This thread has a lot of people saying “well, if someone else does it, it is okay for me”. Hold oneself to a higher standard.
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So, I’m not fully caught up on this thread but have been following for a while. I recently groomed at WEC Ohio and noticed that Perfect Prep had an advertising banner outside one of the tack stores. I had been following the thread while I was there so I found it really interesting that on the banner it says completely show legal, But while checking one of the tubes That was on the shelf for sale the ingredients stated “ Proprietary ingredients of L-theanine”. I’m not sure if that’s enough of a work around, but I will say it’s confusing for the general horse public when things are advertised this way, Companies are coming on here to defend themselves, And USEF Is stating they’re all wrong. Just my two cents.
Edited for spelling
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Ooo, is the drug one of the -flozins? My horse is on this and if USEF bans it, I guess we just won’t be showing ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Yes it is. You have to withdraw 24 hrs before starting competition and file a report. Which of course means skipping doses since it’s an every day thing unless you do something like 1 day dressage shows with a set ride time.
I don’t know if anyone else addressed this… I’ve missed some posts. When I use Ulcergard, it isn’t to calm. It’s to remove discomfort from a health problem.
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This thread really has some pretty elaborate justification for tranquillizing your horse. Lots of things alter mood for horses or people. Exercise, the company of friends, having a good or bad day, pain, anxiety, excitement, hunger, thirst, exhaustion, etc. There are many kind, safe and non pharmacological ways to make your horse happy and focused in their work. Administering a pharmacological substance with the intent to “calm” ie tranquilize is cheating. It also means you are probably not doing all the other things to make your horse happy and focused in their work. If you are doing all the other things and the horse is still not happy and focused it may need a different job. The justification of “I take valium/a glass of wine/cbd gummy to ride/relax/sleep so why is it a big deal for my horse” holds no water because the horse has no choice in the matter not to mention no drug is benign. Every drug has side effects. Some horses find stall confinement or the show environment stressful enough they get ulcers. In fact up to 90% of performance horses. Preventing them with ulcerguard is humane, not cheating. We do all sorts of unnatural things to horses to use them for our pleasure and gratification. Let us at least try to learn how to be good enough horsemen we don’t need to cheat to attempt to make them happy and focused. Because by cheating they are not really happy–just drugged. Who can feel proud of that? I would hope no one.
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No one is justifying “tranquilizing your horse” 
People are pointing out that the rule is poorly worded and overbroad. Do you really think the people who are actually using illicit substances to increase their horse’s performance are going to come on a public forum and argue about why doing so is fine?
I have a jumper who gets no prep, no meds, and who we actively try to conserve his energy to keep all the “pep” we can. Pointing out the bad drafting of the rule doesn’t mean I’m condoning cheating.
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Same.
Yes, that red herring (comparing ulcer meds to calming supplements) has been brought up a few times.
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I got a bit of a chuckle after getting this ad while reading the forums this morning, since I had followed along with this thread 
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Hard to trust them when they were “100% sure” before they were following the rules. Lmao
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I’m not following this thread religiously, but I do want to highlight this statement and work off of it.
The intent of supplementing our horses should always be to promote good health. Tranquing a horse for is wildly different than managing their anxiety. I have a horse on a daily calming supplement because that’s just who he is. He is so hyper vigilant and I love that for him because he makes a great cross country partner, but it’s also something I am ever aware of. If I do not supplement him, his body does not regulate properly and it takes a serious toll on his overall health. Mind you, this is a horse that I have catered to. Hell, I bought a whole new farm just because it was better suited to HIS idea of a safe and comfortable life. I have actually played with tapering him off before competition in case it was making him dull, etc, and it is not worth the havoc it wreaks on his body.
Sure, there are bad eggs that abuse the intent of the agents available, but I would be damned if someone had the guts to come up to me and tell me I am selfishly drugging my horse for performance value. I could care less what the scoreboard says, but I do treasure my boy and I am not above supplementing him so that he has a more enjoyable, relaxing day to day.
After two or three years of intensive talk therapy and EMDR, I personally was prescribed anti-anxiety medication. Am I a junkie because it helps regulate my nervous system so I’m not always running from the bear?
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I mean, they were never lacking in confidence. I’ll give them that 
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USEF posts in their drugs and medications guidelines no products are endorsed by USEF (although I could have sworn at one point Perfect Products was one of their sponsors) and they advise against the use of “herbal calming medications”
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Even on USEF’s sponsorship page, it specifically says “Designations as official suppliers of US Equestrian of any commercial product or service is not an endorsement, certification, or recommendation by US Equestrian of that product or service.”
Platinum Performance is listed as a USEF sponsor. They also specifically say on their page that “[a]t Platinum, no forbidden substance is ever added to a formula.” And then list “L-Theanine” as one of the “calming ingredients to look for,” and which is included in both calming products.
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[quote=“mfalgione, post:18, topic:802549”]
If a substance is to be “banned” and have a “7 day withdrawal time” there needs to be data supporting that substance is in violation of GR 410 and testing established to prove the violation. There are currently no data and no testing which supports a violation. [/quote]
Quoting the above because I have a question: I am wondering if there is a study that USEF has done (specifically in re L Theanine, since that is the topic of this thread); if so, where is it? I searched the USEF website and did not find anything, tho my search term of variations on “drug and medication studies” may not have been entirely correct.
I get that medications and supplements of all sorts can and have been over-used. I also get that USEF is making its statement on the basis of a greater malintent of over-use. IMO - I would suggest that being allowed to report the use of a limited category of calmatives in very limited dosages would be a more balanced approach for USEF to take, rather than an outright ban.
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https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C66TmXNrq/
They’re really digging in their heels about this
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I just want to say that I agree with @Live_Wire whole-heartedly. I have had a very similar life experience. My own experience with anxiety has shaped how I view anxiety in horses and how I consider addressing anxiety as an overall wellbeing issue in horse welfare and management.
We ask horses to live in ways that are very counter to their natural state, and perform tasks that they would never encounter in a non-human influenced existence.
If my horse derives a small bit of comfort from a natural supplement – not a drug or a tranquilizer - I am all for giving that. It sure isn’t going to be the difference between what gets me a ribbon or not – believe me, my own riding skill or lack thereof is going to determine that!
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I’m wondering if a horse with zero talent would be in the same situation. Trained and shown on supplements to help their anxiety. I understand people taking whatever is needed to get through their day. Most of us have to work, but a horse?
