sooner in a horse’s career. So there is just not the same culture that has evolved as more of our horses will be competing in the FEI levels and this does trickle down.
Also…eventing is just different. With three phases…we do not have the same culture in general. One of the biggest things is not allowing any one other than the rider to ride and school at an event. There is no “prepping” of horses in the same manner…besides the fact that horsemanship IS still very big for eventing culturally…it is the type of people attracted to the sport. I think the Colvin incident really shinned a bad light because it was for such a good rider…if they need to drug a horse for that caliber of rider to win…something is seriously wrong in that world.
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