FEI Issues Mandatory Guidelines to Hypersensitivity Protocol

The FEI has undertaken a review of the Protocol for Thermography and Clinical Examination (Hypersensitivity of Legs) and, in an effort to further strengthen the Protocol, has issued the following mandatory guidelines to be applied by the Veterinary Commissions appointed for FEI Events.

The new guidelines state:

(i) All Horses that are tested pursuant to the Protocol for Thermography and Clinical Examination will continue to undergo a thermography examination as one part of the evaluation process for hypersensitivity;

(ii) No horse may be retroactively eliminated from a Competition pursuant to the Protocol for Thermography and Clinical Examination;

(iii) The Person Responsible, or his or her designee, will be presented with a written form if his or her horse is disqualified for hypersensitivity that expressly describes the examination process and the rights of the Person Responsible under the circumstances;

(iv) If any Horse is disqualified pursuant to the Protocol more than twelve (12) hours prior to a Competition, the Person Responsible, or his or her designee, will be advised that a written request to the Ground Jury may be submitted within 30 minutes of being notified that the horse is disqualified, for the Horse to be re-examined pursuant to the Protocol. Such request must be granted and the Horse will be re-examined prior to the next Competition at a time determined by the Ground Jury on the day of the Competition. If upon re-examination it is not clear and obvious that the horse is unfit to compete due to signs of hypersensitivity, the horse shall be allowed to compete in that next Competition. However, the horse remains eligible for examination under the Protocol throughout the entire Event. This specific written request opportunity may only be exercised one (1) time during any Event for the same horse.

The new guidelines are effective immediately.