USEF says L-theanine prohibited in calmers

[Aussie_2020]

Hopefully he’s a gelding?

[Demerara_Stables]

@SBrentnall

Yeah, sorry but I disagree. This horse has kicked me while being hand-walked, been shown 50+ times during his career, injured himself while being lunged, and failed to calm down even after being ridden for 45 mins by a trainer.

The ONLY thing that made him manageable during the first day of a show was a tube of Perfect Prep. Which, btw, is legal in dressage competition.

Then this horse is screaming at you that he doesn’t like showing. Maybe listen to him instead of forcing him to continue doing something that so obviously stresses him out.

[Demerara_Stables]

@Trekkie

There are many ways to make your horse not a “maniac” at shows including lots of hand walking, more exposure to off property events, lunging for respect instead of wildly out of control, ridden work, etc. None of the above would risk injury to the horse if done conscientiously and would not constitute cheating.

@Trekkie

Maybe we need to recognize that if we have not developed an all around good brained animal who is accustomed to different environments and experiences they may be more prone to being “up” or having a less than perfect show day. Of course, to develop that takes a significant amount of time and effort.

[SBrentnall]

LOL, you don’t know the horse. After day one, he’s fine. And in the show ring itself, he’s fine. He also drags me to the trailer when it’s time to go to a show.

But there are always those judgy folks here who think they know everyone else’s horses better than the owners.

Blocking you now - life’s too short.

[SBrentnall]

Definitely! Not a horse I would ever breed, but super talented and always does well once he settles down. He just has strong opinions about change.

[endlessclimb]

Might I suggest showing up a day earlier then.

And some trail rides.

And not breaking the rules.

[vxf111]

@mfalgione

SynNutra Equine here, weighing in to say that all of our products are in compliance with USEF rule GR-410.

Because this statement by the rep “SynNutra Equine here, weighing in to say that all of our products are in compliance with USEF rule GR-410.”

Is at best misleading and is, at worst, false.

And I don’t appreciate company reps making misleading or false statements.

What the rep really means to say is that their product contains no prohibited substances and therefore, short of being caught in the act of giving the product to calm a horse at a rated show you’re unlikely to be sanctioned for using their product. But that is NOT the same things as declaring, very broadly, that the product complies with GR-410.

The company could submit it to USEF for an official ruling. They won’t though. And I think we all know why. And the reason we all know why, is pretty damning and proves my point.

There is a big difference between violating a rule and being caught violating the rule.

[LazyA1]

Good grief. Leave SynNutra alone. There are thousands of calmers like this that people use lots of. Have we ever heard of adverse effects? No. Turn your attention to some of the real abuses please! Lunging for hours. All the crazy injections. Dex for so-called “allergies”. Actually it’s the dex that disturbs me because it’s so pervasive. Dex is not good for horses.

The SynNutra person said her products don’t violate some vague poorly written unenforceable USEF rule that so many people don’t follow. All the harm in the world, and you guys want to chose that path to be bullies on?

[trubandloki]

@LazyA1

unenforceable USEF rule that so many people don’t follow

Just because lots of people do not follow it, does not mean it is not a rule.

There really is nothing vague about that rule.

People just choose to pretend it does not say what it says.

[vxf111]

What a distraction tactic this is! Amazing.

1. There are lots of calming supplements. But last I checked no reps of any of the other companies came to this BB and posted misleading/false statements.

2. Even if they did, other companies being depictive doesn’t make it right?! It doesn’t justify ignoring obvious misstatements.

3. Just because everyone does it (and I assure you, everyone does NOT do it) doesn’t make using calming supplements for USEF showing right.

4. This isn’t a discussion about abuse and you’re just changing the topic. It’s possible for two things to be wrong at the same time. Cheating is wrong. Abuse is wrong. This is not a lesser of two evils situation. It’s possible to show and neither cheat nor abuse.

5. The USEF rule isn’t poorly written or unenforceable. It’s pretty clear. But even if it was, it’s not a justification for rule breaking.

6. Pointing out shady public behavior is not bullying.

Your post really does take the cake! It’s a textbook example of intellectually dishonest argument.

@LazyA1

Good grief. Leave SynNutra alone. There are thousands of calmers like this that people use lots of. Have we ever heard of adverse effects? No. Turn your attention to some of the real abuses please! Lunging for hours. All the crazy injections. Dex for so-called “allergies”. Actually it’s the dex that disturbs me because it’s so pervasive. Dex is not good for horses.

The SynNutra person said her products don’t violate some vague poorly written unenforceable USEF rule that so many people don’t follow. All the harm in the world, and you guys want to chose that path to be bullies on?

[SBrentnall]

Might I suggest showing up a day earlier then.

And some trail rides.

And not breaking the rules.

I do. And I do. And Perfect Prep is not against the rules in dressage.

[Alterrain]

@vxf111

short of being caught in the act of giving the product to calm a horse at a rated show

Question-

Do we think that, if one was to be caught in the act of giving the product to calm a horse at a rated show, let’s say by a steward walking by, would they do anything? Bc I don’t think they would. To be clear, I follow the spirit of the rule, but I do think you could give a tube of PP or whatever to the horse while having a conversation with a steward, and nothing would come of it.

[EmilyM]

@Alterrain

To be clear, I follow the spirit of the rule, but I do think you could give a tube of PP or whatever to the horse while having a conversation with a steward, and nothing would come of it.

Isn’t Perfect Products a sponsor of either USEF or USHJA? Talk about mixed messages

[vxf111]

I don’t know what they would or wouldn’t do. I think it would in part depend on whether they could see the PP label on the tube and whether the person giving the tube cooperated and turned it over or like ran off and hid the tube. My guess is that the action would turn in large part on whether the steward felt sure s/he could prove what they say so it wasn’t a “he said, she said” situation.

Cynically, I also think it would depend how famous/important the person giving the tube was for at least some stewards.

[Tackpud]

@SBrentnall

And Perfect Prep is not against the rules in dressage.

If it’s a USEF recognized dressage show it is against the rules. The GR drugs and medications rules apply to all disciplines.

[SBrentnall]

There are no banned substances in perfect prep.

[SBrentnall]

Yes, and also a sponsor of Steffen Peters.

[Tackpud]

@SBrentnall

There are no banned substances in perfect prep.

Again, the intent of the rule is what’s at issue here and Perfect Prep is marketed to calm and relax horses, both of which are affecting the performance of the horse.

[Alterrain]

@vxf111

I think it would in part depend on whether they could see the PP label on the tube and whether the person giving the tube cooperated and turned it over or like ran off and hid the tube.

Let’s say for the sake of argument, you give the tube to the horse, and then hand the tube with the PP label on to the steward. Maybe you take a selfie with the tube and the horse, and the steward, and text it to the USEF. tbh I STILL don’t think they would do anything, but maybe that’s the cynic in me.

[vxf111]

I tend to be pretty cynical too. But just because I think the system is broken doesn’t mean I think it’s therefore fine to cheat.