Thousands sign petition against plan to ‘weaken’ blood rules in horse sport

Concerns have been raised over whether proposed changes in showjumping are “weakening” the blood rules – as the FEI states its “zero tolerance stance on horse abuse remains firm”.

H&H reported on new proposals – to be voted on by national federations at the FEI General Assembly (4–7 November) – that in cases of blood, horses will be allowed to continue in competition, if deemed fit by the veterinary delegate. For tack- or rider-induced blood, riders will receive a warning and if two offences occur in 12 months, they will be fined 1,000CHF and suspended for a month.

The FEI said the elimination and disqualification wording had been removed, as “other provisions in the rules apply for this” under horse abuse and excessive spur and whip use.

A petition, started by German equestrian journalist Claudia Sanders calling for “this proposed relaxation to be stopped” was signed by more than 50,000 people in its first week. It states that any visible blood – regardless of cause and without exception – should result in immediate elimination “to protect the horse and maintain trust in the sport”.

“The petition is not directed against any individual or organisation, but seeks to support clear and consistent welfare standards across all equestrian disciplines,” Ms Sanders told H&H.

Significant concerns

World Horse Welfare CEO Roly Owers told H&H the charity has “significant concerns” about the proposed changes, “which risks being a real step backwards for horse welfare”.

“Whilst we can see the benefit of rider sanctions for repeated cases, these should be in addition to, rather than instead of, automatic elimination,” he said. “We believe a rule of such importance to horse welfare deserves more veterinary and ethical consideration, including through the FEI Equine Welfare Advisory Group, before any proposed changes are made.”

An FEI spokesperson told H&H the jumping rules review is to ensure “clarity, consistency and the highest standards of horse welfare”, and that proposed amendments on handling blood are a part of this.

“The FEI’s zero-tolerance stance on horse abuse remains firm and is further reinforced by these new measures. The abuse provisions continue to provide strict protection against any form of mistreatment,” she said, adding that the introduction of a vet check to assess fitness to compete is an “important step forward”.

“The proposed amendments aim to ensure fairness, proportionality and consistency, while reflecting lessons learned from incidents that underscored the difficulty of distinguishing between accidental, minor occurrences and deliberate instances of equipment misuse or abuse.”

Full context

On 28 October the FEI also published a document “to support understanding” and provide “full context” on these proposals.

“In jumping, the vast majority of cases of bleeding are identified after the round has been completed. As a result, whether or not elimination applies does not change the fact that the horse has already finished its round,” it reads.

“The proposed revision does not reduce the level of protection for horses (it actually improves it), nor does it consider bleeding to be inconsequential. All existing welfare safeguards – including veterinary assessments, ground jury authority and follow-up investigations – will remain fully in place.”

The International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC) has been vocal in calling for changes to the blood rules and in response to concerns about the new proposals, IJRC director Eleonora Ottaviani told H&H that the club puts “horse welfare and health above everything”.

She said the IJRC worked with the FEI on a proposal that is “even stronger than the previous rule” owing to the introduction of a possible fine and suspension – and highlighted that the horse abuse provisions remain unchanged.

Ahead of the General Assembly vote, the German and Danish federations publicly stated they did not support the change.

“For the federation, the welfare of the horse is at the heart of all our actions. This rule change does not align with this principle,” said the German federation president Martin Richenhagen.

A Danish federation spokesperson said it was the federation’s assessment that the proposal “does not benefit equestrian sport and does not take into account the interests of the horse”.

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