Per FEI and USEF rules, The “trainer” is considered the person responsible for care and handling of the horse. Thus, they are considered the only person subject to penalty. Personally, I sign as owner, rider, trainer, and coach unless I am at a H/J show. There is no rule against that, even if I ride with a “trainer.” Technically, they are a coach.
And I guess nothing can be done, right? It’s supposition and if the horse is sound- it’s sound? Is that frustrating for you, as a steward? I mean, there’s nothing that can be done.
I sign as my own trainer at HJ because mine live with me and we meet a trainer at the shows. (Eventing any trainer I ride with typically isn’t at the ones around here). My official HJ trainer and co owner of a horse doesn’t let haul ins put him down as trainer due to the rule. Not that he doesn’t trust his haul ins, but stupid things happen by accident and he can’t risk it. When I’m fortunate to meet up with him, he lets me put him down but that’s a 10 year history of riding and co owning. (I’m not advocating one way or the other, just mentioning what I have to do and why).
In a lot of the FEI shows, you will see groom signing as “trainer”. I assume that’s to avoid affecting rider’s eligibility. I could be wrong however.
If the groom has all primary decision making responsibility in the care and handling of the horse, it is fine. It is also a very lovely dodge the trainer can use to blame somebody else.
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Somewhat similar, I was jogging a horse where the ingate was up an incline into the ring. Normally the lip was covered in footing, but it had rained. Horse tripped pretty hard on the lip, stung himself, jogged super off and we were excused. The judge radioed to let us know that she saw the trip and wouldn’t hold it against us if the horse competed the next day. We ended up scratching as a precaution anyway, but he was definitely sound for the round itself 
The rider is the person responsible according to FEI rules. There can be additional persons responsible, such as a trainer, but the rider is always the PR.
Many years ago Sheik Mohammad al Maktoum , prime minister of the UAE tried to get out of an FEI doping suspension by claiming he didn’t have the time to make sure his horses weren’t doped (being the ruler of Dubai and all) and counted on his trainers. It didn’t work and he was suspended.
I guess “do you know who I am” doesn’t fly with the FEI as far as doping positives are concerned.
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In this case the vet said no you can’t show this horse the rest of the week but that vet is very pro horse welfare and often goes the extra mile to be sure that horses are well cared for on her watch. The horse wasn’t seen again that show. But in other instances, the trainer has definitely questioned the judgement of a vet and refused to pull the horse. In that case I write it up and send it to USEF for further inspection. And never hear anything again…
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Since hunters are not under FEI jurisdiction, who does USEF consider the person responsible?
For USEF purposes, the person who signs the form as the trainer is the person responsible.
The idea is that the trainer is the one who has care, custody, and control of the horse.
If the owner keeps the horse at home and has care, custody, and control of the horse, then the owner should sign as trainer, and the person teaching the owner should sign the form as the coach at the horse show.
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