In its 75 years of existence, the U.S. Pony Club has always been seen as the leader in horse management education, first catering to young riders, and more recently, expanding to include equestrians of all ages and diverse disciplines. Its curriculum, encapsulated by the Standards of Proficiency, is comprehensive, and its members progressively build their knowledge and skills around horse care, management and training. When it comes to promoting equine welfare, as an organization, USPC is already doing many things well, and it is poised to offer the vital education and experiences our modern-day equestrian is seeking.

As a community, equestrians can be resistant to doing things with their horses in any manner other than “the way it’s always been done.” But from feeding practices to deworming protocols to the impact of tack and equipment, we have learned a lot about what really works—and what doesn’t—to meet a horse’s physiological, mental and emotional needs. As scientists continue to uncover more about how horses learn, perceive the world and respond physiologically to different training and management approaches, there is a need to evolve with this new knowledge. As the saying goes, “When you know better, do better.” Leading by example, from the grassroots, has the power to effect widespread change.

Toward the end of 2023, my friend and fellow USPC national examiner Heather Bell invited me to be part of a conversation with USPC leadership around how we could bring evidence-based concepts promoting equine welfare and equine well-being into the organization. Those initial discussions led to the creation of the USPC Equine Welfare Task Force, which now includes myself, Bell, Dr. Stacy Anderson, DVM, PhD, DACVS-LA, and Dr. Laura Brinton Thompson, DVM—all four of us USPC alumnae. Collectively, the task force held more conversations with stakeholders within and external to the organization, and finally, drafted an official policy statement on equine well-being, which was approved by the USPC Board of Governors this past October. 

These actions reaffirm USPC’s long-standing commitment to promoting the highest standards of equine care and management—but they are also a call to our members to take that promise even further. Our goal is to build on this foundation, to mindfully cultivate an ethos within our members, that the welfare and well-being of the horse must underscore every aspect of our interactions with these special and unique animals. Prioritizing equine welfare and well-being is more than just checking a box or demonstrating a singular skill; it is about learning to look through this lens as we rethink and reconceptualize how we keep, care for, train and compete our animals, using evidence-based concepts to inform our actions.

Moving forward, our horse well-being framework, based on the “five domains” model, will be incorporated into all USPC activities, and eventually, its curriculum. These five domains, which include nutrition, health, behavior, environment and emotional state, are considered the modern-day foundation to the promotion of animal welfare and well-being. By considering these concepts and his species-specific needs, we can move beyond a goal of simply alleviating suffering for the individual animal to creating a life worth living.

For our equine friends, fulfilling the five domains means addressing their needs for forage, movement and social interaction. It means understanding learning theory and how it relates to common training practices. It means studying equine behavior to better understand that our horses are constantly trying to communicate with us. It means equestrians, at all levels, being more accountable for understanding the true needs of their horse—and choosing to respond to their horse’s behavior with his best interest in mind. 

When our task force compared the five domains to USPC’s existing curriculum, we identified many areas of overlap, as well as a few gaps. In the months to come, we will continue to collaborate with other volunteers to create new educational materials and content to support this enhanced curriculum. We are working with USPC staff to produce an ongoing multimedia campaign to bring some of this new knowledge—particularly in the realms of equine behavior and emotional state—to a broader audience. We have introduced a new hashtag (#HappyHealthyHorse) to use on posts where we show our horses in turnout with friends, accessing forage or expressing other “horsey” behaviors that enhance their well-being. We are so proud to see what has been accomplished thus far, and excited about what is to come.

Over and over, experienced leaders across the sport horse disciplines have decried the loss of a comprehensive understanding of fundamentally correct horsemanship in their ranks. We have watched as our sports’ national governing bodies try to shoehorn horsemanship concepts into clinics, instructor’s certification curricula and coaching guidelines. But we believe that the work USPC is doing—and has already done—in this realm could better close that gap. One of our task force’s long-term objectives is to deepen the connections between USPC and other equestrian organizations, bringing our strength in education to their membership, for the betterment of the horse.

By developing a curriculum that teaches an ethos that we must prioritize equine welfare and well-being from the most fundamental level, we know USPC is creating a tool that is not only needed but desperately wanted across our industry.

It is incumbent upon us to raise the next generation of horsemen to see the horse, his care and his training through a new lens—one that takes into account his unique nature, while honoring all that he does to make our lives better. Doing so requires that we educate ourselves about equine behavioral and emotional needs—and then be willing to make the changes required to allow our horses to truly live their best lives. 

Frequent Chronicle contributor Christina Keim is a USPC B-EV/H-A alumna, a USPC national examiner, and current co-chair of the USPC Examiners Committee. The author of “Unwanted: the Causes and Effects of America’s Horse Population Crisis” (published by Trafalgar Square in 2025), she frequently writes on subjects related to equine welfare and well-being.

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The Equine Disease Communication Center reported that there were 52 horses exposed at the same facility. 

The University Of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine released an informational video regarding the case and subsequent steps taken to limit exposure in the community.

“That single horse has been removed from the premises and is being treated at a separation isolation facility,” said Dr. Martha Mallicote, DVM, MBA, DACVIM, in the video released on the university’s Facebook account on Dec. 24. “Our state veterinary team has instituted a quarantine at that facility, and all of the horse owners and various trainers and folks at that barn have been very accommodating about incorporating biosecurity—monitoring temperatures and monitoring the health of all the animals that still remain at that facility.

“The state vets have also completed their tracebacks, so any horses that have been exposed have been identified and measures have been put into place there,” she continued. “As of today, Dec. 24, there have been no additional suspected or confirmed cases identified, although this is of course ongoing, and we will continue to monitor closely.” 

Follow updates on the EDCC site.

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Natalie Voss, the director of corporate communications for USEF, facilitated the panel of two: Dr. Sally Anne DeNotta, a board-certified equine internal medicine specialist and clinical faculty member at the University of Florida, and Dr. Katie Flynn, a senior staff veterinarian for USEF who has been involved in more than 40 EHV-1 events. Flynn was also a panelist in last week’s outbreak webinar jointly hosted by the American Association of Equine Practitioners and the Equine Disease Communication Center. 

With the heightened concern surrounding EHV-1 and EHM biosecurity as outbreaks continue to unfold, DeNotta outlined the virus’ behavior, presentation and the current outbreak, before Dr. Flynn shifted the focus to practical biosecurity measures and best practices for horses who are traveling and competing.

“This is how I like to think about biosecurity: It’s a little bit more work on the front end, but one EHV-1 outbreak is a lot better than six or more EHV-1 outbreaks,” DeNotta said. “Using biosecurity can keep the initial outbreak contained into as small of a circle as possible and prevent it from creating satellite outbreaks elsewhere, and we do this through early fever detection and early isolation.” 

Experts answered commonly asked questions about the disease and opened the floor to a short question-and-answer session, but reminded listeners that the information presented should not be substituted for medical guidance from their veterinarian. 

‘The Survival Rate Goes Up Every Year’

DeNotta directly addressed myths and misunderstandings about the virus and how it spreads. She emphasized that EHV is not a new or foreign disease, but is endemic in U.S. horse populations and behaves much like herpesviruses in other species: once infected, horses carry the virus for life. Most are exposed early, often before age 2, through intermittent shedding from latently infected horses. 

“The trigger to recrudesce and shed virus out of the nasal passages is often thought to be a stressful event,” she said. “That could be an illness. It could be transport. It could be commingling and transport to a large event, or can be immunosuppression from a variety of causes.”

She emphasized the highly contagious nature of EHV-1, which spreads through direct contact with nasal secretions, contaminated equipment or hands, shared water buckets, and even aerosolized particles capable of traveling about 30 feet. 

“EHV, in the environment, can also persist for up to about seven days in typical conditions, but it can survive up to a month in cool, damp environments, which is pretty typical with what we see this time of year in many parts of the country,” she said.

While many EHV-1 infections remain mild or asymptomatic, manifesting only as fever, nasal discharge, or coughing, the virus can also cause abortion in pregnant mares and, in more severe cases, the neurologic syndrome known as EHM. 

“I’ve tried to be very careful throughout my section to delineate between EHV—which is general infection with herpesvirus and has many clinical presentations—and EHM, which is herpesvirus neurologic disease,” DeNotta said. “So EHM is the neurologic form of EHV infection.”

Nearly all neurologic cases are linked to EHV-1. While EHM has a 15-30% mortality rate, DeNotta shared that it’s become increasingly survivable today due to improved early detection and aggressive treatment.

“So here’s another myth: all cases of EHM are fatal,” DeNotta said. “I’m happy to report that is absolutely not true, and the survival rate goes up every year as we get better at detecting and treating them aggressively. 

“The current data that we have from the last few years of outbreaks suggest that 70-85% of the EHM horses can make a full recovery,” she added. 

To demonstrate the virus range in both geography and discipline, DeNotta referenced historical outbreaks in both performance horses and race horses, including a major 2021 European outbreak beginning in Valencia, Spain, that spread to more than a dozen countries and resulted in the deaths of nearly 20 international jumpers, and the 2022 outbreak at Desert Horse Park (California). 

“This is not a new disease, and it does not have a favorite discipline,” DeNotta said. “EHM has been around for a long time, and has been creating outbreaks and havoc all over the world.” 

Detecting An EHM Infection

Clinical signs of EHM typically appear 2-10 days after exposure and can range from fever and limb swelling to ataxia and the disease’s “hallmark” hind-limb weakness, which in severe cases progresses to the characteristic “dog-sitting” posture. 

DeNotta explained that a sure diagnosis relies on PCR testing of a deep nasal swab and blood sample. Horses showing fever, respiratory signs, neurologic deficits, or known exposure should be isolated and tested promptly, she said. Routine testing of clinically normal horses is not recommended, because the virus sheds sporadically and false negatives are possible. 

“Horses may be PCR negative if they’re sampled in this very early stage, and this is bad,” DeNotta said. “We don’t want to miss these horses.”

A horse’s temperature should be monitored regularly, with the understanding that infected horses may display biphasic fevers, meaning it comes, goes away, then comes again.

DeNotta said that the disease’s mortality rate has dropped with the development of targeted therapies like sling support and effective antivirals. Valacyclovir can reduce viral replication and shedding, and anticoagulants like heparin or aspirin are used to mitigate the blood-vessel inflammation and clot formation that damage the spinal cord. In some cases, vets might use banamine and bute to reduce inflammation, but because they are immunosuppressants those treatments are typically reserved for horses with neurologic signs.

Supplements such as lysine, zinc, or vitamin E are also widely used, but she cautioned that they are far less validated than established antiviral and anticoagulant protocols and those supplements are not FDA-approved.

DeNotta closed by underscoring a few keys concepts to prevention, including administering vaccines on the recommended schedule and following rigorous biosecurity measures. Early detection, early isolation and careful management make it possible to contain outbreaks before they become far-reaching events.

“Suffice it to say that the best way that we can prevent horses from becoming infected is preventing them from becoming exposed in the first place, and then preventing transmission between horses that are actually infected,” she said. “So [that includes] early detection and isolation of sick horses, and because fever is often the first clinical sign, this is something that horse owners should be monitoring frequently in all of their horses.”

She also stressed that horses recovering from EHM do not pose a lifelong risk to others. Some horse owners have reported that home farms refuse to take home recovered horses, believing that they can trigger another outbreak, but DeNotta said that there is “no data to suggest that they would actually pose a risk to horses around them.”

Competing During An Outbreak

Flynn addressed the practical question every competitor and trainer is asking: “Should I be showing or moving my horses right now?” She stressed that any answer has to be grounded in factual information about the outbreak.

“Before we make any of our biosecurity decisions, we really need to know a little bit more about the outbreak and what’s going on,” Flynn said. “Where can I get that factual information about an outbreak? Well, I’m going to tell you where you’re not going to get the facts: You are not going to get the facts from Facebook, Twitter, X or Dr. Google. Where you’re going to get that information is going to be the Equine Disease Communication Center.”

Created in the aftermath of the 2011 Ogden, Utah, EHV-1 outbreak, the EDCC is the official source for confirmed case counts, outbreak maps and practical disease resources. Referring to EDCC data, Flynn outlined the current scope of the outbreak that began at the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association World Finals and Elite barrel racing event in Waco, Texas, in November.

There, she said, approximately 700 horses from 30 states and four Canadian provinces gathered for the event. Many traveled on to a barrel race in Guthrie, Oklahoma. To date, officials  confirmed 46 cases linked to the event: 33 neurologic, nine respiratory or fever-only, and four nonclinical positives across eight states. Only laboratory-confirmed cases reported by state animal health officials will appear on the EDCC site. 

Flynn reiterated that veterinarians still cannot predict which EHV-1–positive horses will progress EHM based on presentation. 

“I have had several cases where the horse was standing there with very high fevers and very high viral loads, and they never took one neurologic step,” she said. “So we have to understand that it’s an individual horse, and we have to monitor each individual horse as an individual case.”

Addressing another common rumor, Flynn also clarified that there are no “closed borders” for horses within the U.S. and that such blanket shutdowns are highly unlikely outside of a foreign animal disease emergency. 

At the state level, officials use more targeted tools: shortening the validity of health certificates, requiring veterinarians to add statements that horses have not resided on or been exposed to premises with confirmed EHV-1, stepping up enforcement at border stations, and temporarily prohibiting extended, six-month health certificates. 

“Horses need to move on a daily basis,” Flynn said. “What is going to occur is you may have some movement restrictions that are put in place again. These movement restrictions are going to be at the state animal health officials level, meaning they’re going to potentially shorten the time for a certificate of veterinary inspection or your health certificate.”

At the facility level, she framed biosecurity around three “control points”: preventing pathogen incursion (which horses and equipment are allowed onto the grounds), limiting on-premises spread through early detection and isolation, and stopping excursions, or pathogens leaving the venue on horses, people or gear.

Flynn encouraged viewers to evaluate their facilities for the vulnerabilities, noting that barns and showgrounds are typically designed for human convenience rather than disease control. 

Porous, chewed wood surfaces and cool, damp stall corners provide ideal hiding places for virus, and communal water troughs can harbor EHV-1 for up to 21 days. Hoses dipped from bucket to bucket, nose-to-nose contact over stall partitions, dogs acting as fomites, and heavily handled equipment like bridles, halters, cross-ties and nose rags all raise the risk of spread. She emphasized that cleaning must come before disinfection, and recommended using appropriate products for different surfaces. Sunlight is also an effective non-chemical disinfectant for some equipment.

“I have to say my biggest pet peeve would probably be the nose rag,” she said. “Why do we share nose rags, when we don’t share tissues? If I had a dirty tissue in my pocket, I’m pretty sure you would not take that and use that. So please: why do we think about doing that with our horses?” 

When infectious disease is suspected, Flynn said that immediate isolation is the single most important step. Every barn should have a plan for isolation, whether that means pipe corrals in a field or an arena reconfigured as an isolation zone; sick horses must be physically separated and out of shared airspace. 

The “index horse” in any outbreak—whether it just has a fever or full-blown neurologic signs—becomes the critical test of a barn’s biosecurity. Flynn suggests twice-daily temperature monitoring and a firm rule that a horse with a fever is isolated.  

“An outbreak starts with an index horse, whether that’s a fevered horse, which is the temperature over 101.5°F, the neurologic horse here, or the horse with the snotty nose, or the horse with diarrhea, or the one that ‘ain’t doing right today,’ ” Flynn said. “That ‘ain’t doing right today’ horse could be a fevered horse tomorrow, a neurologic horse tomorrow, or one with nasal discharge.”

Flynn closed by tackling the two biggest decision points for many USEF members: whether to travel to an event, and whether to host one. Owners should first confirm that their horses are healthy, monitored and appropriately vaccinated, then consult their veterinarian and the EDCC to assess regional risk, and finally evaluate what the competition is doing in terms of healthy-horse entry requirements, on-site temperature monitoring, cleaning protocols and isolation capacity. 

Competition managers, meanwhile, should weigh local disease activity, where their entries are coming from, and whether they truly have the protocols and stabling to manage a sick horse on site. USEF continues to support competitions during the outbreak because of its biosecurity rules. 

“We have those biosecurity protocols in place,” she said. “We have successfully managed and held events with EHV-1 detections and quarantines on USEF competition grounds. We have successfully done this because of the protocols in place, the early identification, the isolation and prompt response and enhanced biosecurity. However, we understand that all situations are different. There is no one-size-fits-all protocol, and we completely support management and show veterinarians’ decision to cancel the event based on their risk assessment for that specific event and venue.”

Flynn and DeNotta agreed the current outbreak is not yet contained and stressed continued vigilance, directing viewers back to the EDCC’s dedicated outbreak page, where case counts are regularly updated along with biosecurity guidance. 

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McConnon, of Southern Pines, North Carolina, is banned from taking part in any competition or event, or in any related activity under the jurisdiction of the FEI or any national federation. He is also prohibited from training any athletes or horses registered with the FEI or any national federation, including the U.S. Equestrian Federation. He also was fined approximately $3,100 (2,500 Swiss francs).

An FEI Tribunal convened to investigate abuse allegations against the five-star eventer reached its decision Monday, Nov. 24. The tribunal “found Andrew McConnon to have engaged in abuse of horse as well as in a conduct that has brought the FEI and equestrian sport into disrepute thereby violating Article 142.1 (Abuse of Horse) in conjunction with Article 164.11 (Offences) of the FEI General Regulations. McConnon was further found to have breached the FEI Code of Conduct on the Welfare of the Horse by those same actions,” according to an FEI statement announcing the decision. 

Former grooms for the rider first reported him to the FEI and USEF in May 2024, submitting materials including videos and photographic evidence of what they felt was abusive behavior on the part of the rider. In September 2024, after McConnon competed at the Defender Burghley CCI5*-L (England), videos (different than those the groom said they submitted) began to circulate online, bringing the abuse allegations into the public eye.

Since then, many of McConnon’s horses gone on to other riders, including his top horses, with Wakita 54 sold to Alexander Conrad and Ferrie’s Cello now with Tamie Smith. On Nov. 26, Smith posted an open letter on social media addressing McConnon’s penalty, the FEI process, and the horses in her care.

“When the three horses arrived at my farm in January, they were 200–300 pounds underweight. Their necks were tight,” Smith wrote. “Their bodies consumed by tension. They were described as ‘hard keepers’ who ‘wouldn’t hold weight’—but after 11 months, now healthy and relaxed, they are easy keepers eating a quarter of what they needed initially.

“Eddie (Ferrie’s Cello), stoic and robotic, couldn’t let himself feel,” she continued. “A 5* horse who slammed on the brakes not out of stubbornness, but fear, at jumps that were only 2 feet tall. Only after months of rebuilding trust—from the ground up, could he canter softly around a 1.15m course with confidence. For the first time in a long time, he was allowed to be vulnerable, and because of this it got worse before it got better.”

Smith added later in the letter that she is not in favor of a lifetime ban for McConnon, writing: “People can change—when they acknowledge harm and commit to structured help. But what I cannot accept is:

• A sentence that feels overwhelmingly light

• A process that never interviewed the owners, the riders, or pertinent people involved

• A conclusion issued without gathering critical testimony

• No mandate for counseling, education, supervision, or reform

• A message that risks telling the world that we tolerate abuse

“We must be better. We must demand accountability and education, not silence and avoidance.”

The full reasoned decision will be published here “in due course,” according to the FEI.

McConnon, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment, has 21 days to appeal the FEI decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

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The webinar will feature Texas State Veterinarian Dr. Lewis R. “Bud” Dinges, executive director of the Texas Animal Health Commission; Dr. Krista Estell of the AAEP and EDCC and U.S. Equestrian Federation Senior Staff Veterinarian Dr. Katie Flynn discussing of what EHV-1 is, how to recognize it, and most importantly, how to prevent it spreading.

The current outbreak, which originated at the 2025 WPRA World Finals and Elite Barrel Race event, held Nov. 5-9 in Waco, Texas, has resulted in 21 cases of EHM reported in five states—Texas (11), Oklahoma (3), Louisiana (3), New Mexico (3) and Colorado (1)—and six cases of EHV-1 in three states—Arizona (3), Washington (2) and Oklahoma (1)—according to Saturday statistics reported by EDCC. Two other cases were reported elsewhere in the nation on Sunday, an EHV-1 case in Pennsylvania and an EHV-4 case in Ohio, but EDCC said neither was associated with the Waco-based outbreak.

The AAEP/EDCC webinar will take place from 8-9:30 p.m. Eastern Time Tuesday. The webinar is free, but registration is required and will be limited to 1,000 participants. Click here to register. While participation is limited, everyone who registers will be emailed a link to an on-demand recording of the session by Wednesday evening.

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Update Nov. 21: The U.S. Equestrian Federation clarified a press release published Friday morning to emphasize both that it supports the continuation of competitions that have biosecurity measures in place, and to emphasize that it encourages competition managers to also consult with their local and state veterinarians to determine specific risk in their area and population.

An outbreak of what officials are calling a “particularly aggressive strain” of equine herpesvirus-1 in Central Texas has led to confirmed cases of equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy, the sometimes-fatal neurologic disease linked to EHV-1, in three states and caused event organizers further away and in horse sports outside the rodeo world to start postponing planned events out of caution.

The outbreak originated at the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association World Finals and Elite Barrel Race event, held Nov. 5-9 in Waco, Texas. Since then, 15 EHM cases tied to that competition have been confirmed, with seven in Texas—where two confirmed cases resulted in the horses being euthanized—three each in Oklahoma and Louisiana, and one each in Colorado and New Mexico. That  number more than doubled over the course of the day Thursday alone, according to updates posted by the Equine Disease Communication Center. (EDCC noted that a case of EHM reported in Maryland this week was not related to the Texas competition.)

Oklahoma has also reported one confirmed case of non-neurological EHV-1 cased tied to the Waco barrel racing event as of Thursday. 

As of Friday, the U.S. Equestrian Federation said it is closely monitoring the situation but is not recommending schedule changes to USEF-licensed events.

“As of November 21, 2025, the identified cases have been the barrel racing/women’s professional rodeo subpopulation of horses,” USEF stated in a Friday morning release. “Any USEF horses housed on the same premises as horses that have participated in barrel racing and rodeo events in Texas and Oklahoma should remain on the premises and be monitored for signs of illness.

“Currently, there have been no links or association with USEF events,” the statement continued. “Thus, at this time, we support the continuation of USEF events with the implementation of biosecurity measures in place.”

Along with diligent adherence to biosecurity measures, USEF also recommends that competition managers and event organizers consult their state and local veterinary authorities to help determine risk for their specific event.

Riders from all sports should be aware that, as of Thursday, the National Assembly of State Animal Health Officials has suspended the use of extended equine certificates of veterinary inspection, typically valid for six months, for interstate movement of horses. Instead, horses being transported between states will need to obtain current CVIs.

A major concern for animal health officials is not just how aggressive this strain of EHV-1/EHM seems to be, but the dynamics of its potential spread, as some number of the 100-plus horses attending the WPRA event moved on to rodeos and competitions in other states before showing signs of illness. While horses can become symptomatic as soon as 24 hours after exposure to EHV-1, the typical incubation period is two to 10 days, during which time horses appear normal but can be shedding the virus. 

While EDCC is reporting 15 officially confirmed EHM cases, including two in which the horses were subsequently euthanized, and one EHV-1 case as of 10:30 a.m. Friday (Eastern Time), a representative from the Texas Animal Health Commission said Thursday that “there have been several horse deaths suspected to be associated with the virus, but have not received laboratory confirmation or were not tested by the owner,” noting the agency only reports confirmed—not suspected­—cases to EDCC.

“The extent of this EHV-1 outbreak is not yet fully known,” TAHC wrote. “Presentation of EHV-1 in these horses has been acute with rapid progression and high clinical severity. A concerning number of mortalities in horses suspected to have EHM have been reported.

“Investigation into the character and epidemiology of this disease event is ongoing but the need for rapid and proactive actions to curb the spread is clear,” the statement continued. “Measures to prevent contact of horses from exposure to the virus and increased biosecurity overall are recommended.”

While Texas has not mandated equine travel restrictions, TAHC recommended that horse events in the state be canceled or postponed to help prevent further spread of the virus “until such time as the extent of the current outbreak has been determined.”

Although the outbreak originated in the western competition world, organizers of English riding events in Texas and other nearby states have already started taking precautions.

Texas Rose Horse Park in Tyler, Texas, which had been scheduled to host the North Texas Hunter Jumper Club Year-End Show this weekend, announced Tuesday that it is shutting down horse events through Dec. 2. 

“To protect the health of every horse, we must prevent potential transmission an comply with the biosecurity recommendations from the Texas Animal Health Commission,” TRHP announced. “Suspending horse event operations (travel, showing, mixing of horses) is the most responsible action right now to limit further spread.

“This is not just about protecting our facility—it’s about safeguarding the larger Texas equine community. The economic and emotional value of our horses deserves every precaution.”

Further away, TerraNova Equestrian Center in Myakka City, Florida, announced Wednesday that it was postponing a schooling day that had been scheduled for Saturday.

“Due to the recent outbreak of EHV-1 in Texas and Oklahoma, we’ve made the decision to postpone this Saturday’s schooling day out of an abundance of caution and concern for the health and safety of all horses,” the center posted to social media. “We are actively monitoring the situation and are in close contact with local authorities and veterinarians. Our goal is to reschedule the schooling day as soon as we can guarantee the safety of everyone involved.”

World Equestrian Center—Ocala (Florida) has canceled a barrel racing event scheduled to take place there Nov. 26-29 “out of an abundance of caution and due to the horse population involved,” general manager TJ Campbell said. 

He added that WEC plans to tighten its biosecurity protocols and access requirements for both its Florida and Ohio venues and is monitoring the developing situation “on a daily basis.” 

“We are closely monitoring the situation for all of our upcoming equestrian events and participants from around the country,” he wrote in an email. “We have been in close contact with the local and state vets and will continue to monitor the situation closely at both of our locations.”

In Colorado, several venues suspended schooling shows this week. 

Some major venues, however, including the Carolina Horse Park (North Carolina) and Wellington International (Florida) have elected to proceed with their planned events, a decision representatives say was made in consultation with veterinarians and will include close monitoring of the ongoing outbreak.

In a social media announcement posted Thursday, CHP Executive Director Charles Pinnell said that the organization is “aware and concerned” about the outbreak, but with no known cases in the Carolinas or surrounding region, it currently plans to remain open and hold events scheduled for the remainder of November and December. 

“Our professional veterinarians feel that there is almost no chance of the virus spreading at this time to other disciplines in other areas,” he wrote.

Wellington International, which has the Holiday & Horses CSI4* scheduled for Nov. 26-30, also said that show and other events will go on as planned. 

“Our established biosecurity protocols, which are publicly available on our website under Horse Show Forms, serve as our first and strongest line of defense against communicable diseases,” Wellington International Marketing Director Alicia McLaughlin wrote in an email. “At this time, based on the information available, we do not anticipate any changes to our event schedule, including next week’s competition. We remain in active communication with our partners at Palm Beach Equine Clinic and USEF, and we will continue to evaluate the situation to ensure the highest standards of horse health and safety.”

In its Friday communication telling members that the outbreak does not currently involve USEF-licensed events, the federation also shared guidance and best practices for concerned horse owners.

For additional information about EHV-1 and EHM, see this fact sheet from the American Association of Equine Practitioners.

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The Fédération Equestre Internationale approved a controversial new blood rule for show jumping on Thursday evening (Friday local time) during its 2025 General Assembly in Hong Kong. The group voted 56-20, with two national federations abstaining.

After a public campaign against the proposed rule change generated 65,000 signatures on an international petition, a decision was made during General Assembly work sessions this week to have that one proposal, Article 259, voted on separately from the rest of the jumping rules revision.  

Under the newly approved rule change, instead of jumpers being automatically eliminated if blood is spotted on a horse, they may be allowed to continue competing if the ground jury, in consultation with the veterinary delegate, deem them fit to do so.

“The FEI’s zero-tolerance stance on horse abuse not only remains firm, it is actually further reinforced by these new measures,” the FEI said in a briefing note that accompanied the Art. 259 proposal. “The abuse provisions in both the Jumping Rules and the FEI General Regulations continue to uphold strict safeguards against any form of mistreatment. In an important step forward, amongst others under the proposed rules, the presence of blood anywhere on the horse will now automatically trigger a veterinary check to assess the horse’s fitness to compete.”

If the blood is determined to be from something like a bitten lip or a bloody nose, officials may wipe the blood away and allow the horse to continue competing without penalty to the rider. If the blood is determined to have been caused by the athlete or tack, the athlete will received a jumping recorded warning. A second recorded warning in a one-year period would result in a fine and one-month suspension. Officials may still disqualify or eliminate riders if they believe blood was caused by the overuse or whips or spurs, or if they believe the horse is otherwise unfit to compete.

“The changes aim to ensure greater consistency and proportionality in how such incidents are handled, while maintaining the highest standards of horse welfare,” the FEI wrote in its briefing statement. “The revisions also reflect lessons learned from high-profile cases that underscored the difficulty of distinguishing between accidental, minor injuries and clear cases of equipment misuse or abuse.”

The new rules, it wrote, are intended to “improve fairness, transparency, and regulatory clarity for the discipline. The abuse of horse provisions in the Jumping Rules remain unchanged and that the FEI has a zero-tolerance approach to horse abuse.”

In a press release issued after the vote, the FEI noted that the full jumping rules were passed with 96% approval, by a vote of 73-3. That was after Art. 259 was passed in a separate vote with less support, or 74% of federations approving. The votes are taken through secret ballot, an FEI spokeswoman said, so the specific breakdown of votes for an against is not available.

“We acknowledge that a number of national federations voted against the proposal,” FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibanez said in the statement. “While their reasons may vary, we take this outcome seriously and are committed to examining it carefully to better understand the concerns and address them as we move forward.”

The statement called the news rules “as a meaningful advancement, enhancing horse welfare through added measures and safeguards, as follows:

• New mandatory fitness-to-compete checks by the ground jury, in consultation with the veterinary delegate, in all cases of blood.

• Horses now only permitted to continue competing if passed fit-to-compete following the above veterinary check.

• Clearer rules for FEI officials, removing the “minor” [blood] distinction and ensuring greater consistency and objectivity.

• Increased transparency and accountability for athletes, with all jumping recorded warnings published by the FEI.

• Automatic notification to national federations of all jumping recorded warnings concerning their athletes, enabling them to better monitor cases and decide whether to impose additional welfare checks or measures.”

The statement emphasized that its other rules, such as those governing abuse of horse and requiring mandatory disqualification for excessive use of spurs, remain in place.

“We fully acknowledge and thank the national federations for the constructive discussions throughout the week, which clearly reflected a shared commitment to finding solutions,” Ibanez said. “Despite differing opinions, we were able to gain a clearer understanding of each other’s positions and were also able to clarify several misunderstandings and misconceptions.”

Several federations have requested “a more harmonized approach to the topic across disciplines,” and the FEI is “committed to looking into this,” the statement added.

“We will take a structured, evidence‑based approach grounded in thorough consultation and driven by data,” it said. “Our ongoing projects at the FEI will play a key role in supporting accurate data recording, and we will continue to advance safety and welfare through evidence‑based measures that are both rigorous and robust to further demonstrate our unwavering support to horse welfare.”

A summary of other key decisions made during the 2025 FEI General Assembly is available here.

The post FEI Approves Amended Blood Rule For Jumping appeared first on The Chronicle of the Horse.

The blood proposal is among a slate of rule changes that will be voted on Friday during the 2025 FEI General Assembly, being held this year in Hong Kong. Friday’s sessions will be broadcast live beginning at 8 p.m. Thursday Eastern Time.

When rule change proposals first were introduced in July, the International Jumping Riders Club an dmultiple national federations—including those from the United States, Ireland, Sweden and Brazil—offered different versions of an update to the blood rule, all framed as a plea for “proportionality,” so that minor instances of bleeding caused by something that did not impact horse welfare was not sanctioned the same as overuse of the spurs and horse abuse. The Irish proposal, for example, asked to reduce penalties for incidents of “minor blood with natural causes,” with the idea that competitors should not face elimination for such instances if officials can wipe the blood away and determine the situation is not a horse welfare issue. Instead of being eliminated, the various proposals suggest that riders be given a recorded warning for first and second offenses, and if the same person receives two recorded warnings within a 12-month period, that they be fined and suspended, per Recorded Warning rules for the sport of jumping.

In its proposal, the U.S. Equestrian Federation said increased flexibility in the blood rule was needed “as there are various levels of severity of the infraction and these should be addressed based on the severity or lack of severity.”

Brazil and the Pan American Equestrian Federation proposed an “equine assessment rule” utilizing veterinary delegates to determine the severity of blood and involving a three-strikes approach and a stipulation that violations be tracked across an athlete’s career, saying, “The current Blood Rule lacks differentiation between horse abuse, accidental injuries, and minor lesions, leading to inconsistencies in penalties. The proposed Equine Assessment Rule aims to harmonize penalties with the principles of fairness and horse welfare.”

In feedback on the proposal (see page 33, for the first of several examples), national federations and the IJRC were supportive but concerned over how “minor blood” would be defined objectively.

“The IJRC welcomes the revised approach introduced in Article 259 as a more proportionate and fair solution to a sensitive issue that directly affects the image and values of equestrian sport, considering the welfare of the horse, which must always remain the top priority,” the organization wrote in its feedback. “The IJRC asks that the decision on whether the bleeding is minor be made by a veterinarian, as this is the most critical element in ensuring both fairness and horse welfare.”

In a separate but related proposal, the IJRC asked the FEI to reconsider its blood rules to take into account the differences between “accidental micro-lesions,” injuries, lesions caused by inappropriate riding such as overuse of the spur, and horse abuse, and apply proportional punishment to each.

“One of the fundamental principles of law establishes the proportionality between sanctions and violations of the norm, something which is not currently contemplated by our regulations,” the IRJC wrote. “For this reason, [a] micro lesion which does not cause suffering to the horse, or a micro mark, cannot be considered at the same way as lesion caused by excessive use of spurs or horse abuse.”

The FEI took such feedback into consideration and reworked the blood rule change to the version that will be voted on this week, which replaces the references to “minor blood” with a concept borrowed from FEI eventing rules:

“We have now introduced the concept of blood on the Horse caused by tack or equipment or any athlete induced blood. This is similar to what is already applicable in eventing for the cross-country test,” the FEI wrote in proposed a revised rule change. “We have removed the initial wording about elimination or disqualification in this specific article on recorded warning as other provisions in the jumping rules apply for this (abuse of horse, excessive use of spurs, whips, etc). Finally, we have now added that the horse must be fit to compete in order to compete again and that the veterinary delegate will be consulted.”

The final proposal to be voted upon reads like so:

259.1 Any blood on the Horse caused by tack or equipment or any Athlete induced blood detected during a Competition (from warm-up until completion of any post-Competition controls/testing) will result in the following consequences for the Person Responsible, issued by the President of the Ground Jury:

• First Offense – Jumping Recorded Warning
• Second Offense – Jumping Recorded Warning

Should the same Person Responsible receive two or more Jumping Recorded Warnings at the same or any other Event within 12 months of the delivery of the first Jumping Recorded Warning, the Person Responsible shall be issued with a fine of [1,000 Swiss francs, approximately $1,200] and be automatically suspended for a period of one month, such suspension to commence on the day after the last day of the Event where the Second Jumping Recorded Warning was issued. The FEI shall notify the Person Responsible and confirm the date of suspension. For the avoidance of doubt, the delivery of the notification from the FEI after the start date of the suspension shall in no way invalidate or postpone the commencement of the suspension.

259.2 In other cases of blood on the Horse detected during a Competition (for example where a Horse appears to have bitten its tongue or lip or in cases where a Horse is bleeding from the nose), the Officials may authorize the rinsing or wiping of the blood and allow the Athlete/Horse Combination to continue the Competition, provided that the horse is deemed fit to compete in accordance with Article 259.3. The Athlete will not receive a Jumping Recorded Warning if this Article applies.

259.3 In all cases of blood on the Horse under this JRs Art 259, the Horse may only be permitted to continue in a Competition or participate in any subsequent Competition(s) at the Event if the Ground Jury, in consultation with the Veterinary Delegate, has deemed the Horse to be fit to compete.

The FEI vote comes two months after the U.S. Equestrian Federation passed a general blood rule—the first to apply to all breeds and disciplines under USEF’s umbrella, which permits officials to use discretion in “minor cases of blood,” using the wording the FEI has chosen to rework.

The idea of the FEI relaxing its blood rules led German equestrian journalist Claudia Sanders to start a petition that garnered more than 50,000 signatures in its first week and is now at 64,000 and growing. 

“The No-Blood Rule is one of the most important welfare protections in equestrian sport: Whenever blood becomes visible on a horse during competition, the performance must be stopped. This rule protects horses from pain, overexertion, and being ridden on despite injury,” she wrote in the petition’s introduction, which is translated in four languages. “The FEI (Fédération Équestre Internationale) is the world governing body for equestrian sport and sets the rules. Now, at the upcoming FEI General Assembly on November 5, a proposal will be discussed to weaken the No-Blood Rule. We say: No. The horse comes first.”

Other Rule Changes

Also Friday, the FEI is looking at several rules that will crack down on mobile phones in warm-up areas. 

The federation is proposing two rule changes to limit the use of mobile phones in warm-up areas, after those were suggested by the Swiss, Dutch and Irish federations as well as the FEI Jumper Committee. The Swiss proposal applies to all sports, while the Irish and Dutch ones were specific to jumping.

“Too often, we see riders of all levels, in all disciplines, and of all ages using a mobile phone while riding,” the Swiss proposal states. “This is not only potentially dangerous but also sets a bad example for the younger generation, who may see their idols riding with a phone to their ear. Just as it is on the road, using a phone while riding in a warm-up arena should be prohibited.”

In response, the FEI noted that while it initially rejected such proposals because they “did not seem realistic in practice,” the combination of requests spurred it to create a general rule for all disciplines: 

“Unless otherwise provided in the Sport Rules, athletes are prohibited from holding a mobile phone and/or any similar electronic device to their ear or doing calls while riding in the warm-up arena,” the proposed rule state. 

A related proposal addressing hands-free communication devices would allow athletes to use one earphone or hands-free device while riding in the warm-up “provided these devices to not compromise their safety or that of others.”

In jumper classes, the proposed limitations are stricter, prohibiting the use of all electronic communication devices, hands-free or otherwise, in both the warm-up and competition areas. In all situations, violators would receive a warning. 

Also on Friday’s agenda:

• A proposal from the FEI to make its warning system more consequential, noting in its proposal that “under the current system, warnings have no real weight/impact.” To change that, the FEI has proposed that all warnings now be written, eliminating oral warnings, and that any rider who receives two such warnings in one year be fined 2,000 Swiss francs (approximately $2,400); receive a 3,000 CHF (approximately $3,700) fine for three warnings in a year and 4,000 CHF fine ($4,900) for four warnings in a year.  

• A rule requiring that all national federations adopt, by Jan. 1, 2027, rules against abuse of horses and abuse and harassment of participants that are “generally consistent with the FEI provisions.” The FEI has said it will work on a case-by-case basis with countries whose rule-change processes may prohibit this from happening by the 2027 deadline. It also noted, in agreement with a comment made by the British federation, that countries should “implement similar provisions in their national rules so that they can also implement and recognize any sanction/penalty imposed by another national federation.”

• A rule requiring only the top three riders to appear mounted for prize-giving ceremonies that happen after 10 p.m., “to mitigate some of the impact of late-night competitions on horses and grooms.”

• A proposal that says failing to wear protective headgear, except for while accepting prizes and during national anthems or other ceremonial protocol, will now result in a 1,000 Swiss franc fine (approximately $1,200) instead of a yellow card warning. In proposing the change, the FEI rebuffed a proposal from Brazil and the Pan-American Equestrian Federation asking that riders also be allowed to take off their helmets “as a demonstration of celebration after completing a successful participation, always under their own responsibility,” with the FEI saying post-round celebrations were potentially more dangerous conditions—between a cheering crowd and a distracted athlete—than during a round to not wear a helmet.

• Approval of the qualification system for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, which begins with next year’s FEI World Championships in Aachen, Germany, leading up to the confirmation of teams and individual athletes in January and February 2028. The total number of athletes allowed remains the same from the 2024 Paris Olympics: 200 total athletes, with 65 athletes and 16 teams for eventing; 60 riders and 15 teams for dressage; and 75 riders and 20 teams for show jumping. As the host country, the United States gets a team spot in each sport, presuming it is able to field a team.

See a complete agenda and read rule changes proposed for each discipline here.

The post Blood Rule Revamp Faces Opposition Ahead Of FEI Vote appeared first on The Chronicle of the Horse.

Over the one-hour meeting, the panelists responded to questions submitted by members ahead of the webinar, while Voss facilitated additional questions to the two veterinary officials in real time. Read on for highlights from the conversation.

Drug Testing Using Hair Samples

Schumacher gave background for the new hair testing rule, which was implemented in July following “feedback from the industry that individuals were using euthanasia solution,” Schumacher said. “The most egregious form of abuse, in my opinion, is to expose a horse to a euthanasia solution.” 

That alarming information led USEF to develop a testing methodology to detect the misuse of barbiturates in competition horses. Schumacher said that, in response to member feedback, the federation plans to modify the hair sample collection process. 

The current system is modeled after mane pulling, as testing samples must include the bulb, which “provides more of a medium for drug detection,” he said. However, that process can look “visually traumatic” to concerned owners and riders, especially in horses that have thoroughly pulled manes. Schumacher said that in some test subjects, especially hunters, their manes have been pulled so frequently that the remaining hairs “are actually firmly entrenched and a little more challenging to get out.”

As a part of the testing process, Schumacher said that USEF has recorded all hair testing collections on video. In one video posted last week, some viewers perceived that the horse was not comfortable; Schumacher affirmed that this horse had the “most significant response” of those horses who have been hair tested to date, but did not believe the horse’s body language indicated pain.

However, in light of members’ concerns, he said that the federation is considering allowing grooms or trainers to collect the samples under observation from the drug tester, as well as collecting hair samples from the underside of the tail. In a recent trial of tail hair collection, Schumacher said the horse was “unfazed.”

Evaluating Marketing Claims: When Is A Supplement Safe?

Dowling addressed questions from members about discerning what supplements are permitted, and when ingredients might trigger a positive result in testing for a banned substance. Dowling, who informed viewers of her credentials as a toxicologist with a background in animal science and nutrition, said she prefers that owners aim for a balanced diet, and that she is “not a believer in supplements,” herself. 

“So just because something’s natural doesn’t mean it’s safe, and in fact, most people die of natural causes,” Dowling said. 

Dowling shared what she tells students in her course on drugs and performance horses.

“I teach them that if any kind of a product is claiming that it either can rev a horse up or calm a horse down or put on muscle, it is extremely difficult to do that with something that’s not going to be prohibited by most sport organizations,” she said. “Because then you are not having horses compete on their own merits with good training, good conditioning, that sort of thing. It violates the spirit of our equestrian sports.”

While drugs are regulated closely by the Food & Drug Administration, supplements do not have the same oversight and lack peer-reviewed research to demonstrate their safety and efficacy. There is also a history of contamination in supplements, which has led to positive drugs tests. (Earlier this year, for example, the results of a Belgian rider and the Belgian eventing team were disqualified from the 2024 Paris Olympics because the rider’s horse tested positive for a banned substance. The manufacturer blamed accidental contamination.)

“When it comes to a supplement, both in the U.S. and Canada, it’s a little bit more the Wild West,” Dowling said. “Pretty much anybody can decide that they want to start making a supplement, and they’re going to put these different ingredients in them.”

Dowling shared other examples where competitors were disqualified after a supplement included a banned substance that turned up a positive test. When a live question came in about the labels that specifically advertise that a supplement “won’t test,” the member asked what level of confidence consumers can take from those claims.  

“You can go back to the Hong Kong show jumpers who all got busted for capsaicin, for a topical product that has long had ‘won’t test’ on its label,” she said. “So not much in my humble opinion.”

Schumacher added that while some supplements advertise that they are FEI- or Horse Racing Integrity Safety Authority-approved, those organizations do not formally endorse any products, and that “show-safe” packaging can be misleading. The speakers clarified that USEF does not endorse or approve any supplement brands, even when banners or booths appear at shows. Individual competitions are free to solicit their own sponsors, which can create the appearance of endorsement.

Schumacher and Dowling acknowledged that this can be confusing for riders who see supplement logos alongside USEF signage and assume products are sanctioned. They stressed that sponsorship does not mean a product is exempt from testing or compliant with USEF drug rules, a distinction they urged competitors to keep in mind when evaluating marketing claims.

Another member submitted a question about how intention was taken into consideration in the review process, when a positive test might be the result of a mislabeled or contaminated supplement rather than intentional doping. 

“That can be mitigated; it depends on what the purpose of the supplement was, what drug was found,” Schumacher said. “Those portions of the finding or the investigation can be used in mitigation for a penalty.”

Viewers also inquired about formally reporting medications that are being used legally and therapeutically, or in a treatment for medical conditions ahead of competitions. Schumacher advised: “What we’re there to do is provide information about how to get that horse back into competition and be compliant with the rules and document that administration. So as far as when you should use a medication form, definitely give us a call or send us an email.”

To learn more about drug testing, how to reporting medications, or view a list of prohibited substances, visit https://www.usef.org/compete/regulation/drugs-medications. A recording of the Nov. 3 Q&A will also be provided at that link. 

The post Hair Testing Collection And ‘Show-Safe’ Supplements Discussed At USEF Q&A appeared first on The Chronicle of the Horse.

In December 2024, that collaboration became the Chromatic Fund, a research and education initiative designed to bring evidence-based clarity to the use of medications, supplements and therapeutic treatments in sport horses. Last week, USEF announced the fund’s first two grants—projects that both address daily, practical decisions veterinarians and trainers make with limited scientific guidance.

Two Studies With Immediate Implications

The first, led by Dr. Carrie Finno at the University of California—Davis, examines the effects of vitamin E supplementation on vitamin K status in healthy horses.

“In humans, high-dose vitamin E can promote bleeding disorders by depleting vitamin K,” Finno explained. “Because so many horses have lost access to fresh pasture, they now receive supplemental vitamin E—sometimes in very high doses. With today’s highly bioavailable liquid formulations, they may be getting twice what they would from older, pelletized products. If that reduces their ability to clot, veterinarians need to know. Our study will systematically evaluate whether high-dose vitamin E promotes bleeding in horses, similar to what’s seen in humans.”

If confirmed, the finding could have serious implications for horses prone to exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage—one of the conditions discussed in Chromatic BF’s necropsy.

The second project, directed by Dr. Lauren Schnabel at North Carolina State University, addresses another long-standing gray area in sport-horse medicine: the safety of single high-dose versus repeated low-dose corticosteroid joint injections.

“We’re honored and excited to receive this funding from the Chromatic Fund,” Schnabel said. “Our lab has been studying how metabolic disease relates to joint therapy in sport horses. Recent work shows that steroid injections can raise blood glucose and insulin, which may increase the risk of steroid-associated laminitis, and they can suppress cortisol and ACTH, which may raise infection risk.

“Clinically, veterinarians often space out smaller injections over time, assuming that’s safer,” she continued. “But no one has ever compared that to a single high-dose treatment. Could our cautious approach actually be prolonging metabolic stress. This study will finally give us evidence to guide those choices.”

Together, the two projects will receive just under $100,000 in Chromatic Fund support—small compared to the scale of USEF’s ambitions but, leaders hope, emblematic of a new model of cooperation between sport and science.

Deliberate, Peer-Reviewed Process

Both proposals emerged from a rigorous vetting process run by The Foundation for the Horse, the AAEP’s charitable arm. Each year, the foundation fields dozens of proposals—this cycle drew 64, of which 15 received funding overall. The Foundation’s 25-member scientific review committee scored projects on experimental design, feasibility and impact. From that pool, the Chromatic Fund Advisory Board, which includes representatives from USEF and AAEP, as well as Branscomb, Olympic medalist Norman Dello Joio, and veterinarians Jack Snyder and John Madigan, selected the two studies most directly relevant to competition horses.

“Working through the foundation’s review process gives us confidence that the research we’re supporting is well-structured to produce actionable, publishable results,” said Bill Moroney, USEF’s chief executive officer. “We didn’t want to reinvent the wheel—we wanted to rely on a process that already has credibility in the veterinary research community.”

Moroney added that both topics grew directly out of discussions at USEF’s Veterinary Summit last March at the World Equestrian Center in Florida.

“Supplementation and steroid use were among the top concerns voiced by veterinarians at that meeting,” he said. “There’s surprisingly little science specific to sport-horse management, and we wanted our first projects to address areas where everyday decisions are being made without enough data.”

Balancing Science, Perception And Patience

For Dr. Stephen Schumacher, USEF’s chief veterinary officer, the Chromatic Fund represents a chance to recalibrate the balance between therapeutic benefit and unintended harm.

“The horse doesn’t get to decide what it’s given,” Schumacher said. “That means we have an ethical responsibility to make sure the medications and supplements we use truly help rather than hurt. Supplementation and medication use—those are the most pressing welfare questions we face in the next few years.”

He noted that both funded studies tackle issues that seem routine but may carry unseen risks.

“Vitamin E is marketed as harmless, and corticosteroids are part of nearly every lameness protocol. But if either one is used without solid evidence, we can end up causing the very problems we’re trying to prevent. These projects go straight to the heart of that concern.”

Translating Results Into Practice

Research alone isn’t enough, Moroney emphasized. The Federation plans to make study results available to the public and translate them into best-practice recommendations for veterinarians, riders and owners once the data are published.

“After our veterinary summit, we produced a white paper summarizing key takeaways, and we’ll do the same with the Chromatic Fund projects,” he said. “But research takes time—often years. Managing expectations will be important. When results are ready, we’ll distill them into clear guidance for competitors, veterinarians and officials, and we’ll look at whether rule changes or new education programs are warranted.”

Natalie Voss, USEF’s director of corporate communications and a member of the advisory board, said the preference for peer-reviewed, publishable studies was intentional.

“Part of the review process was to prioritize projects likely to produce results strong enough for academic journals,” she explained. “That means the knowledge can spread well beyond USEF’s membership to reach the entire veterinary community.”

Challenges ahead

Launching the Chromatic Fund was the easy part; sustaining it will be harder. When the fund was established in 2024, Branscomb said her long-term goal was to raise $2 million—enough to support multiple research projects each year and ensure the initiative’s longevity. While that target remains aspirational, USEF leaders say they are committed to expanding the federation’s overall research investment in 2026.

“Raising sustainable funding, selecting the right projects, ensuring impact—there’s an element of all of that,” admitted Moroney. “The biggest challenge is making sure people understand that research takes time and that welfare improvements don’t happen overnight.”

Communication will be another test.

“We need to get education into people’s hands in ways they’ll actually read and absorb,” Moroney said. “That means using every channel we have—from our website and social media to the veterinarians on the ground. Our success won’t be measured in dollars; it’ll be measured in better-informed care for horses.”

Schumacher agreed that the fund’s credibility depends on transparency and follow-through.

“We’re relying on established scientific oversight from the Foundation for the Horse, but we’ll also ask researchers to summarize how their findings translate to everyday practice,” he said. “That step—turning science into actionable knowledge—is where welfare improvements really happen.”

Looking Forward

The next grant cycle will open in summer 2026, with additional USEF-funded projects likely to be announced before then. Branscomb, whose original matching gift helped launch the fund, remains part of the advisory board.

“This partnership between the AAEP and USEF ensures that high-performance horses can compete safely and effectively,” she said, “without owners having to worry that their horses might be harmed simply because there wasn’t enough research to guide their care.”

For Moroney and Schumacher, that vision captures what the Chromatic Fund was meant to be: a bridge between the heartbreak of one horse’s loss and the healthier future of many.

“As a national governing body, supporting equine research is part of our responsibility,” Moroney said. “If, a few years from now, these projects change how vets treat a joint or how owners supplement a horse, that will be a lasting tribute to Chromatic BF—and a meaningful step forward for every horse that follows.”

To donate to the Chromatic Fund, visit FoundationForTheHorse.org/support/chromaticfund.

Correction: This article has been updated to reflect that Kc Branscomb has stated $2 million as a fundraising goal for the Chromatic Fund.

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